This notice describes how a patient's medical information may be used and disclosed and how the patient can access this information:
For Treatment: Your confidential healthcare information may be released to other healthcare professionals within the hospital for the purpose of providing you with quality healthcare. Knapp Medical Center may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other hospital personnel who are involved in taking care of you at the hospital.
For Payment: Knapp Medical Center may use and disclose medical information about your treatment and services to bill and collect payment from you, your insurance company or a third party payer. We may also tell your health plan about treatment you are going to receive to determine whether your plan will cover it.
For Health Care Operations: Members of the medical staff and/or quality improvement team may use information in your health record to assess the care and outcomes in your case and others like it. The results will then be used to continually improve the quality of care for all patients Knapp Medical Center serves.
Directory: Knapp Medical Center may include certain limited information about you in the hospital directory while you are a patient at the hospital. The information may include your name, location in the hospital, your general condition (e.g., good, fair, etc.) and your religious affiliation. This information may be provided to members of the clergy and, except for religious affiliation, to other people who ask for you by name. If you would like to opt out of being in the facility directory please request the Restriction Agreement Form from the admission staff.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care: Knapp Medical Center may release medical information about you to a friend or family member who is involved in your medical care or who helps pay for your care.
Future Communications: Knapp Medical Center may communicate to you via newsletters, mail outs or other means regarding treatment options, health related information, disease-management programs, wellness programs, or other community based initiatives or activities our facility is participating in. Knapp Medical Center may also contact you to remind you of appointments.
As required by law, Knapp Medical Center may also use and disclose health information for the following types of entities, including but not limited to:
- Food and Drug Administration
- Public Health or Legal Authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability
- Correctional Institutions
- Workers Compensation Agents
- Organ and Tissue Donation Organizations
- Military Command Authorities
- Health Oversight Agencies
- Funeral Directors, Coroners and Medical Directors
- National Security and Intelligence Agencies
Law Enforcement/Legal Proceedings: Knapp Medical Center may disclose health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena.
Your Health Information Rights:
Although your health record is the physical property of the Knapp Medical Center you have the Right to:
- Inspect and Copy: You have the right to request to view and receive a photocopy of your healthcare information.
- Amend: You have the right to request amendments to your healthcare information. Knapp Medical Center is not required to agree to your request.
- An Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to know who has accessed your confidential information and for what purposes. Access for purposes of treatment, payment, healthcare operations or releases required by law are exempt from the accounting of disclosures.
- Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical 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 medical information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member or friend. For example, you could ask that we not use or disclose information about a surgery you had. However, we are not required to agree to your request. Whether Knapp Medical Center agrees or disagrees with your request, you will be provided with treatment in case of an emergency.
- Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that Knapp Medical Center communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. The facility will grant requests for confidential communications at alternative locations and/or via alternative means only if the request is submitted in writing and the written request includes a mailing address where the individual will receive bills for services rendered by the facility and related correspondence regarding payment for services. Please realize, Knapp Medical Center reserves the right to contact you by other means and at other locations if you fail to respond to any communication from us that requires a response.
- A Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask Knapp Medical Center 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
Changes to the Privacy Notice
Knapp Medical Center reserves the right to change this notice and the revised or changed notice will be effective for information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the hospital by calling 1-877-968-8567 (must dial area code) and asking for the Privacy Officer or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be submitted in writing to: Privacy Officer, Knapp Medical Center, 1401 East Eighth Street, Weslaco, Texas 78596. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Other Uses of Medical Information
Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to Knapp Medical Center will be made only with your written permission. If you provide Knapp Medical Center permission to use or disclose medical information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your permission, Knapp Medical Center will no longer use or disclose medical information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization. You understand that Knapp Medical Center is unable to take back any disclosures already made with your permission, and that Knapp Medical Center is required to retain our records of the care that the hospital provided to you.
Effective April 14, 2003
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