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.
Patient Health Information
Under federal law, your patient health information is protected and confidential. Patient health information includes information about your symptoms, test results, diagnosis, treatment and related medical information. Your health information also includes payment, billing, and insurance information.
How We Use Your Patient Health Information
We use health information about you for treatment, to obtain payment and for health care operations, including administrative purposes and evaluation of the quality of care that you receive. Under some circumstances, we may be required to use or disclose the information even without your permission.
Example of Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations
Special Uses
We may use your information to contact you about your health, treatment and other health related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Other Uses and Disclosures
We may use or disclose identifiable health information about you for other reasons, even without your consent. Subject to certain requirements, we are permitted to give out health information without your permission for the following purposes:
Required by Law: We may be required by law to report subjected abuse or neglect or similar injuries and events.
Public Health Activities: as required by law, we may disclose vital statistics, diseases, information related to recalls of dangerous products and similar information to public health authorities.
Health Oversight: We may be required to disclose information to assist in investigations and audits, eligibility for government programs and similar activities.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose information required by subpoena or court order.
Law Enforcement Purposes: Subject to certain restrictions, we may disclose information required by law enforcement officials.
Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use and disclose information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.
Military and Special Government Functions: If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release information as required by military command authorities. We may also disclose information to correctional institutions or for national security purposes.
Workers Compensation: We may release information about you for workers compensation or similar programs providing benefits for work-related injuries or illness. In any other situation, we will ask for your written authorization before using or disclosing any identifiable health information about you. If you choose to sign an authorization to disclose information, you can later revoke that authorization to stop any future uses and disclosures.
Our Legal Duty
We are required by law to protect and maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide this Notice about our legal duties and privacy practices regarding protected health information and to abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
Changes in Privacy Practices
We may, at any time, change our policies. Before we make a significant change in our policies, we will change our Notice and post the new Notice in the waiting area. You may also request a copy of the notice by calling the Center or stop by reception.
Patient Health Information
Under federal law, your patient health information is protected and confidential. Patient health information includes information about your symptoms, test results, diagnosis, treatment and related medical information. Your health information also includes payment, billing, and insurance information.
How We Use Your Patient Health Information
We use health information about you for treatment, to obtain payment and for health care operations, including administrative purposes and evaluation of the quality of care that you receive. Under some circumstances, we may be required to use or disclose the information even without your permission.
Example of Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations
Special Uses
We may use your information to contact you about your health, treatment and other health related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Other Uses and Disclosures
We may use or disclose identifiable health information about you for other reasons, even without your consent. Subject to certain requirements, we are permitted to give out health information without your permission for the following purposes:
Required by Law: We may be required by law to report subjected abuse or neglect or similar injuries and events.
Public Health Activities: as required by law, we may disclose vital statistics, diseases, information related to recalls of dangerous products and similar information to public health authorities.
Health Oversight: We may be required to disclose information to assist in investigations and audits, eligibility for government programs and similar activities.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose information required by subpoena or court order.
Law Enforcement Purposes: Subject to certain restrictions, we may disclose information required by law enforcement officials.
Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use and disclose information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.
Military and Special Government Functions: If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release information as required by military command authorities. We may also disclose information to correctional institutions or for national security purposes.
Workers Compensation: We may release information about you for workers compensation or similar programs providing benefits for work-related injuries or illness. In any other situation, we will ask for your written authorization before using or disclosing any identifiable health information about you. If you choose to sign an authorization to disclose information, you can later revoke that authorization to stop any future uses and disclosures.
Our Legal Duty
We are required by law to protect and maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide this Notice about our legal duties and privacy practices regarding protected health information and to abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
Changes in Privacy Practices
We may, at any time, change our policies. Before we make a significant change in our policies, we will change our Notice and post the new Notice in the waiting area. You may also request a copy of the notice by calling the Center or stop by reception.
You have the right to complain to the Center if you believe your rights to privacy have been violated. If you feel your privacy rights have been violated, please mail your complaint to the Center—Rebecca Hittle, RN, Administrator, 55 W Watkins Mill Road, Suite 250, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 or Office of Health Care Quality, 7120 Samuel Morse Drive, Second Floor, Columbia, MD 21046-3422 or online at https://health.maryland.gov/ohcq/
