Privacy Policy
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 of Privacy Practices is a description of how Silas Home Care, Inc., may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations and for other purposes permitted or required by law. This Notice also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. “Protected health information” is information about you that may identify you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition and related care services.
Silas Home Care, Inc., is required to abide by the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices and may change the terms of this Notice at any time. The new Notice would be effective for all protected health information maintained by Silas Home Care, Inc., at that time.
I. USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
A. USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
Here are some examples of the types of uses and disclosures of your protected health care information that Silas Home Care, Inc., is permitted to make.
(1) Treatment: Silas Home Care, Inc., will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your care and any related services, including the coordination or management of your care with a third party that already has obtained your permission to have access to your protected health information. For example, Silas Home Care, Inc., would disclose your protected health information to a home health agency that provides care to you.
(2) Payment: Your protected health information may be used to obtain payment for your care services. This may include
making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, reviewing medical services provided, or
undertaking utilization review activities.
(3) Health Care Operations: Silas Home Care, Inc., may use or disclose your protected health information in order to support its business activities, i.e., quality assessment, employee reviews, training, etc.
B. USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION BASED UPON WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
Your protected health information may be released for other purposes only with your written authorization. Please note that this authorization can be revoked by you at any time by notifying Silas Home Care, Inc.'s Privacy Officer in writing.
C. OTHER PERMITTED AND REQUIRED USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT MAY BE MADE WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT, AUTHORIZATION, OR OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT
Silas Home Care, Inc., may use or disclose your protected health information without your consent or authorization as required by law. These situations could include the use or disclosure of your protected health information for the following situations:
(1) Public health activities;
(2) Communicable diseases;
(3) Investigations by a health oversight agency;
(4) Abuse, neglect, or domestic violence;
(5) Food and Drug Administration product testing;
(6) Legal proceedings;
(7) Law enforcement purposes;
(8) Identification purposes for coroners, funeral directors, and organ donations;
(9) Research;
(10) Requests from law enforcement authorities in attempts to prevent criminal activity;
(11) Military activity and national security;
(12) Workers’ compensation and other legally established programs; and
(13) Provision of care to inmates of correctional facilities.
Silas Home Care, Inc., must make disclosures to you under the law when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine compliance by Silas Home Care, Inc., with the requirements of Applicability (see Section 164.500 et.seq.).
II. YOUR RIGHTS
You have the right to inspect and to copy your protected health information contained in your Silas Home Care, Inc., record for as long as Silas Home Care, Inc., maintains that protected health information.
For example, under federal law, you may not inspect or copy psychotherapy notes, preparatory notes for court proceedings, etc. However, under certain circumstances, the denial may be reviewed. Please contact Silas Home Care, Inc.’s Privacy Officer should you have any questions regarding access to your health record.
You have the right to request a restriction of your protected health information. This request must state the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply.
Silas Home Care, Inc., is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request if Silas Home Care, Inc., believes that it is in your best interest to permit the use and disclosure of your protected health information.
Silas Home Care, Inc., will accommodate all reasonable requests for the release of your protected health information, including all reasonable requests for confidential communication. Such requests should be made in writing to Silas Home Care, Inc.’s Privacy Officer.
You may have the right to have Silas Home Care, Inc., amend your protected health information. However, Silas Home Care, Inc., may deny such a request. Such requests should be made in writing to Silas Home Care, Inc.'s Privacy Officer.
You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures that Silas Home Care, Inc., has made, if any, of your protected health information. You have the right to receive specific information regarding these disclosures that occur after April 14, 2003. Please direct your questions to Silas Home Care, Inc.’s Privacy Officer.
Upon a request made to Silas Home Care, Inc.'s Privacy Officer, you may receive a copy of this Notice electronically.
Should you believe your privacy rights have been violated by Silas Home Care, Inc., you may file a complaint in writing to:
Silas Home Care, Inc.
Attention: Privacy Officer
32500 Concord Drive, Suite 343
Madison Heights, Michigan 48071
United States of America
Toll-free: (866) 876-2747
Local Telephone: (248) 588-0512
Fax: (248) 588-0587
E-MAIL cs@silasusa.com
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Region V, Office for Civil Rights
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 240
Chicago, Illinois 60601
PHONE (312) 886-2359 FAX (312) 886-1807 TTY/TDD (312) 353-5693 E-MAIL OCRComplaint@hhs.gov
Silas Home Care, Inc., will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
This notice was published and became effective on April 14, 2003.
32500 Concord Drive, Suite 343 Madison Heights, Michigan 48071
I thank you again for choosing Silas as your home care provider and have a great year!
Robin E Silas, BSA, MSA
CEO
E-mail: silasusa@live.com