Details

Category: Uncategorised

The Catholic Youth Association of Pittsburgh
Notice of Privacy Practices and the Treatment of Client Health Information

Effective Date: August 10, 2009

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND OTHER INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED. IT ALSO DESCRIBES HOW YOU MAY ACCESS THE HEALTH INFORMATION THAT WE CREATE ABOUT YOU AS A CLIENT. A MORE current version of this POLICY MAY BE posted AT our facility OR ON our website: www.Adult_Daycare_Pittsburgh.catholicyouthassociation.com.

Purpose of the Notice

In accordance with federal and state law, the Catholic Youth Association of Pittsburgh (CYA) is committed to preserving the privacy and confidentiality of client health information.

This Notice explains how health information created and maintained by CYA, and how health care information obtained by CYA from other organizations and providers, may be used and/or disclosed.

This privacy practices outlined in this notice apply to:

1. Personnel specifically authorized by CYA to enter information into client medical records which are created and/or maintained by CYA.

2. Employees, students, and other service providers of CYA who have access to client health information at our facility; and

3.Volunteers authorized by CYA to assist in the provision of health services at our facility.

Notice is hereby given that the above identified individuals may share privileged health information with each other for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations.

Treatment.  We may use your health information to provide you with health care treatment and services.  We may also disclose your health information to doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, medication aides, technicians, medical and nursing students, rehabilitation therapy specialists, or other personnel who are involved in your health care. 

Example: Information pertaining to your health may be obtained by CYA to determine the course of treatment/types of activities that should work best for you. The staff of CYA will record in your healthcare record the actions they take, and how you respond. We may then provide your physician or a subsequent healthcare provider with copies of our reports.

Payment.  We may use or disclose your health information to bill you, an insurance company, or another third party for services.  We also may disclose health information about you to  your health plan to obtain pre-approval for services and to determine whether your health plan will pay for services.

For example: We may be send a bill to you or to a third party payer. The information on our bill may identify you, your diagnosis, and procedures and supplies.

Health Care Operations.  We may use or disclose your health information in order to perform the necessary administrative, educational, quality assurance and business functions of our facility. 

For example: Members of CYA's staff may use information in your health record to assess your care and your outcomes  and to assess similar cases. Your healthcare nformation may be used  improve the quality and effectiveness of the healthcare and service we provide.

Uses and disclosures of health information in special situations

We may use or disclose your health information in certain special situations as described below.  You have the right to limit these uses and disclosures as provided for in the section of this document titled, Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information.

1. Treatment Alternatives & Health-Related Products and Services.  We may use or disclose your health information for purposes of discussing with you treatment alternatives or health-related products or services that may be of interest to you.  For example, we may also use or share your health information to remind you of your appointment for treatment or medical care. 

2. Family Members and Friends.  We may disclose your health information to individuals, such as family members and friends, who are involved in your care or who help pay for your care.  We may make such disclosures when:  (a) we have your verbal agreement to do so; (b) we make such disclosures and you do not object; or (c) we can infer from the circumstances that you would not object to such disclosures.  For example, we will share information about you with your spouse or other family member after giving you an opportunity to agree or object.

We also may disclose your health information to family members, friends or your legal representative in instances when you are unable to agree or object to such disclosures, provided that we feel it is in your best interests to make such disclosures and the disclosures relate to that person’s involvement in your care.  For example, if your medical condition prevents you from either agreeing or objecting to disclosures made to your family or friends, we may share information with the family member or friend visiting you at our facility or during a home based visit, but we will share only the information which relates to their involvement in your care.

3.      Fundraising Activities.    We may use or disclose a limited amount of your health information for purposes of raising money for our facility and its operations. 

lOther Permitted or Required Uses and Disclosures of Health Information

There are certain instances in which we may be required or permitted by law to use or disclose your health information without your permission.  These instances are as follows:

1.      Business Associates:  We may share your health information with others, termed “business associates” who perform services on our behalf. When these services are contracted, we may disclose your health information to these business associate to assist them in performing their job.  Business associate shall be instructed to appropriately safeguard your information. 

2.      As Required by Law.  We may disclose your health information when required by federal, state, or local law to do so.  For example, we are required by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disclose your health information in order to allow HHS to evaluate whether we are in compliance with the federal privacy regulations.  Federal law makes a provision for your health information to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a workforce member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public

3    Public Health Activities.  We may disclose your health information to public health authorities that are authorized by law to receive and collect health information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability; to report births, deaths, suspected abuse or neglect, reactions to medications; or to facilitate product recalls.

4    Health Oversight Activities.  We may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency that is authorized by law to conduct health oversight activities, including audits, investigations, inspections, or licensure and certification surveys.  These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the persons or organizations providing health care to individuals and to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

5    Judicial or Administrative Proceedings.  We may disclose your health information to courts or administrative agencies charged with the authority to hear and resolve lawsuits or disputes.  We may disclose your health information pursuant to a court order, a subpoena, a discovery request, or other lawful process issued by a judge or other person involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to (i) notify you of the request for disclosure or (ii) obtain an order protecting your health information.

6    Worker’s Compensation.  We may disclose your health information to worker’s compensation programs when your health condition arises out of a work-related illness or injury.

7    Law Enforcement Official.  We may disclose your health information in response to a request received from a law enforcement official to report criminal activity or to respond to a subpoena, court order, warrant, summons, or similar process.

8    Coroners, Medical Examiners, or Funeral Directors.  We may disclose your health information to a coroner or medical examiner for the purpose of identifying a deceased individual or to determine the cause of death.  We also may disclose your health information to a funeral director for the purpose of carrying out his/her necessary activities.

9    Organ Procurement Organizations or Tissue Banks.  If you are an organ donor, we may disclose your health information to organizations handling organ procurement, transplantation, or tissue banking for the purpose of facilitating organ or tissue donation or transplantation.

10Research.  We may use or disclose your health information for research purposes under certain limited circumstances.  We will ask for your specific permission to use or disclose your health information if the researcher will have access to your name, address or other identifying information.

11To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety.  We may use or disclose your health information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of you or other individuals.

12Military and Veterans.  If you are a member of the armed forces, we may use or disclose your health information as required by military command authorities.

13National Security and Intelligence Activities.  We may use or disclose your health information to authorized federal officials for purposes of intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities, as authorized by law.

14Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA health information relative to adverse events with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects or post marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs or replacement.

lUses and Disclosures Pursuant To Your Written Authorization

Except for the purposes identified above, we will not use or disclose your health information for any other purposes unless we have your specific written authorization.  You have the right to revoke a written authorization at any time as long as you do so in writing.  If you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your health information for the purposes identified in the authorization, except to the extent that we have already taken some action in reliance upon your authorization.

lYour Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Although your health record is the physical property of the healthcare provider that compiled it, the information belongs to you. You have the following rights about your health information. 

All requests must be in writing.  In some instances, we may charge you for the cost(s) associated with providing you with the requested information. Additional information regarding how to exercise your rights and the associated costs can be obtained from the Executive Director by calling 412-621-3342.

1.   Right to Inspect and Copy.  You have the right to inspect and request a copy of health information used to make decisions about your care.  We may deny your request to review and copy your health information in certain limited circumstances.  If you are denied access to your health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed.

2.   Right to Amend.  You have the right to request an amendment of your health information that is maintained by or for our facility and is used to make health care decisions about you.  We may deny your request if it is not properly submitted or does not include a reason to support your request.  We may also deny your request if the information sought to be amended:  (a) was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment; (b) is not part of the information that is kept by or for our facility/program; (c) is not part of the information which you are permitted to inspect and copy; or (d) is accurate and complete.

3.   Right to an Accounting of Disclosures.  You have the right to request an accounting of the disclosures of your health information made by us.  This accounting will not include disclosures of health information that we made for purposes of treatment, payment or health care operations or pursuant to a written authorization that you have signed.

4.   Right to Request Restrictions.  You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  You also have the right to request a limit on the health information we disclose about you to someone, such as a family member or friend, who is involved in your care or in the payment of your care.  For example, you could ask that we not use or disclose information regarding a particular treatment that you received.  We are not required to agree to your request.  If we do agree, that agreement must be in writing and signed by you and us.

5.   Right to Request Confidential Communications.  You have the right to request we communicate with you about your health care in a certain way or at a certain location.  For example, you can ask to be contacted by mail only.

6.   Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice.  You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice.  You may ask us to give you a copy of this Notice at any time.  Even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this Notice.

lFor More Information or to Report a Problem

If you have any questions regarding this Notice or wish to receive additional information about our privacy practices, please contact our CEO at 412-621-3342.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our facility or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  To file a complaint with our facility, contact our Chief Executive Officer, Mary Ann Heneroty.  All complaints must be submitted in writing.  You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.