Effective Date September 23, 2013
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.
For more information If you have questions or would like additional information, you may call KGH Consultation & Treatment, Inc.’s, DBA KGH Autism Services' (“KGH”), Kim Hoehne, Privacy Officer at (847) 404-2449.
OUR OBLIGATIONS:
We are required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of protected health information
- Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding health information about you
- Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information
- Follow the terms of our notice that is currently in effect
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION: The following describes the ways we may use and disclose health information that identifies you (“Protected Health Information”) without your authorization. Except for the purposes described below, we will use and disclose Protected Health Information only with your written permission. You may revoke such permission at any time by writing to our practice Privacy Officer.
- For Treatment. We may use and disclose Protected Health Information for your treatment and to provide you with treatment-related health care services. For example, we may disclose Protected Health Information to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other personnel, including people outside our office, who are involved in your medical care and need the information to provide you with medical care.
- For Payment. We may use and disclose Protected Health Information so that we or others may bill and receive payment from you, an insurance company or a third party for the treatment and services you received. For example, we may give your health plan information about you so that they will pay for your treatment.
- For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose Protected Health Information for health care operations purposes. These uses and disclosures are necessary to make sure that all of our patients receive quality care and to operate and manage our office. For example, we may use and disclose information to make sure the obstetrical or gynecological care you receive is of the highest quality. We also may share information with other entities that have a relationship with you (for example, your health plan) for their health care operation activities.
- Appointment Reminders, Treatment Alternatives and Health Related Benefits and Services. We may use and disclose Protected Health Information to contact you to remind you that you have an appointment with us. We also may use and disclose Protected Health Information to tell you about treatment alternatives or health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
- Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. When appropriate, we may share Protected Health Information with a person who is involved in your medical care or payment for your care, such as your family or a close friend. We also may notify your family about your location or general condition or disclose such information to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort.
- Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose Protected Health Information for research. For example, a research project may involve comparing the health of patients who received one treatment to those who received another, for the same condition. Before we use or disclose Protected Health Information for research, the project will go through a special approval process. Even without special approval, we may permit researchers to look at records to help them identify patients who may be included in their research project or for other similar purposes, as long as they do not remove or take a copy of any Protected Health Information.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS: We may also use and disclose health information that identifies you without your authorization, under the following circumstances:
- As Required by Law. We will disclose Protected Health Information when required to do so by international, federal, state or local law.
- To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose Protected Health Information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Disclosures, however, will be made only to someone who may be able to help prevent the threat.
- Business Associates. We may disclose Protected Health Information to our business associates that perform functions on our behalf or provide us with services if the information is necessary for such functions or services. For example, we may use another company to perform billing services on our behalf. All of our business associates are obligated to protect the privacy of your information and are not allowed to use or disclose any information other than as specified in our contract.
- Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ donor, we may use or release Protected Health Information to organizations that handle organ procurement or other entities engaged in procurement, banking or transportation of organs, eyes or tissues to facilitate organ, eye or tissue donation and transplantation.
- Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release Protected Health Information as required by military command authorities. We also may release Protected Health Information to the appropriate foreign military authority if you are a member of a foreign military.
- Workers’ Compensation. We may release Protected Health Information for workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
- Public Health Risks. We may disclose Protected Health Information for public health activities. These activities generally include disclosures to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; report births and deaths; report child abuse or neglect; report reactions to medications or problems with products; notify people of recalls of products they may be using; a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition; and the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. We will only make this disclosure if you agree or when required or authorized by law.
- Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose Protected Health Information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.
- Data Breach Notification Purposes. We may use or disclose your Protected Health Information to provide legally required notices of unauthorized access to or disclosure of your health information.
- Lawsuits and Disputes. If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose Protected Health Information in response to a court or administrative order. We also may disclose Protected Health Information in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.
- Law Enforcement. We may release Protected Health Information if asked by a law enforcement official if the information is: (1) in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process; (2) limited information to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; (3) about the victim of a crime even if, under certain very limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement; (4) about a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct; (5) about criminal conduct on our premises; and (6) in an emergency to report a crime, the location of the crime or victims, or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime.
- Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. We may release Protected Health Information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death. We also may release Protected Health Information to funeral directors as necessary for their duties.
- National Security and Intelligence Activities. We may release Protected Health Information to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counter-intelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.
- Protective Services for the President and Others. We may disclose Protected Health Information to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or to conduct special investigations.
- Inmates or Individuals in Custody. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release Protected Health Information to the correctional institution or law enforcement official. This release would be if necessary: (1) for the institution to provide you with health care; (2) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others; or (3) the safety and security of the correctional institution.
USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT REQUIRE US TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT AND OPT OUT:
- Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. Unless you object, we may disclose to a member of your family, a relative, a close friend or any other person you identify, your Protected Health Information that directly relates to that person’s involvement in your health care., If you are unable to agree or object to such a disclosure, we may disclose such information as necessary if we determine that it is in your best interest based on our professional judgment.
- Disaster Relief. We may disclose your Protected Health Information to disaster relief organizations that seek your Protected Health Information to coordinate your care, or notify family and friends of your location or condition in a disaster. We will provide you with an opportunity to agree or object to such a disclosure whenever we practically can do so.
YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION IS REQUIRED FOR OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES: The following uses and disclosures of your Protected Health Information will be made only with your written authorization:
- Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes
- Uses and disclosures of Protected Health Information for marketing purposes, including subsidized treatment communications;
- Disclosures that constitute a sale of your Protected Health Information; and
- Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice.
Other uses and disclosures of Protected Health Information not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written authorization. If you do give us an authorization, you may revoke it at any time by submitting a written revocation to our Privacy Officer and we will no longer disclose Protected Health Information under the authorization. But disclosure that we made in reliance on your authorization before you revoked it will not be affected by the revocation.
YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS: You have the following rights regarding Protected Health Information we have about you:
- Right to Inspect and Copy. You have a right to inspect and copy Protected Health Information about you that may be used to make decisions about your care or payment for your care. This includes medical and billing records, other than psychotherapy notes, and information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding. To inspect and copy this Protected Health Information, you must make your request, in writing, to KGH’s Privacy Officer at the office’s address. We have up to 30 days to make your Protected Health Information available to you and we may charge you a reasonable fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request. We may not charge you a fee if you need the information for a claim for benefits under the Social Security Act or any other state of federal needs-based benefit program. We may deny your request in certain limited circumstances. If we do deny your request, you have the right to have the denial reviewed by a licensed healthcare professional who was not directly involved in the denial of your request, and we will comply with the outcome of the review.
- Right to an Electronic Copy of Electronic Medical Records. If your Protected Health Information is maintained in an electronic format (known as an electronic medical record or an electronic health record), you have the right to request that an electronic copy of your record be given to you or transmitted to another individual or entity. We will make every effort to provide access to your Protected Health Information in the form or format you request, if it is readily producible in such form or format. If the Protected Health Information is not readily producible in the form or format you request your record will be provided in either our standard electronic format or if you do not want this form or format, a readable hard copy form. We may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for the labor associated with transmitting the electronic medical record.
- Right to Get Notice of a Breach. You have the right to be notified upon a breach of any of your unsecured Protected Health Information.
- Right to Amend. If you feel that Protected Health Information we have is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for our office. To request an amendment, you must make your request in writing to KGH’s Privacy Officer at the office’s address, and include a reason to support the requested amendment. KGH is permitted to deny if the information was not created by the practice, or if the person who created it is no longer available to make amendment, or if the information is not part of the record which you are permitted to inspect and copy, or if the information is not part of the designated record set kept by this practice or if it is the opinion of the health care provider that the information is accurate and complete.
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we made of Protected Health Information in the six years prior to the date on which the accounting is requested for purposes other than treatment, payment and health care operations or for which you provided written authorization. To request an accounting of disclosures, you must make your request in writing to KGH’s Privacy Officer, and the request must state the time period for the requested information. Your first request within a 12-month rolling period will be without charge; however, KGH may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for each subsequent request for an accounting made within the 12-month period. You will be notified of the costs and will have the right to withdraw or modify your request for a subsequent account in order to avoid or reduce the fee.
- Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the Protected Health Information we use or disclose for treatment, payment, or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the Protected Health Information we disclose to someone involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member or friend. For example, you could ask that we not share information about a particular diagnosis or treatment with your spouse. To request a restriction, you must make your request, in writing to KGH’s Privacy Officer, and identify the information to be restricted, the type of restriction being requested (i.e., on the use of information the disclosure of information, or both), and to whom the limitation applies. We are not required to agree to your request unless you are asking us to restrict the use and disclosure of your Protected Health Information to a health plan for payment or health care operation purposes and such information you wish to restrict pertains solely to a health care item or service for which you have paid us “out-of-pocket” in full. If we agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you with emergency treatment.
- Out-of-Pocket-Payments. If you paid out-of-pocket (or in other words, you have requested that we not bill your health plan) in full for a specific item or service, you have the right to ask that your Protected Health Information with respect to that item or service not be disclosed to a health plan for purposes of payment or health care operations, and we will honor that request.
- Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you by mail or at work. To request confidential communications, you must make your request, in writing, to KGH’s Privacy Officer. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
- Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to 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. You may obtain a copy of this notice at our web site, www.KGHconsultation.org. You may request a paper copy of this notice at your next visit or call and ask KGH’s Privacy Officer to mail you a copy.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE:
We reserve the right to change this notice and make the new notice apply to Protected Health Information we already have as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of our current notice and any revised notice at our office. The notice will contain the effective date on the first page, in the top right-hand corner.
COMPLAINTS:
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with our office, contact KGH’s Privacy Officer. All complaints must be made in writing. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.
The practice’s contact person is the Privacy Officer. Complaints against the practice can be mailed to KGH’s Privacy Officer by sending it to:
KGH Consultation & Treatment Inc., DBA KGH Autism Services
Attn: Privacy Officer
1161 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
For more information on HIPAA privacy requirements, HIPAA electronic transactions and code sets regulations and the proposed HIPAA security rules, please visit ACOG’s web site, www.acog.org, or call (202) 863-2584.