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PRIVACY POLICY |
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This document is our privacy notice for our patients and clients. It describes our policies and your rights regarding your protected health information (PHI). Please read it carefully. VHA has already had in place for many years a strict policy in accordance with Federal Regulations (CFR42) limiting our releases of PHI. The new rules will not likely affect our use and disclosure of PHI, but will only change the wording of some documents and require additional documenta-tion such as this notice to you. The words "we". "our", and "us" refer to Valley Health Associates. The words "you" and "your" refer to all of our patients and clients. Protected Health Information is also referred to as individually identifiable health information, and includes virtually any two pieces of nonpublic information identifying the patient or client. We must obtain written authorization for any use or disclosure of PHI except in court related matters or otherwise allowed by the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Federal Confidentiality Regulations. We do not, and will not, disclose your PHI except as disclosed in this policy or as otherwise permitted by law. We maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the privacy of your PHI, and we limit the information we disclose to the lease amount possible. Your PHI may be disclosed to the following agencies: (if applicable) Monterey County Courts, Monterey County Probation, Board of Prison Terms, Monterey County Health Dept., Behavioral Health Division; Mont-erey County Public Defenders Office, Other Courts or Agencies referring you to us for the treatment or paying for your treatment (including, but not limited to Medi-Cal, Medicare, and other State and Federal funding sources); Credit Bureau of The Monterey Peninsula (as needed to collect payment for services), Kasavan and Pope (auditors) and other individuals or entities for whom you have signed a written authorization for release of information. The information we disclose on court referred clients may include the fol-lowing (when applicable): Participating in VHA's programs (enrollment, progress and discharge reports), attendance at program activities and 12-step meetings, illegal activities, results of drug screenings, non-compliance with program requirement and/or program standards, and payment of program fees. You do not have a right to opt out of these disclosures of information. Crimes committed on our premises or against other patients or staff are not protected by confidentiality laws. It is possible that your PHI would be seen by auditors from State, Federal and County agencies and from the accrediting bodies, such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Vendors such as Netalytics may also access your information for the sole purpose of providing technical and software support for our computerized dosing system. These auditors and vendors are restricted by Federal Confidentiality Rules (42 CFR part 2) in redisclosing your PHI. Copies of this policy are posted and available at each of our offices. If you have complaints or concerns regarding the use or disclosure of PHI , please submit them in writing to VHA's Executive Director at 338 Monterey Street, Salinas, CA 93901. You may also submit complaints of violations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. |
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