YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
Although the hospital owns the physical documents related to your health information, you have the following rights regarding the health information maintained about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy:
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the health information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records, but may not include psychiatric/substance abuse notes.
To inspect and copy health information, you must sign an authorization to release the information which can be obtained in the Medical Record Departments of the appropriate hospital. If you request a copy of the information, the hospital may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request.
Right to Amend:
If you feel that health information the hospital has about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask that it be amended.
To make a correction, your request must be made in writing to the Manager, Medical Record Department of the appropriate hospital. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request.
The hospital may deny your request if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, the hospital may deny your request if you ask us to change information that:
- Was not created by us.
- Is not part of the health information kept by or for the hospital.
- Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy.
- Is accurate and complete in the opinion of the hospital.
Right to Confidential Communications:
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or at home, or send billing information to an alternative address.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures:
You have the right to request an "accounting of disclosures". This is a list of the disclosures the hospital made concerning your health information. To request an accounting of disclosures, you must write to the Manager, Medical Record Department of the appropriate hospital. Your request must state a time period which may not be longer than six years. One request within a 12 month period will be free. For additional lists, the hospital may charge you for the costs of providing the list.
Right to Request Restrictions:
You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information the hospital uses or discloses about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the health information the hospital discloses about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member or friend.
To request restrictions, you must write to the Manager, Medical Record Department of the appropriate hospital. In your request, you must describe (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, disclosures to your spouse.
The hospital is not required to agree to your request. If the hospital agrees, it will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment. You may not limit uses and disclosures that are legally required or allowed by law or regulation.
RIGHT TO A COPY OF THIS NOTICE
You may obtain a copy of this notice at any time from our web site, www.ropersaintfrancis.com .
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
The hospital reserves the right to change this notice from time to time for past, current or future information. The new notice will contain the effective date on its first page. You can view the current notice at www.ropersaintfrancis.com .
COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the hospital or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services without fear that you will be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
If you have any questions about this notice or any complaints about the hospital's privacy practices, or would like to know how to file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, please contact the Privacy Officer at 1-843-789-1778
You may not be penalized for filing a complaint.