Privacy Policy

Effective Date:            April 14, 2003
Revised Date:


NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION

PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY
If you have any questions about this notice, please contact Cardiologists, P.C.’s Privacy Officer, at 1002 4th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA  52403.  You may also contact the Privacy Officer by telephone (319) 364-7101.

WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE:

  • Cardiologists, P.C.

This notice describes our privacy practices.  We are affiliated with:

  • CPC Properties, LC

All these entities, sites, and locations follow the terms of this notice.  In addition, these entities, sites, and locations may share health information with each other for treatment, payment, or healthcare operation purposes described in this notice. 

We also provide services at several other (outreach) sites.  For a list of these sites, please contact our Security Officer.  Depending on the business arrangements which HIPAA requires us to have with each outreach site, we will be abide by the privacy practices of Cardiologists, P.C. or the specific outreach site. 

OUR PLEDGE REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION:
We understand that health information about you and your health care is personal.  We are committed to protecting health information about you.  We create a record of the care and services you receive from us.  We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements.  This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by this health care practice, whether made by your personal doctor or others working in this practice.  This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you.  We also describe your rights to the health information we keep about you, and describe certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your health information.
We are required by law to:

  • Make sure that health information that identifies you is kept private;
  • Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information about you; and
  • Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

HOW MAY WE USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose health information.  For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples.  Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed.  However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

For Treatment:  We may use health information about you to provide you with, or coordinate your health care, treatment, or services.  We may disclose health information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, health students, or other personnel whom we believe are involved in taking care of you.  They may work at our offices, at the hospital if you are hospitalized under our supervision, at another doctor’s office, lab, pharmacy, or other health care provider to whom we may refer you for consultation, to perform diagnostic tests, to have prescriptions filled, or for other treatment purposes.  For example, a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you have a heart condition because your heart condition may slow the healing process, or the doctor may need to tell the dietitian at the hospital if you have a heart condition so they can arrange for appropriate meals.  We may also disclose health information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that your family can be notified about your condition, status and location.
 

For Payment:  We may use and disclose health information about you so that the treatment and services you receive from us may be billed to and payment collected from you, an insurance company, and/or a third party.  For example, we may need to give your health plan information about your office visit to your insurance company so your health plan will pay us or reimburse you for that visit.  We may also tell your health plan about a treatment you are going to receive to obtain prior approval or to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment.  We may leave a message on your answering machine or leave a message with someone else in the household to have you return our call.  We may call you at work to discuss your account.  We may share with a family member, relative, friend, or other person identified by you, PHI directly related to payment for your care. 

For Health Care Operations:  We may use and disclose health information about you for operations of our health care practice.  These uses and disclosures are necessary to run our practice and make sure that all of our patients receive quality care.  For example, we may use health information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you.  We may also combine health information about many patients to decide what additional services we should offer, what services are not needed, whether certain new treatments are effective, or to compare how we are doing with others and to see where we can make improvements.  We may remove information that identifies you from this set of health information so others may use it to study health care delivery without identifying our patients specifically. 

Appointment Reminders: We may use and disclose health information to contact you as a reminder that you have any appointment. Appointment messages may be left on your answering machine, or with someone else at your household.  Please let us know if you do not wish to have us contact you concerning your appointment, or if you wish to have us use a different address or telephone number to contact you for this purpose. 

Lab and Diagnostic Treatment:  We may leave a message on your answering machine, or with someone else at your household, to return our call regarding your lab results (e.g. protime, cholesterol, or other routine lab work) and/or other diagnostic tests or treatments. We may share with a family member, relative, friend, or other person identified by you, PHI directly related to your care. 

Health related Services and Treatment Alternatives:  We may use and disclose health information to tell you about health-related services or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you.  Please let us know if you do not wish us to send you this information, or if you wish to have us use a different address to send this information to you. 

Research:  Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose health information about you for research purposes.  For example, a research project may involve comparing the health and recovery of all patients who received one medication to those who received another, for the same condition.  All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process.  This process evaluates a proposed research project and its use of health information, trying to balance the research needs with patients’ need for privacy of their health information.  Before we use or disclose health information for research, the project will have been approved through the research approval process; but we may disclose health information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project.  For example, we may help potential researchers look for patients with specific health needs, so long as the health information they review does not leave our facility.  We will almost always ask for your specific permission if the researcher will have access to your name, address, or other information that reveals who you are, or will be involved in your care. 

Organ and Tissue Donation:  If you are an organ donor, we may release health information to organizations that handle organ donation and/or procurement including the heart or other organs as necessary, to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation. 

As Required by Law:  We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state, or local law. 

To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety:  We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.  Any disclosure, however, would only be to someone, we believe, is able to help prevent the threat. 

Military and Veterans:  If you are a member of the armed forces or separated/discharged from military services, we may release health information about you as required by military command authorities or the Department of Veterans Affairs as may be applicable.  We may also release health information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authorities. 

Workers Compensation:  We may release health information about you for worker’s compensation or similar programs.  These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness. 

Public Health Risks:  We may disclose health information about you for public health activities.  These activities generally include the following:

  • To prevent or control disease, injury, or disability
  • To report births and deaths
  • To report child abuse or neglect
  • To report reactions to medications or problems with products
  • To notify people of recalls of products they may be using
  • To notify person(s) or organization(s) required to receive information on FDA regulated products
  • To notify a person(s) who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition
  • To notify 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 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. 

Lawsuits and Disputes:  If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose health information about you in response to a court or administrative order.  We may also disclose health information about you 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 health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:

  • In reporting certain injuries, as required by law, gunshot wounds, burns, injuries to perpetrators of crime
  • In response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process
  • To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person
    • Name and address
    • Date of birth or place of birth
    • Social Security Number
    • Blood type or rh factor
    • Type of injury
    • Date and time of treatment and/or death, if applicable
    • A description of distinguishing physical characteristics
  • About the victim of a crime, if the victim agrees to disclosure or under certain limited circumstances where we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement
  • About a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct
  • About criminal conduct at our facility
  • In emergency circumstances to report a crime(s), the location of the crime or victim, or the identity, description, or location of the person who committed the crime.

Coroners, Health Examiners, and Funeral Directors:  We may release health information to a coroner or health examiner.  This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death.  We may also release health information about patients to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.  Protected Health Information of a deceased person will be treated the same as that of a living person.   

National Security and Intelligence Activities:  We may release health information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by the law. 

Protective Services for the President and Others:  We may disclose health information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or conduct special investigations. 

Inmates:  If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release health information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official.  This release would be necessary (1) for the institution to provide you with health care; (2) to protect you health and safety or the health and safety of others; or (3) for the safety and security of the correctional institution. 

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU: You have the following rights regarding health information we maintain about you: 

Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and copy health information that may be used to make decisions about your care.  Usually, this includes health and billing records.  To inspect and copy health information in our records which have been used to make decisions about your care, you must submit your request in writing to the Manager of Medical Records.  If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, and other supplies and services associated with your request. 

We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain, very limited, circumstances.  If you are denied access to health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed.  Another licensed health care professional chosen by our practice will review your request and the denial.  The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied your request.  We will comply with the outcome of the review. 

Right to Amend:  If you feel that health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information.  You have the right to request an amendment for as long as we keep the information.  To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing, submitted to the Manager of Medical Records, and must be contained on one page of paper, legibly handwritten or typed in at least 10 point font size.  In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request for an amendment. 

We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request.  In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:

  • Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment
  • Is not part of the health information kept by or for our practice
  • Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy
  • Is accurate and complete

Any amendment we make to your health information will be disclosed to those with whom we disclose information as previously specified. 

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures:  You have the right to request a list accounting for any disclosures of your health information we have made, except for uses and disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations, as previously described. 

To request this list of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to the Manager of Medical Records.  Your request must state a time period which may not be longer than six years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003.  The first list you request within a 12 month period will be free.  For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list.  We will notify you of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time before any costs are incurred.  We will mail you a list of disclosures in paper form within 30 days of your request, or notify you if we are unable to supply the list within that time period and by what date we can supply the list; but this date will not exceed a total of 60 days from the date you made the request. 

Right to Request Restrictions:  You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health 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 health information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care,  such as a family member or friend.  For example, you could ask that we not disclose information to your spouse about a surgery you had. 

We are not required to agree to, or abide by, your request for restrictions if it is not feasible for us to ensure our compliance or believe it will negatively impact the care we may provide you.  If we do agree, and we can reasonably do so, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment.  To request a restriction, you must make your request in writing to the Manager of Medical Records.  In your request, you must tell us what information you want to limit and to whom you want the limits to apply.   

Right to Request Confidential Communications:  You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location.  For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail to a post office box. 

To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to the Manager of Medical Records.  We will not ask you the reason for the request.  We will make every effort to accommodate all reasonable requests.  Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted. 

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice:  You have the right to obtain a paper copy of the notice. To obtain a copy, please request it from Cardiologists, P.C.’s Medical Records Department. 

You may also obtain a copy of this notice from our website, www.cardiologistspc.com.  Even if you have received a notice electronically, you still retain the right to receive a paper copy upon request. 

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this notice.  We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for health information we already have about you, as well as any information we receive in the future.  The notice will contain on the first page, in the top right hand corner, the effective date.  If the notice has changed since you last received/reviewed a copy, you will be offered a current policy and asked to sign a receipt.  The most current notice will always be posted at our primary service site.   

COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  To file a complaint with us, contact Cardiologists, P.C.’s Privacy Office at 1002 4th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403.  All complaints must be submitted in writing.  You will not be penalized nor treated differently for filing a complaint. 

OTHER USES OF HEALTH INFORMATION
Other uses and disclosures of health information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to use may be made only with your written permission.  If you provide us permission to use or disclose health information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time.  If you revoke your permission, we will no longer use or disclose health information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization.  You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission, and that we are required to retain our records of the care that we provided to you. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF THIS NOTICE
We are required to make a reasonable effort to have you sign a separate form or notice acknowledging that you received and/or have reviewed this Privacy Notice.  If your refuse or are not able to sign the acknowledgment form, a staff member will sign their name and date the notice in the area designated for this purpose. A copy of the acknowledgment will be filed in your medical record.