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 is effective as of April 15, 2003
USES AND DISCLOSURE OF HEALTH INFORMATION
Virtue Recovery Center is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal and health information we collect or create as part of providing health care services to our clients, known as “Protected Health Information” or “PHI”. PHI typically includes your name, address, date of birth, billing arrangements, care, and other information that relates to your health, health care provided to you, or payment for health care provided to you. PHI DOES NOT include information that is de-identified or cannot be linked to you.
This notice of Health Information Privacy Practices (the “Notice”) describes Virtue Recovery Center’s duties with respect to the privacy of PHI, Virtue Recovery Center’s use of and disclosure of PHI, client rights and contact information for comments, questions, and complaints.
PRIVACY PROCEDURES AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS
Virtue Recovery Center obtains most of its PHI directly from you, through care applications, assessments, and direct questions. We may collect additional personal information depending upon the nature of your needs and consent to make additional referrals and inquiries. We may also obtain PHI from community health care agencies, other governmental agencies, or health care providers as we set up your service arrangements.
Virtue Recovery Center is required by law to provide you with this notice and to abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect. Virtue Recovery Center reserves the right to amend this Notice at any time to reflect changes in our privacy practices. Any such changes will be applicable to and effective for all PHI that we maintain including PHI we created or received prior to the effective date of the revised notice. Any revised notice will be mailed to you or provided upon request.
Virtue Recovery Center is required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI. Virtue Recovery Center will comply with federal law and will comply with any state law that further limits or restricts the uses and disclosures discussed below. In order to comply with these state and federal laws, Virtue Recovery Center has adopted policies and procedures that require its employees to obtain, maintain, use and disclose PHI in a manner that protects client privacy.
YOUR RIGHTS CONCERNING PRIVACY
Access to Certain Records: You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI in a designated record set except where State law may prohibit client access. A designated record set contains medical and billing and case management information. If we do not have your PHI record set but know who does, we will inform you how to get it. If our PHI is a copy of information maintained by another health care provider, we may direct you to request the PHI from them. If Virtue Recovery Center produces copies for you, we may charge you up to $1.00 per page up to a maximum fee of $50.00. Should we deny your request for access to information contained in your designated record set, you have the right to ask for the denial to be reviewed by another healthcare professional designated by Virtue Recovery Center.
Amendments to Certain Records: You have the right to request certain amendments to your PHI if, for example, you believe a mistake has been made or a vital piece of information is missing. Virtue Recovery Center is not required to make the requested amendments and will inform you in writing of our response to your request.
Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI that were made by Virtue Recovery Center for a period of six (6) years prior to the date of your written request. This accounting does not include for purposes of treatment, payment, health care operations or certain other excluded purposes, but includes other types of disclosures, including disclosures for public health purposes or in response to a subpoena or court order.
Restrictions: You have the right to request that we agree to restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI, but we are not required to agree to your request. You cannot place limits on uses and disclosures that we are legally required or allowed to make.
Revoke Authorizations: You have the right to revoke any authorizations you have provided, except to the extent that Virtue Recovery Center has already relied upon the prior authorization.
Delivery by Alternate Means or Alternate Address: You have the right to request that we send your PHI by alternate means or to an alternate address.
Complaints & How to contact us: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint by contacting Virtue Recovery Center at the address and/or phone number indicated below. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human services in Washington, D.C. Virtue Recovery Center will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may make a complaint by contacting Linda Potere, HIPAA Privacy Officer at (561) 738-1369 or the Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services. No individual will be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
The U.S.Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775
Please be aware that mail sent to the Washington D.C area offices takes an additional 3-4 days to process due to changes in mail handling resulting from the Anthrax crisis of October 2001.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
Virtue Recovery Center is dedicated to providing our patients with the highest quality medical detox and clinical care. We believe in utilizing an evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment model to give our patients the tools and skills necessary to live healthy and productive lives free from addiction. We surround them with expert and caring staff that assist them in navigating the path to recovery using professional training, education, and personal experiences to pave the path to a new way of life.
