Privacy Policy
Wooster Ophthalmologists, Inc. (dba Wooster Eye Center / Wooster Optical / Eye Surgery Center of Wooster)
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can gain access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Protected health information (PHI), about you, is maintained as a written and/or electronic record of your contacts or visits for healthcare services with our practice. Specifically, PHI is information about you, including demographic information (i.e., name, address, phone, etc.), that may identify you and relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health condition and related healthcare services.
Our practice is legally required to maintain the confidentiality of your PHI, and to follow specific rules when using or disclosing this information. This Notice describes your rights to access and control your PHI. It also describes how we follow applicable rules when using and disclosing your PHI to provide your treatment, obtain payment for services you receive, manage our healthcare operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law.
Your Rights Under the Privacy Rule
Following is a statement of your rights, under the Privacy Rule, in reference to your PHI. Please feel free to discuss any questions with our staffs.
You have the right to receive, and we are required to provide you with, a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices
We are required to follow the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice, at any time. Upon your request, we will provide you with a revised Notice of Privacy Practices if you call our office and request that a revised copy be sent to you in the mail or ask for one at the time of your next appointment. The Notice will also be posted or placed in a conspicuous location within the practice, and if such is maintained by the practice, on its web site.
You have the right to authorize other use and disclosure
This means we will only use or disclose your PHI as described in this Notice, unless you authorize other use or disclosure in writing. For example, we would need your written authorization to use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes, for most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, or substance use disorder counseling notes, or if we intended to sell your PHI. You may revoke an authorization, at any time, in writing, except to the extent that your healthcare provider, or our practice has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.
You have the right to request an alternative means of confidential communication
This means you have the right to ask us to contact you about medical matters using an alternative method (i.e., mail, telephone), and/or to a destination (i.e., cell phone number, alternative address, etc.) designated by you. You must inform us in writing, using a form provided by our practice, how you wish to be contacted if other than the address/phone number that we have on file. We will allow reasonable requests.
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy your PHI*
This means you may submit a written request to inspect or obtain a copy of your complete health record, or to direct us to disclose your PHI to a third party. If your health record is maintained electronically, you will also have the right to request a copy in electronic format. We have the right to charge a reasonable cost-based fee for paper or electronic copies as established federal guidelines. We are required to provide you with access to your records within 30 days of your written request unless an extension is necessary. In such cases, we will notify you of the reason for the delay, and the expected date when the request will be fulfilled.
You have the right to request a restriction of your PHI*
This means you may ask us, in writing, not to use or disclose any part of your protected health information for the purposes of treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. If we agree to the requested restriction, we will abide by it, except in emergency circumstances when the information is needed for your treatment. In certain cases, we may deny your request for a restriction. You will have the right to request in writing, that we restrict communication to your health plan regarding a specific treatment or service that you, or someone on your behalf, has paid for in full, out-of-pocket. We are not permitted to deny this specific type of requested restriction.
You have the right to request an amendment to your protected health information*
This means you may submit a written request to amend your PHI for as long as we maintain this information. In certain cases, we may deny your request.
You have the right to request a disclosure accountability*
You may submit a written request for a listing of disclosures that we have made of your PHI to entities or persons outside of our practice except for those made upon your request, or for purposes of treatment, payment or healthcare operations. We will not charge a fee for the first accounting provided in a 12-month period.
You have the right to receive a privacy breach notice
You have the right to receive written notification if the practice discovers a breach of your unsecured PHI, and determines through a risk assessment that notification is required.
How We May Use or Disclose Protected Health Information
Following are examples of uses and disclosures of your protected health information that we are permitted to make. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive, but to describe possible types of uses and disclosures.
Treatment
We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your healthcare with a third party that is involved in your care and treatment. For example, we would disclose your PHI, as necessary, to a pharmacy that would fill your prescriptions. We will also disclose PHI to other healthcare providers who may be involved in your care and treatment.
Payment
Your PHI will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your healthcare services. This may include certain activities that your health insurance plan may undertake before it approves or pays for the healthcare services we recommend for you, such as making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits.
Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI in order to support the business activities of our practice. This includes, but is not limited to, business planning and development, quality assessment and improvement, medical review, legal services, auditing functions and patient safety activities.
Special Notices
We may use or disclose your PHI, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment. We may contact you by phone or other means to provide results from exams or tests and to provide information that describes or recommends treatment alternatives regarding your care, or to provide information about health-related benefits and services offered by our office.
Health Information Organization
The practice participates in one or more health information organization(s) and/or exchange(s) (HIE). Your healthcare providers can use this electronic network to securely provide access to your health records enabling them to address your health needs. We, and other healthcare providers, may allow access to your health information through the HIE for the purposes of treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. This is a voluntary agreement that you can opt-out of at any time by notifying CliniSync Management Services/Medical Records Department OR Wooster Eye Center Privacy Officer at 330-345-7200.
To Others Involved in Your Healthcare
Unless you object, we may disclose to a member of your family, a relative, a close friend, or any other person that you identify, your PHI that directly relates to that person’s involvement in your healthcare. If you are unable to agree tor object to such a disclosure, we may disclose such information as necessary if we determine, based on our professional judgment, that it is in your best interest. We may use of disclose PHI to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or any other person that is responsible for your care, of your general condition or death. If you are not present or able to agree or object to the use or disclosure of PHI (e.g., in a disaster relief situation), then your healthcare provider may, using professional judgment, determine whether the disclosure is in your best interest. In this case, only the PHI that is necessary will be disclosed.
Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures
We are also permitted to use or disclose your PHI without your written authorization, or providing you an opportunity to object, for the following purposes: if required by state or federal law; for public health activities and safety issues (e.g., a product recall); for health oversight activities; in cases of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; to avert a serious threat to health or safety; for research purposes; in response t a court or administrative order, and subpoenas that meet certain requirement; to a coroner, medical examiner or funeral director; to respond to organ and tissue donation request; to address worker’s compensation, law enforcement and certain other government requests, and for specialized government functions (e.g., military, national security, etc.); with respect to a group health plan, to disclose information to the health plan sponsor for plan administration; and if requested by the Department of Health and Human Services in order t investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of the Privacy Rule.
Prohibited Uses/Disclosures
Patient records subject to Part 2 programs may be used or disclosed only as permitted by Part 2 and HIPAA regulations. Substance use disorder treatment records received from Part 2 programs, or testimony relaying the contents of such records, will not be used or disclosed in any criminal investigation, to initiate or substantiate criminal charges, or in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings by any federal, state, or local authority against you without your authorization or a court order with accompanying subpoena or similar legal mandate compelling disclosure.
Attestation
Any person requesting disclosure of PHI potentially related to reproductive health care for purposes of health oversight, law enforcement, judicial or administrative proceedings, or about decedents to coroners or medical examiners will be required to submit an attestation signifying that the PHI will not be used for prohibited purposes (see above section).
Redisclosure
Protected health information that is disclosed pursuant to the Privacy Rule may be subject to redisclosure and no longer protected by the Privacy Rule. For example, if a disclosure is made to a third party who is not subject to HIPAA rules (e.g., is not a healthcare provider, health plan, or healthcare clearinghouse), this entity may redisclose the PHI to others without restrictions.
Privacy Complaints
You have the right to complain to us or to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. You may ask questions about your privacy rights, file a complaint or submit a written request (for access, restriction, or amendment of your PHI, or to obtain a disclosure accountability) by contacting our Privacy Officer at 330-345-7200 or by mailing a complaint to Attn: Privacy Officer, Wooster Eye Center, 3519 Friendsville Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.
