COVID-19 and Vaccine Information
Masks are still required in healthcare settings per CDC and state health department guidelines.
Masks are still required in healthcare settings per CDC and state health department guidelines.
This Notice effective as of April 1, 2022
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.
We are required by law to protect the privacy of your health information and to notify you of any breaches of your unsecured health information. We are also required by law to give you a copy of and follow the terms of the Notice, which sets forth our legal duties and privacy practices with regard to your health information.
PeaceHealth, which includes its employees, students/trainees, volunteers, medical staff members, and workforce members that provide healthcare services to you by PeaceHealth. 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.
PeaceHealth is not responsible for the acts of the other entities that may provide information to us that becomes a part of your health information.
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights.
Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record
Ask us to correct or amend your medical record
Request alternate or confidential communication
Ask us to restrict what we use or share
Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information
Get a copy of this privacy notice
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share.
As long as you do not object, your healthcare provider is allowed to:
If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example, if you are unconscious, we may proceed and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest.
In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission:
In the case of fundraising:
Other uses and disclosures of your health information, not covered by this Notice or permitted by law, will be made only with your written authorization.
These types of uses and disclosures include psychotherapy notes or uses or disclosures for the purposes of marketing (except for certain services PeaceHealth provides) or for the sale of your health information. You may revoke your authorization, in writing, at any time, although we are unable to take back any disclosures we already have made based on your authorization. If you revoke your authorization, then we will no longer use or disclose your health information for the reasons covered by your authorization, except to the extent that we already have relied on your authorization.
Specially Protected Health Information:
Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Information:
A violation of the federal law and regulations governing substance abuse is a crime. Suspected violations may be reported to the United States Attorney in the district where the violation occurs. Federal law and regulations governing confidentiality of drug or alcohol abuse permit us to report suspected child abuse or neglect under state law to appropriate state or local authorities. Please see 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2 for federal law and 42 C.F.R., Part 2 for federal regulations governing confidentiality of SUD patient records.
How do we use or share your health information?
We may use or share your information in support of your treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We may make your medical information available electronically through an information exchange service to other healthcare providers, health plans and healthcare clearing houses that request your records. Participation in information exchange services also lets us see their information about you.
Treatment: We may use your health information to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical information to other healthcare professionals who are involved in your care
Payment: We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or entities
Healthcare Operations: We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve care, and contact you when necessary
How else can we use or share your health information?
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways--usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research.
Help with public health and safety issues
Research: Under certain circumstances, we may disclose or share your health information for health research. Prior to the research study, the researchers may need to access patient information in order to prepare a research protocol. Before we use or disclose medical information for research without your authorization, the research will have been approved through a research approval process called the Institutional Review Board.
Limited Data Information: We may disclose limited health information that has been de-identified, by removing certain identifiers, (i.e. name and address) making it unlikely that you could be identified. We also may disclose limited health information contained in a limited data set as allowed by law.
Comply with the law: We will disclose information about you if federal, state, or local laws require it, including the Department of Health and Human Services if they want to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.
Respond to organ and tissue donation requests: We may disclose health information about you as required or needed to authorized organ procurement organizations.
To avert a serious or imminent threat to health or safety: We may use and disclose your health information when we reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent a serious or imminent threat to the health and safety of you, the public, or another person. The disclosure would only be to someone who is likely to help prevent the threat, such as law enforcement.
Disclosures to business associates: In certain circumstances, we may disclose your health information to a business associate (e.g. transcription company or accountant) so it can perform a service on behalf of PeaceHealth. We will have a written contract in place with the business associate requiring it to protect the privacy of the medical information.
Workmen’s Compensation: We may disclose your health information for workers’ compensation or similar programs, to the extent authorized by law.
Work with a medical examiner or funeral director: We may disclose health information to a coroner or medical examiner as necessary or required to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death. We may also disclose your health information to funeral directors so they can perform their duties.
National security, intelligence agencies, protective services, and military personnel: We may disclose your health information to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, special investigations, and other national security activities authorized by law or to protect the President or other authorized persons.
Inmates: We may disclose health information about an individual who is an inmate or is in custody of correctional institution or law enforcement official.
Incidental Disclosures: Certain incidental disclosures of health information may occur as a by-product of permitted uses and disclosures.
Organized healthcare arrangement: Solely for purposes of complying with federal privacy laws, PeaceHealth and its medical staffs characterize themselves as an “organized health care arrangement,” and have agreed to follow this Notice for services by, at, or through PeaceHealth. These providers may share health information with each other for treatment, payment, and the healthcare operations of the organized healthcare arrangement and as described in this Notice. PeaceHealth is not responsible for actions by independent medical staff members.
Affiliated covered entities: We may share health information with providers who are “affiliated covered entities” of PeaceHealth. These are entities with which PeaceHealth has common ownership or control.
Privacy official and contact person: If you have any questions about this Notice or wish to object to, or complain about, any use or disclosure as explained within, please contact our System Privacy Officer in writing at the address below or by calling the PeaceHealth Compliance Hotline.
We have to meet many conditions of the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information, see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html
We reserve the right to change this Notice. We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our offices, and on our website.
If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you may complain to the Privacy Officer by calling the PeaceHealth Integrity Line (toll free) at 877-261-8031 or by faxing your complaint to 360-729-1795.
In addition, you may file a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Privacy Officer can give you information about filing a complaint. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.