EAST ALABAMA HEALTH CARE AUTHORI

PRIVACY NOTICE 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 under the federal health care privacy rules (the Privacy Rules),
to protect the privacy of your health information, which includes information about your health history, symptoms, test results,
diagnoses, treatment, and claims and payment history (collectively, Health Information). We are also required to provide you
with this Privacy Notice regarding our legal duties, policies and procedures to protect and maintain the privacy of your Health Information.
We are required to follow the terms of this Privacy Notice unless (and until) it is revised. We reserve the right to change the terms of this
Privacy Notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for the Health Information that we maintain and use, as well as for any
Health Information that we may receive in the future. Should the terms of this Privacy Notice change, we will make a revised copy of
the notice available to you. Revised Privacy Notices will be available at our Facility for individuals to take with them, and we will post
a copy of revised Privacy Notices in a prominent location in our Facility. This Privacy Notice will also be posted and made available electronically on our web site. Permitted Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information. 1. General Uses and Disclosures. Under the Privacy Rules, we are permitted to use and disclose your Health Information for the following purposes,
without obtaining your permission or Authorization: a. Treatment. We are permitted to use and disclose your Health Information in the provision and coordination of your health care. For example,
we may disclose your Health Information to your primary health care provider, consulting providers, and to other health care personnel who have a
need for such information for your care and treatment. b. Payment. We are permitted to use and disclose your Health Information for the purposes of determining coverage, billing, and reimbursement.
This information may be released to an insurance company, third party payor, or other authorized entity or person involved in the payment of your
medical bills and may include copies or portions of your medical record that are necessary for payment of your bill. For example, a bill sent to your
insurance company may include information that identifies you, your diagnosis, and the procedures and supplies used in your treatment. c. Health Care Operations. East Alabama Health Care Authority is a health care authority organized according to the laws of the State of Alabama
and is also a hybrid entity as that term is defined by 45 CFR 164.504(a). It owns and operates the Facility, as well as the following health care providers
or entities: East Alabama Medical Center, East Alabama Medical Center Skilled Nursing Facility, Bethany House of Hospice of East Alabama Medical Center,
Hospice of East Alabama Medical Center, East Alabama Medical Center Home Care, East Alabama Psychiatric Services, Smiths Station Medical Clinic,
Emergency Transport System, Inc., Azalea Place, East Alabama AIDS Outreach, Camellia Place, Magnolia Place, HomeMed, and operates Auburn University Medical Clinic.
The different healthcare providers of East Alabama Health Care Authority may share your Health Information with East Alabama Health Care Authority for
its health care operation purposes described in this notice. We are permitted to use and disclose your Health Information for our health care operations,
including, but not limited to: quality assurance, auditing, licensing or credentialing activities, and for educational purposes. For example, we may use your
Health Information to internally assess our quality of care provided to patients. d. Uses and Disclosures Required by Law. We may use and disclose your Health Information when required to do so by law, including, but not limited to:
reporting abuse and neglect; in response to judicial and administrative proceedings; in responding to a law enforcement request for information; or in order
to alert law enforcement to criminal conduct on our premises or of a death that may be the result of criminal conduct. e. Public Health Activities. We may disclose your Health Information for public health reporting, including, but not limited to: reporting communicable diseases
and vital statistics; product recalls and adverse events; or notifying person(s) who may have been exposed to a disease or are at risk of contracting
or spreading a disease or condition. f. Abuse and Neglect. We may disclose your Health Information to a local, state, or federal government authority, including social services or a protective
services agency authorized by law to receive such reports, if we have a reasonable belief of abuse or neglect. g. Regulatory Agencies. We may disclose your Health Information to a health care oversight agency for activities authorized by law, including, but not
limited to, licensure, investigations and inspections. These activities are necessary for the government and certain private health oversight agencies to monitor
the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights. h. Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose your Health Information in judicial and administrative proceedings, as well as in response to a
n order of a court, administrative tribunal, or in response to a subpoena, summons, warrant, discovery request, or similar legal request.
i. Law Enforcement Purposes. We may disclose your Health Information to law enforcement officials when required to do so by law. j. Coroners, Medical Examiners, Funeral Directors. We may disclose your Health Information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary,
for example, to determine a cause of death. We may also disclose your health information to funeral directors, as necessary, to carry out their duties. k. Organ Donation. We may disclose your Health Information to organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the procurement, banking, or
transplantation of cadaveric organs, eyes, or tissues. l. Research. Under certain circumstances, we may disclose your Health Information to researchers when their clinical research study has been approved and
where certain safeguards are in place to ensure the privacy and protection of your Health Information. m. Threats to Health and Safety. We may use or disclose your Health Information if we believe, in good faith, that the use or disclosure is necessary to prevent
or lessen a serious or imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, or is necessary for law enforcement to identify or apprehend an individual. o. Specialized Government Functions. If you are a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, we may disclose your Health Information as required by military
command authorities. We may also disclose your Health Information to authorized federal officials for national security reasons and the Department of State
for medical suitability determinations. p. Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release your Health Information to
the correctional institution or law enforcement official, where such information is necessary for the institution to provide you with health care; to protect your health
or safety, or the health or safety of others; or for the safety and security of the correctional institution. q. Workers Compensation. We may disclose your Health Information to your employer to the extent necessary to comply with Alabama laws relating to workers
compensation or other similar programs. r. Fundraising. We may use or disclose your Health Information to make a fundraising communication to you for the purpose of raising funds for our own benefit.
Included in such fundraising communications will be instructions describing how you may ask not to receive future communications. s. Marketing. We may use or disclose your Health Information to make a marketing communication to you that occurs in a face-to-face encounter with us or that
concerns a promotional gift of nominal value provided by us.
t. Appointment Reminders/Treatment Alternatives. We may use and disclose your Health Information to remind you of an appointment for treatment and medical
care at our Facilities or to provide you with information regarding treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. u. Business Associates. We may disclose your Health Information to business associates who provide services to us. Our business associates are required to
protect the confidentiality of your Health Information. v. Other Uses and Disclosures. In addition to the reasons outlined above, we may use and disclose your Health Information for other purposes permitted by the Privacy Rules. 2. Uses and Disclosures That Require Patient Opportunity to Verbally Agree or Object. Under the Privacy Rules, we are permitted to use and disclose your
Health Information: (i) for the creation of facility directories, (ii) to disaster relief agencies, and (iii) to family members, close personal friends or any other person
identified by you, if the information is directly relevant to that person's involvement in your care or treatment. Except in emergency situations, you will be notified
in advance and have the opportunity to verbally agree or object to this use and disclosure of your Health Information. 3. Uses and Disclosures That Require Written Authorization. As required by the Privacy Rules, all other uses and disclosures of your Health Information
(not described above) will be made only with your written Authorization. For example, in order to disclose your Health Information to a company for marketing
purposes, we must obtain your Authorization. Under the Privacy Rules, you may revoke your Authorization at any time. The revocation of your Authorization
will be effective immediately, except to the extent that: we have relied upon it previously for the use and disclosure of your Health Information; if the Authorization
was obtained as a condition of obtaining insurance coverage where other law provides the insurer with the right to contest a claim under the policy or the policy itself;
or where your Health Information was obtained as part of a research study and is necessary to maintain the integrity of the study. Patient Rights. You have the following rights concerning your Health Information: 1. Right to Inspect and/or Copy Your Health Information From The Facility. Upon written request to the Facility, you have the right to inspect and copy your
own Health Information contained in a designated record set, maintained by or for the Facility. A Designated record set contains medical and billing records and
any other records that we use for making decisions about you. However, we are not required to provide you access to all the Health Information that we maintain.
For example, this right of access does not extend to psychotherapy notes, or information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal or
administrative proceeding. Where permitted by the Privacy Rules, you may request that certain denials to inspect and copy your Health Information be reviewed.
If you request a copy or summary of explanation of your Health Information, we may charge you a reasonable fee for copying costs, including the cost of supplies
and labor, postage, and any other associated costs in preparing the summary or explanation. In order to obtain copies of your Health Information maintained by
other covered functions of East Alabama Health Care Authority other than the Facility, you should direct your written request directly to the particular covered function. 2. Right to Request Restrictions on the Use and Disclosure of Your Health Information From The Facility. You have the right to request restrictions on the use and
disclosure of your Health Information for treatment, payment and health care operations, as well as disclosures to persons involved in your care or payment for your
care, such as family members or close friends. We will consider, but do not have to agree to, such requests. In order to request restrictions on the use and disclosure
of your Health Information maintained by other covered functions of East Alabama Health Care Authority other than the Facility, you should direct your written request
directly to the particular covered function. 3. Right to Request an Amendment of Your Health Information From The Facility. You have the right to request an amendment of your Health Information.
We may deny your request if we determine that you have asked us to amend information that: was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the
information is no longer available; is not Health Information maintained by or for us; is Health Information that you are not permitted to inspect or copy; or we
determine that the information is accurate and complete. If we disagree with your requested amendment, we will provide you with a written explanation of the
reasons for the denial, an opportunity to submit a statement of disagreement, and a description of how you may file a complaint. In order to request an amendment
of your Health Information maintained by other covered functions of East Alabama Health Care Authority other than the Facility, you should direct your written
request directly to each particular covered function. 4. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures of Your Health Information From The Facility. You have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your Health
Information made by us within six (6) years prior to the date of your request. The accounting will not include: disclosures related to treatment, payment or health
care operations; disclosures to you; disclosures based on your Authorization; disclosures that are part of a Limited Data Set; incidental disclosures; disclosures to
persons involved in your care or payment for your care; disclosures to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials; disclosures for facility directories; or
disclosures that occurred prior to April 14, 2003. In order to request an accounting of disclosures of your Health Information disclosed by other covered functions
of East Alabama Health Care Authority other than the Facility, you should direct your written request directly to each particular covered function. 5. Right to Alternative Communications From The Facility. You have the right to receive confidential communications of your Health Information by a different
means or at a different location than currently provided. For example, you may request that we only contact you at home or by mail. In order to request
confidential communications of your Health Information from other covered functions of East Alabama Health Care Authority other than the Facility, you should
direct your written request directly to each particular covered function. 6. Right to Receive a Paper Copy of this Privacy Notice. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Privacy Notice upon request, even if you have
agreed to receive this Privacy Notice electronically. If you want to exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Officer. All requests must be submitted to us in writing on a designated form
(which we will provide to you), and returned to the attention of our Privacy Officer at the address below. Contact Information and How to Report a Privacy Rights Violation. If you have questions and/or would like additional information regarding the uses and disclosures of your Health Information, you may contact our Privacy Officer at: Address: Privacy Officer 2000 Pepperell Parkway Opelika, Alabama 36801 Telephone: (334) 705-1322 Fax: (334) 705-1509 If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated or that we have violated our own privacy practices, you may file a complaint with us.
You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of PHS at Region IV, Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at
Atlanta Federal Center, Suite 3B70, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia, 30303-8909, Voice Phone (404) 562-7886,
Fax (404) 562-7881, TDD (404) 331-2867. Complaints filed directly with the Secretary must be made in writing, name us, describe
the acts or omissions in violation of the Privacy Rules or our privacy practices, and must be filed within 180 days of the time you knew or should
have known of the violation. Complaints submitted directly to us must be in writing and to the attention of our Privacy Officer. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint. The Effective Date of this Privacy Notice is October 1, 2004. BY SIGNING BELOW, I HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS PRIVACY NOTICE. ________________________________________________ Printed Name of Patient Date ________________________________________________ Signature of Patient or Patient's Representative ________________________________________________ Printed Name of Patient's Representative (if applicable) ________________________________________________ Representatives Relationship to Patient (if applicable) ================================================ To be completed by Oak Park: After a good faith attempt to obtain an Acknowledgment of receipt, the patient or representative refused or was unable to sign the Privacy Notice for the following reasons) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Oak Park Representative ________________________________________________ Date