NOTICE OF HEALTH INFORMATION PRIVACY PRACTICES
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USE AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This Notice Describes Our Practices and Those of:
- Any health care professional allowed to enter information into your chart.
- All departments and units of the organization.
- Any volunteer we allow to help you while you are here.
- All Caregivers and personnel of all entities owned or operated by Gila Regional Medical Center.
All of these people follow the terms of this notice. They may also share protected health information with each other for treatment, payment or health care operations as described in this notice.
Our Pledge Regarding Health Information:
We understand that health information about you and your health is personal. Your health information is contained in a medical record that is the physical property of Gila Regional Medical Center. We are committed to protecting health information about you. This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you. We also describe your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.
Gila Regional Medical Center Is Required By Law To:
- Make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private;
- Notify you of breaches to your unsecured protected health information;
- Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information about you;
- Accommodate reasonable requests you may make to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations;
- Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.
How We Use or Disclose Your Health Information:
FOR TREATMENT. Gila Regional Medical Center may use your health information to provide you with medical treatment or services. For example, a health care provider, such as a physician, nurse, or other person providing health services to you, will records information in your record that is related to your treatment This information is necessary for health care providers to determine what treatment you should receive. Health care providers will also record actions taken by them in the course of your treatment and note how you respond to the actions.
FOR PAYMENT. Gila Regional Medical Center may use and disclose your health information to others for purposes of receiving payment for treatment and services that you receive. For example, a bill may be sent to you or a third party payor, such as an insurance company, HMO or health plan. The information on the bill may contain information that identifies you, your diagnosis, and treatment or supplies used in the course of treatment Or, unpaid service balances may be referred to a collection agency to obtain payment.
FOR HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS. Gila Regional Medical Center may use and disclose health information for operational purposes. For example, your health information may be disclosed to members of the medical staff, risk or quality improvement personnel, and others to:
- Evaluate the performance of our staff;
- Assess the quality of care and outcomes in your case and similar cases;
- Learn how to improve our facility and services; and
- Determine how to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the health care we provide.
FACILITY DIRECTORY. Upon your approval, Gila Regional Medical Center may include you in the facility directory. This information may include your name, location in the facility, general condition (e.g., fair, stable, etc.) and religious affiliation. Gila Regional Medical Center may give your directory information, except for religious affiliation, to people who ask for you by name.
CLERGY. Unless you inform us that we should not do so, your religious affiliation may be released to a member of the clergy or authorized religious layperson(s) of your religious affiliation even if they do not ask for you by name.
APPOINTMENTS/HEALTH-RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. Gila Regional Medical Center may use your information to contact you to provide appointment reminders. Gila Regional Medical Center may also contact you to tell you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
OTHERS INVOLVED IN VOUR CARE. Gila Regional Medical Center may release relevant health information to a family member, friend, or anyone else you designate in order for that person to be involved in your care or payment related to your care. Gila Regional Medical Center is permitted to disclose a decedent’s PHI to family members and others who were involved in the care or payment Effective 4/2003 (Rev. 9/2013) for care of a decedent prior to death, unless doing so is inconsistent with any known prior expressed preference of the individual.
DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS. Gila Regional Medical Center may also disclose health information to those assisting in disaster relief efforts so that others can be notified about your condition, status and location.
MARKETING. Gila Regional Medical Center will not use your information for fundraising without a signed authorization from you.
REQUIRED BV LAW. Gila Regional Medical Center may use and disclose information about you as required by law. For example, Gila Regional Medical Center may disclose information to report gunshot wounds, suspected abuse or neglect, or similar injuries or events.
PUBLIC HEALTH. Your health information may be used or disclosed for public health activities such as assisting public health authorities or other legal authorities (e.g., state health department, Center for Disease Control, etc.) to prevent or control disease, injury, or disability, or for other public health activities.
LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES. Subject to certain restrictions we may disclose information required by law enforcement officials.
JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS. We may disclose information in response to an appropriate subpoena, discovery request or court order.
HEALTH OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES. Gila Regional Medical Center may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. Examples of these activities include audits, investigations, and inspections to monitor the health care system and compliance with laws or regulations.
DECEDENTS. Health information may be disclosed to funeral directors or coroners to enable them to carry out their lawful duties.
ORGAN/TISSUE DONATION. Your health information may be used or disclosed for cadaveric organ, eye or tissue donation purposes.
RESEARCH. Gila Regional Medical Center may use your health information for research purposes after a receipt of authorization for you.
HEALTH AND SAFETY. Your health information may be disclosed to avert a serious threat to the health or safety of you or any other person pursuant to applicable law.
GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS. Your health information may be disclosed for specialized government functions such as protection of public officials or reporting to various branches of the armed services.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Your health information may be used or disclosed in order to comply with laws and regulations related to Workers’ Compensation.
GENETIC INFORMATION. Per the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) which clarifies that genetic information is protected under HIPAA, Gila Regional Medical Center will not use or disclose your information without a signed authorization from you.
SALE OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION. Gila Regional Medical Center is prohibited from selling your protected health information without a signed authorization from you.
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES. Other uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization except to the extent Gila Regional Medical Center has taken action in reliance on it. State laws that offer a patient additional privacy protections may also apply.
Your Health Information Rights:
- Obtain a paper copy of this notice of information practices upon request;
- Inspect and obtain a paper or electronic copy of your health information that is maintained by Gila Regional Medical Center;
- Request an amendment to your health information under certain circumstances;
- Request a confidential communication of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.
- Receive an accounting of disclosures made of your health information; and
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information. Gila Regional Medical Center is not required to agree to a requested restriction, except for requests to limit disclosures to your health plan for purposes of payment or healthcare operation when you have paid for your treatment out-of- pocket and in full.
Changes To This Notice:
Gila Regional Medical Center reserves the right to change the terms of this notice and make the new terms effective for all protected health information kept by Gila Regional Medical Center. Gila Regional Medical Center will post a copy of the current notice in the hospital and on our website, www.grmc.org. You may also get a current copy at the hospital registration desk or by contacting Gila Regional Medical Center Privacy Officer at 575-538-4107. The effective date of this notice is in the lower right-hand corner of each page.
Complaints:
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated you may fi le a complaint with Gila Regional Medical Center or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Contact Information for Questions or to File a Complaint:
If you have any questions about this notice, want to exercise one of your rights that are described in this notice, or want to file a complaint, you may contact us at:
You may contact the Compliance Officer at Gila Regional Medical Center 1313 E. 32nd Street, Silver City, NM 88061 Phone: 575-538-4151
You may contact us at our Compliance Hot Line: 1-800-273-8452 You may contact the above number anonymously or you may also leave your name and contact information.
You may also contact:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights 200 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, DC 20201 Phone: 1-877-696-6775