Privacy Notice and Legal Statement
Privacy Notice
Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy Rule
Purpose
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. This notice took effect on
April 14 2003 and remains in effect until it is replaced. We are
required by the HIPPA privacy rule under federal and state law to
protect the privacy of our patient medical information.
Our pledge regarding medical information
The privacy of your medical information is
important to us. We understand that your medical information is
personal and we are committed to protecting it. We create a record of
the care and services you receive at our practice. We need this record
to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain medical
and legal requirements. The health and billing records we maintain are
the physical property of the office and James A. Rieger, M.D. However,
you may inspect and obtain a copy for your information. This notice
will tell you about the ways we may use and share medical information
about you. We also describe your rights and certain duties we have
regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.
Our legal duty
The office is required to:
Maintain the privacy of your health information
as required by law
Provide you with a notice as to our duties and
privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain
about you;
Abide by the terms of this Notice;
Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested
restriction or request; and, accommodate your reasonable requests
regarding methods to communicate health information with you.
We reserve the right to amend, change, or eliminate
provisions in our privacy practices and access practices and to enact
new provisions regarding the protected health information we maintain.
If our information practices change, we will amend our Notice. You are
entitled to receive a revised copy of the Notice by calling and
requesting a copy of our "Notice" or by visiting our office and
picking up a copy.
If you use another language besides English please
notify our office staff.
How we may use and disclose medical information
about you
The following section describes different way that
we use and disclose medical information. For each kind of use or
disclosure, we will explain what we mean and give examples. Not every
use or disclosure will be listed. However, we have listed all of the
different ways we are permitted to use and disclose medical
information. We will not use or disclose your medical information for
any purpose not listed below, without your specific written
authorization. Any specific written authorization you provide may be
revoked at any time by writing to us. However, you may not revoke this
authorization for any actions taken before receipt of my written
notice to revoke this authorization.
For treatment:
We may use medical information about you to provide
you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical
information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians or other people
who are taking care of you.
Example: You are in the hospital or surgical center
having breast reconstruction for breast cancer. A number of health
care and support staff need to know about your medical history. The
anesthesia doctor for example will need to know about your medical
information in order to give your anesthesia. During the course of
your treatment, your physician may need to consult with another
specialist. He will share the information with such specialist and
obtain his/her input.
Example: Medical photography is taken before,
during and after a surgical procedure or treatment. Medical
photography is required for purposes of documentation. The photography
records and images are an important part of the medical record and are
the sole property of James A. Rieger, M.D. However, you may inspect
and obtain a copy for your information.
For payment :
We may use and disclose your medical information for payment
purposes.
Example: We submit requests for payment to your
health insurance company. The health insurance company requests
information from us regarding medical care given. We will provide
information to them about you and the care given. We usually use a
business associate to help us file insurance and provide this
information to them.
Example: Medical photography is taken before,
during and after a surgical procedure or treatment. Medical
photography is required for purposes of documentation and insurance
authorization /payment.
For health care operations:
We may use and disclose your medical information
for our health care operations. This might include measuring and
improving quality, evaluating the performance of employees, conducting
training programs, and getting the accreditation, certificates,
licenses and credentials we need to serve you. In some instances we
obtain the above services from our insurers or other business
associates and will share information about you with such insurers or
other business associates as necessary to obtain these services.
Example: Medical information may be required for credentialing
purposes at a surgical center or hospital.
We may use and disclose medical information about you without your
prior authorization for several other reasons noted below:
We may also contact you for appointment
reminders, or to tell you about or recommend possible treatment
options, alternatives, health-related benefits or services that may
be of interest to you.
We may disclose medical information about you to
a friend or family member who is involved in your medical care or to
disaster relief authorities so that your family can be notified of
your location and condition.
Subject to certain requirements, we may give out
medical information about you without prior authorization for public
health purposes, abuse or neglect reporting, health oversight audits
or inspections, funeral arrangements, organ donation, workers’
compensation purposes, and emergencies. We may also disclose medical
information when required by law, such as in response to valid
judicial or administrative orders.
Other uses of medical information:
In any other situation not involving routine care,
treatment, payment, health care operations or matters as noted above
in the section entitled How we may use and disclose medical
information about you we will ask for your written
authorization before using or disclosing medical information about
you. If you choose to authorize use or disclosure, you can later
revoke that authorization by notifying us in writing of your decision,
except to the extent information has been disclosed or action has
already been taken.
Example: Authorization for and release of medical
photography for purposes of patient education or use during lectures
to medical or lay groups would require a written authorization.
Your rights regarding medical information about you
You have a right to:
Look at or get a copy of medical information that
we use to make decisions about your care after you submit a written
request to our office. Reasonable costs will apply to copying,
revival, and supplies. Records are keep at least as long as required
by law.
Request that your health care record be amended
to correct incomplete or incorrect information by delivering a
request to our office. We may deny your request if you ask us to
amend information that was not created by us; is not part of the
health information kept by or for the office; is not part of the
information that you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or is
accurate and complete. If your request is denied, you will be
informed of the reason for the denial and will have an opportunity
to submit a statement of disagreement to be maintained with your
records. If we accept your request to change the information, we
will make reasonable efforts to tell others, including people you
name, of the change and to include the changes.
Request that communication of your health
information be made by reasonable alternative means or at an
alternative location by delivering the request in writing to our
office.
Receive a list of those instances where we have
disclosed medical information about you. This accounting will not
include uses and disclosures of information for treatment, payment,
or health care operations; disclosures or uses made to you or made
at your request; uses or disclosures made pursuant to an
authorization signed by you; uses or disclosures made to family
members or friends relevant to that person's involvement in your
care or in payment for such care; or, uses or disclosures to notify
family or others responsible for your care of your location and
condition. The request must state the time period desired for the
accounting, which must be less than a 6 year period and starting
after April 14 2003. You may receive the list in paper or electronic
form. The first disclosure list request in a 12 month period is
free; other requests will be charged according to our cost of
producing the list. We will inform you of the cost before you incur
any costs.
Appeal a denial of access to your protected
health information.
Revoke authorizations that you made previously to
use or disclose information by delivering a written revocation to
our office, except to the extent information has been disclosed or
action has already been taken.
Request a restriction on certain uses and
disclosures of your health information by delivering the request to
our office -- we are not required to grant the request, but we will
consider the request.
Receive a paper copy of this notice if this
notice was sent electronically.
If you want to exercise any of the above rights,
please contact Linda , Danae or Doctor Rieger at the office in person,
in writing, or by phone (316-652-9333) during regular, business hours.
Questions and Complaints
If you have questions, would like additional
information, or want to report a problem regarding the handling of
your information, you may contact Linda or Danae or Doctor Rieger at
the office at 316-652-9333. Additionally, if you believe your privacy
rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint at our
office by delivering the written complaint to Linda or Danae or Doctor
Rieger.
You may also file a complaint to the Department of
Health and Human Services (Department of Health and Human Services,
Office of Civil Rights, 200 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, DC
20201). Under no circumstances will you be penalized or retaliated
against for filing a compliant.
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