THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Your
privacy is important to us - we want you to understand:
- Who will follow this Notice
- How we may use and share your medical information
- Your rights concerning your medical information
- How to file a complaint about your privacy
Who will follow this Notice:
This Notice applies to all Baptist Health Care facilities with the exception of Lakeview Center, Inc. You will be given a separate Notice if you visit any Lakeview locations. The following facilities will follow this Notice:
- Atmore Community Hospital
- Baptist Business Health Solutions and Senior Health Services
- Baptist Health Care Foundation
- Baptist Medical Park - Nine Mile
- Baptist Medical Park Ambulatory Surgery Center
- Baptist Hospital
- Baptist Manor
- Baptist Walk-In Care
- Jay Hospital
- Mobile Diagnostics
- Gulf Breeze Hospital
- The Towers Pharmacy and the Towers Pharmacy at Baptist Medical Park - Nine Mile
- All employees, staff and other Baptist Health Care personnel
- Any member of a volunteer group we allow to help you while you are in
a Baptist Health Care facility
- Any person allowed to write in a medical record that belongs to any of
the facilities listed above.
The law requires us to maintain the privacy
of your medical information and to tell you our duties and practices
regarding your medical information. The law requires us to follow
the terms of our current Notice. We reserve the right to make changes
to this Notice, which may include new privacy provisions about the
medical information that we keep. If we make any changes, we will
give you a copy of the new Notice the next time you visit us. The
latest version of this Notice can always be found on our website
at www.ebaptisthealthcare.org.
If you are receiving behavioral health
services from us, your behavioral health records will not be shared
like the rest of your medical information. For example, if you are
an inpatient in a behavioral health department, we will not list
your name in our directory. We also will not share your information
for fundraising purposes.
We may use and share your medical information for:
- Treatment Purposes: We will share your information with those who are caring for you. For example, if you come in with a broken arm, we will give your x-rays to your doctor. If you need medication, the doctor may share your information with your pharmacist.
- Payment Purposes: We may share your medical information with the person or company paying for your care. For example, if you come to us with a broken arm, we will tell your insurance company why you came in and what we did for you.
- Health Care Operations: We may use your medical information to
improve the way we provide care to you and others. For example,
we may share your medical information to teach others.
-
Appointment
Reminders: We may call or send a letter to remind you about
your appointment.
-
Sign-in
Sheets: We may use sign-in sheets in our offices and call
your name when the doctor is ready to see you.
-
Treatment
Choices and Other Services: We may send you information
about different ways to treat you and about other health benefits
or services that you may want to know about.
-
Fundraising: We
may share your information with the Baptist Health Care Foundation
so that the Foundation may contact you. The Foundation raises
money for Baptist Health Care to use to help needy families,
buy new equipment, and provide facilities and services. Please
call the Foundation at 850-469-7906 if you do not want to be
contacted.
-
Research:
We may share your information for research. The law requires
us to take extra steps to protect your privacy and tell why we
will be using your information.
-
Hospital
Directory: We may use your information in our directory.
Our directory has your name, religion, room number and how
you are doing. If someone asks for you by name, we will tell
them your room number and how you are doing. We may allow members
of the clergy to see our directory even if they do not ask
for you by name. Please tell us if you do not want to be listed
in our directory.
-
People
Involved In Your Care: We may share your medical information
with a family member or a friend who is involved in your care.
We may also share your information with a person or company
who is helping pay your bill. Please tell us if you do not
want your information shared in this way.
-
Disaster
Relief: If there is a disaster such as a hurricane, plane
crash, or tornado we may use your medical information to notify
your family. We may also release information to an agency such
as the Red Cross. Please tell us if you do not want your information
shared in this way.
-
Satisfaction
Surveys: We may use your information to send a survey to
you in the mail. Your answers will help us provide better care.
-
Special
Programs: If you sign-up for one of our programs such as
Golden Care or Heart First, we may share your health information
with our volunteers and others so they can check on you while
you are in our care.
We May Share Your Medical Information Without Your Permission:
- As Required By Law: An example is the mandatory reporting of
positive cancer tests to State agencies.
- To stop a serious threat to someone?s health or safety: We
may only share this information with someone who can stop the threat.
- For Public Health: We may share your medical information with
a public health agency such as the Centers for Disease Control.
- Law Enforcement: In some situations we may share your medical
information with law enforcement. If we believe you are a victim of abuse
or some other crime we may tell the police. We may also tell the police
if you commit a crime at our facility.
- State and Federal Review: We may share your medical information
when we are being reviewed. For example, we may share your information
with Medicare or Medicaid when they are reviewing the way we provide
care.
- Legal Proceedings: We may share your medical information when
responding to proper requests in legal proceedings.
- Children: In some cases we may not share your child?s medical
information with you. For example, there are times when your child can
seek care without your permission.
- Organ Donation: If you are an organ donor we may share your
medical information when appropriate.
- In Case of Death: We may share your medical information with
a medical examiner or funeral director.
- Military and Veterans: If you are in the military or a veteran,
we may share your medical information when required by law.
- National Security: We may share your medical information when
required by law for national security purposes.
- Protection of The President and Others: We may share your medical
information when required by law for protection services of the President
and other important leaders.
- Department of State: We may share your medical information
when required for security clearances and physicals of State Department
personnel and their dependents.
- Inmates: If you are a prisoner or in police custody, we may
share your medical information when required by law.
- Work Injuries: If you are receiving care because you were hurt
at work we may share your medical information with your employer and
others as required by Workers? Compensation laws.
Your Rights Concerning Your Medical Information:
Right To Request Restrictions:
- You can ask us not to share your medical information for treatment,
payment and health care operations. Usually, we will not agree to
this request because it would make it difficult for us to care for
you.
- You can ask us not to share your medical information with family
or friends who are involved in your care.
- If you want to make any of these requests you must do so in writing.
The law does not require us to agree to your request.
- If you need emergency treatment we may share your medical information
even if you have asked us not to.
Right To See And Get A Copy:
-
You
have the right to see and get a copy of your medical
information for as long as we have it.
-
We
may charge a fee for giving you a copy.
-
Sometimes
the law does not allow us to let you see your medical
information. If this happens, you can appeal our decision.
Your appeal must be made in writing.
Right
To Request Confidential Communications:
-
You
can ask us to contact you in certain ways. For example,
you can ask that we not send your bills or appointment
reminders to your home address or call you at your work
number.
-
This
request must be made in writing and tell us how you would
like to be contacted.
-
We
will agree to reasonable requests.
Right To Amend:
-
You
can ask us to change your medical information. For example,
you can ask us to correct errors such as your date of
birth.
-
This
request must be made in writing.
-
The
law does not require us to agree to your request.
-
If
we deny your request to change your medical information,
you can appeal our decision. Your appeal must be made
in writing.
Right
To An Accounting:
-
You
can ask us to give you a list of people we have shared
your medical information with.
-
This
does not include information shared for treatment, payment
and health care operations.
-
This
also does not include information shared at your request.
-
This
request must be made in writing.
-
We
are required to keep track of who we have shared your
information with for six years.
-
This
right starts on April 14, 2003 and we will not have any
information prior to that date.
-
If
you request more than one accounting in a twelve-month
period, we may charge you a fee.
Right To A Paper Copy Of This Notice: If asked, we will give you a paper copy of this Notice.
No Other Use of Your Medical Information Without Your Authorization:
We
will not share your medical information except in the ways indicated
in this Notice unless you give us your written authorization to do
so. You may revoke your authorization for other use of your medical
information at any time.
We
ask that you please give us the opportunity to resolve any issues
you have concerning your privacy. If you feel that we have violated
your privacy, you may file a written complaint with the Baptist Health
Care Privacy Officer at the address below. If you prefer, we will
be happy to assist you in completing a written complaint. There
will be no retaliation against you for filing a complaint. For
further information or assistance, you may contact us at: