Information that is gathered from visitors
In common with other websites, log files are stored on the web server saving details such as the visitor's IP address, browser type, referring page and time of visit.
Cookies may be used to remember visitor preferences when interacting with the website.
Where registration is required, the visitor's email and a username will be stored on the server.
How the Information is used
The information is used to enhance the vistor's experience when using the website to display personalised content and possibly advertising.
E-mail addresses will not be sold, rented or leased to 3rd parties.
E-mail may be sent to inform you of news of our services or offers by us or our affiliates.
Visitor Options
If you have subscribed to one of our services, you may unsubscribe by following the instructions which are included in e-mail that you receive.
You may be able to block cookies via your browser settings but this may prevent you from access to certain features of the website.
Cookies
Cookies are small digital signature files that are stored by your web browser that allow your preferences to be recorded when visiting the website. Also they may be used to track your return visits to the website.
3rd party advertising companies may also use cookies for tracking purposes.
Google Ads
Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads.
Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to visitors based on their visit to sites they visit on the Internet.
Website visitors may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.
Section VI - PART II: PROVIDER POLICIES (OAR 309-019-0110)
Confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA, Federal Confidentiality Regulations (42 CFR, Part 2), and State confidentiality regulations as specified in ORS 179.505 and 192.518 through 192.530
Policy: All Sober Living Recovery Center staff have a responsibility to recognize the special relationship of trust between us and our patients and must safeguard all medical information and/or personal information about those we serve. SLO Recovery Center staff may use or disclose Protected Health Information (PHI) only as necessary in the delivery of patient care, as required by law, and for authorized administrative purposes. Protected Health Information may also be disclosed if authorized by the patient. PHI is considered to be any patient specific information gathered as part of the care process.
Procedure:
- Staff may not gain access to information concerning patients, including medical, alcohol and drug treatment, mental health treatment, financial, and any other enrollment information, except for legitimate clinical and business purposes. Any uncertainty about what constitutes such purposes should be discussed with your supervisor.
- Protected Health Information must never be discussed in public areas.
- All release of information requests must be handled by the Clinical Director at SLO Recovery Center, Portland, Oregon. Protected Health Information may not be released to anyone without the written consent of the patient or when required by law. The only exception is that clinical staff may release clinical information, including medical records, when appropriate to facilitate the care of patients.
- Protected Health Information may only be disposed of by means that assures that it will not be accidentally released to an outside party. The Executive Director must ensure that appropriate means of disposal are reasonably available.
Violation of this policy will be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and possibly including termination of employment.
HIPPA and PHI
Minimum Necessary Uses, Disclosures and Requests
Policy: When using or disclosing individually identifiable health information SLO Recovery Center will make reasonable efforts to limit Protected Health Information (PHI) to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose of the use, disclosure or request.
Procedure:
(1) Certain types of uses, disclosures and requests of individually identifiable information are not subject to the minimum necessary requirements, and therefore not subject to SLO Recovery Center policy and procedure regarding minimum necessary.
(2) Requests by or disclosures to health care practitioners for treatment purposes are not subject to the requirements of the minimum necessary standard. The minimum necessary standard also does not apply to disclosures that are required by law, disclosures to the patient who is the subject of the information, or disclosures based on the patient’s/client’s written authorization.
(3) SLO Recovery Center is not required to apply the minimum necessary standard to the required or situational data elements specified in the implementation guides for HIPAA administrative simplification standard electronic transactions in the Transactions Rule. (The minimum necessary standard does apply for uses or disclosures in standard transactions that are made at SLO Recovery Center option.) All other uses, disclosures, and requests of individually identifiable information must meet the minimum necessary standards.
Uses of PHI:
SLO Recovery Center will limit access levels of employees and it will be based on SLO Recovery Center’s reasonable determination of each position’s need for PHI access and the nature and extent of the health information required to successfully complete the duties of the position. The limited access will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that all current positions are identified, and an appropriate level of access is assigned.
Disclosures of PHI:
Routine Disclosures. SLO Recovery Center does not routinely disclose PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, and health care operations.
Non-Routine Disclosures. SLO Recovery Center has developed a criterion designed to limit disclosures of PHI to only the minimum amount necessary to accomplish the purpose of the disclosure, and will apply the criteria to each non-routine disclosure of PHI.
Disclosures to and authorizations from patient/client:
SLO Recovery Center is not required to limit to the minimum necessary the disclosures of PHI to a SLO Recovery Center patient who is the subject of the PHI. In addition, disclosures authorized by a SLO Recovery Center patient (pursuant to a valid authorization) are exempt from the minimum necessary requirements.
Authorizations meeting the validity requirements received directly from third parties, such as life, disability, or casualty insurers, that direct SLO Recovery Center to release PHI to them are not subject to the minimum necessary standards.
SLO Recovery Center request for PHI:
Routine Requests: SLO Recovery Center does not routinely request PHI from other health care practitioners or health plans for purposes other than treatment, payment, and health care operations.
Non-routine requests. SLO Recovery Center will develop criteria designed to limit requests of PHI to only the minimum amount necessary to accomplish the purpose of the request, and will apply the criteria to each non-routine request of PHI.
HIPPA Policy and Procedures
Use of Disclosure of Health Information Pursuant to Authorization or Valid Written
Request
Policy: To establish a policy and procedure for disclosing Protected Health Information (PHI) pursuant to the patient’s/client’s authorization or a valid written request in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 USC 522a; HIPAA, 45 CFR Part 164; Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, 42 CFR Part 2; Confidentiality of Mental Health Records, 42 CFR Part 5, ORS 179.505, and ORS 192.505; and the Freedom of Information Act, 5 USC 552.
It is the policy of SLO Recovery Center that a patient/client must complete and sign the Authorization for Release of Confidential Information form (attached) prior to disclosing any health information for any purpose. If the patient/client submits a valid written request for information, this will be honored as well. Authorization for use and disclosure of PHI is not required to be completed for disclosures for which authorization is not required.
Procedure: The following procedures will be used when patients/clients authorize disclosures of PHI and will govern how disclosure of PHI will be accomplished for valid authorizations or written requests received by SLO Recovery Center. Strict adherence to the following procedures is required.
- Only authorizations with original signatures or a statement indicating that a photo static copy shall be considered as effective and valid as the original will be processed by the SLO Recovery Center Privacy Officer/Human Resources.
- An individual may authorize the release of PHI by completing and signing the Authorization for Release of Confidential Information form.
- Blanket authorizations with no specified individual or organization or which indicate a period of longer than one year will not be honored.
- Authorizations will terminate one year from the date of signature unless the patient/client specifies a different expiration date of less than one year.
- A written request received by mail on something other than the Authorization for Release of Confidential Information form must identify the individual and contain a description of the information desired. The request must contain the name and address of the requester, date of birth, signature for comparison purposes, and the date.
- If the authorization or written request does not contain sufficient information that identifies the patient/client or a description of the information requested, the individual will be notified that additional specific information is required in order to process the request.
- Any additional information received will be documented, dated, and initialed on the original request.
- Verification of the individual requesting disclosure must be performed by presenting in person with identification.
- If a guardian or health care representative of the individual signs the authorization, a description of such representative authorized to act for the individual should be documented. Legal documents must be filed in the patient’s/client’s record.
(10) When a request for disclosure of PHI is incomplete or unclear, SLO Recovery Center staff may contact the requestor for additional information prior to disclosing any information. Additional information received should be documented, dated, and initialed by the staff on the original authorization form or the written request.
(11) Information disclosed may be subject to re-disclosure by the recipient and no longer
protected. The information disclosed must be accompanied by the following statement:
“This information has been disclosed to you from records whose confidentiality is protected by Federal law. Federal regulations (45 CFR Part 2) prohibits you from making any further disclosure of it without the specific written consent of the person to whom it pertains, or as otherwise permitted by such regulations. A general authorization for the release of medical or other information is NOT sufficient for this purpose.”
(12) Information disclosed by a designated alcohol/substance abuse facility must be
accompanied by the following statement:
“This information has been disclosed to you from records protected by Federal confidentiality regulations (42CFR Part 2). Federal regulations prohibit you from making any further disclosure of it without the specific written consent of the person to whom it pertains, or as otherwise permitted by 45 CFR Part 2. A general authorization for the release of medical or other information is NOT sufficient for this purpose. Federal rules restrict any use of the information to criminally investigate or prosecute any alcohol or drug abuse patients.”
(13) A copy of the signed authorization must be provided to the individual and the original signed authorization or valid written request must be filed in the patient’s/client’s record.
Privacy Policies
Confidentiality 42 CFR Part 2, and 45 CFR §164
Policy:
The SLO Recovery Center Outpatient Treatment Program complies with all state and federal regulations, 42 CFR Part 2, and 45 CFR §164 regarding patient confidentiality. All new staff and volunteers will participate in New Employee Orientation, which includes training on confidentiality.
Procedure:
At the time of intake, and throughout treatment, patients are assured that only those agencies or individuals authorized by the patient in writing are allowed access to information about the patient and his/her involvement in treatment. This includes immediate family members. All patients will be informed of the confidentiality regulations and the exceptions to these regulations at the time of intake into the program.
During treatment, patients will be provided space for counseling which affords them privacy. When a staff person is engaged in a telephone conversation with a patient, they will do so in an area that protects the confidentiality of the patient.
-
Release of Information
When a patient has designated an individual or agency to receive information regarding the patient’s treatment, the consent must be in writing, utilizing an approved release of information form. Written releases must be kept in the patient’s file. The release must include client name, person to whom the information is to be released, purpose and need for disclosure, type of information to be disclosed, expiration date, patient signature, date and staff witness signature. Patients may revoke the authorization at any time by submitting the request in writing to any SLO Recovery Center staff person. SLO Recovery Center will honor the revocation to the extent that actions have been taken.
-
Patient Records
All patient records will be stored in a locked file cabinet in a secure area. All files will be stored in the designated, locked cabinets at the end of each day. File documents will be kept fastened to the file folder. Staff will access patient confidential information only as it relates to their specific job duties, and on a need-to-know-basis.
Computer records, which contain confidential information, will be safeguarded in secure files, all computer workstations will have screen savers with passwords, and staff will not leave patient information on the screen unattended. Computers will be shut down at the end of the workday.
Documents, which contain confidential patient information but do not need to be kept in the patient record, will be shredded. No confidential information will be put in the recycling bin or in the garbage.
Desktops will be kept free of confidential information when not in use. All confidential information will be kept in the patient record and stored in the designated file cabinet at the end of the workday.
-
Telephone Inquiries
Telephone requests for confidential information will be responded to promptly and courteously. Information needed to determine if the information can be released, is the caller’s name and affiliated agency, if any. If it is determined that there is not a written Release of Information in the patient record, information will not be disclosed. If the caller is persistent, he/she will be referred to the Clinical Director or Executive Director.
-
Court Appearances and Subpoenas
In the event that a patient request that a counselor appear on his/her behalf in court, the counselor will do so only with a written Release of Information allowing for court testimony. If a court subpoenas patient records, all subpoenas are to be immediately routed to the SLO Recovery Center Executive Director. Only after direction from the Executive Director will staff appear in court following a subpoena. (See HIPAA)
Exceptions to Confidentiality – 42 CFR part 2
Policy: Disclosures without Patient consent are to be done under the following circumstances only.
- Notifications to medical personnel in a medical emergency: A Part 2 program can make disclosures to medical personnel if there is a determination that a medical emergency exists, i.e., there is a situation that poses an immediate threat to the health of any individual and requires immediate medical intervention [42 CFR §2.51(a)]. Information disclosed to the medical personnel who are treating such a medical emergency may be re-disclosed by such personnel for treatment purposes as needed. For additional information regarding disclosures during a medical emergency, see FAQs Numbered 7, 8, and 9 below.
- Notifications to law enforcement: Law enforcement agencies can be notified if an immediate threat to the health or safety of an individual exists due to a crime on program premises or against program personnel. A Part 2 program is permitted to report the crime or attempted crime to a law enforcement agency or to seek its assistance [42 CFR §2.12(c)(5)]. Part 2 permits a program to disclose information regarding the circumstances of such incident, including the suspect’s name, address, last known whereabouts, and status as a patient in the program.
- Immediate threats to health or safety that do not involve medical emergencies or crimes on programs premises or against program personnel: Part 2 programs and health care providers and HIOs who have received Part 2 patient information, can make reports to law enforcement about an immediate threat to the health or safety of an individual or the public if patient-identifying information is not disclosed. Immediate threats to health or safety that do not involve a medical emergency or crimes (e.g., a fire) are not addressed in the regulations. Programs should evaluate those circumstances individually.
- Reports of child abuse and neglect: The restrictions on disclosure do not apply to the reporting under State law of incidents of suspected child abuse and neglect to the appropriate State or local authorities. However, Part 2 restrictions continue to apply to the original alcohol or drug abuse patient records maintained by the program including their disclosure and use for civil or criminal proceedings which may arise out of the report of suspected child abuse and neglect [42 CFR § 2.12(c)(6)]. Also, a court order under Part 2 may authorize disclosure of confidential communications made by a patient to a program in the course of diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment if, among other reasons, the disclosure is necessary to protect against an existing threat of life or of serious bodily injury, including circumstances which constitute suspected child abuse and neglect [42 CFR § 2.63(a)(1)].
- Court ordered disclosures: Under the regulations, Part 2 programs or “any person having a legally recognized interest in the disclosure which is sought” may apply to a court for an order authorizing disclosure of protected patient information [42 CFR § 2.64]. Thus, if there is an existing threat to life or serious bodily injury, a Part 2 program or “any person having a legally recognized interest in the disclosure which is sought” can apply for a court order to disclose information.
- Research: Researchers who receive patient identifying information are prohibited from re-disclosing the patient-identifying information to anyone except back to the program [42 CFR § 2.52(b)].
- Audits and Evaluations: Part 2 permits disclosures to persons and organizations authorized to conduct audits and evaluation activities, but imposes limitations by requiring any person or organization conducting the audit or evaluation to agree in writing that it will re-disclose patient identifying information only (1) back to the program, or (2) pursuant to a court order to investigate or prosecute the program (not a patient), or (3) to a government agency that is overseeing a Medicare or Medicaid audit or evaluation [42 CFR § 2.53(c)(d)].
- Qualified Service Organization Agreements (QSOAs): Part 2 requires the QSO to agree in writing that in receiving, storing, processing, or otherwise dealing with any information from the program about patients, it is fully bound by Part 2, it will resist, in judicial proceedings if necessary, any efforts to obtain access to information pertaining to patients except as permitted by Part 2, and will use appropriate safeguards to prevent the unauthorized use or disclosure of the protected information [42 CFR § 2.11]. In addition, QSOAs may allow disclosure in certain circumstances.
- Authorizing Court Orders: When information is disclosed pursuant to an authorizing court order, Part 2 requires that steps be taken to protect patient confidentiality. In a civil case, Part 2 requires that the court order authorizing a disclosure include measures necessary to limit disclosure for the patient’s protection, which could include sealing from public scrutiny the record of any proceeding for which disclosure of a patient’s record has been ordered [42 CFR § 2.64(e)(3)]. In a criminal case, such order must limit disclosure to those law enforcement and prosecutorial officials who are responsible for or are conducting the investigation or prosecution, and must limit their use of the record to cases involving extremely serious crimes or suspected crimes.
Client Hand Book
Notice of Privacy Practices
July 26, 2018,
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 understand the importance of privacy and are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of your medical information. We make a record of the medical care we provide and may receive such records from others. We use these records to provide or enable other health care providers to provide quality medical care, to obtain payment for services provided to you as allowed by your health plan and to enable us to meet our professional and legal obligations to operate Sober Living Oregon Recovery Center properly. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information, to provide individuals with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information, and to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information. This notice describes how we may use and disclose your medical information. It also describes your rights and our legal obligations with respect to your medical information. If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact our Privacy Officer listed at the end of this document.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- How SLO Recovery Center May Use or Disclose Your Health Information p.
- When SLO Recovery Center May Not Use or Disclose Your Health Information p.
- Your Health Information Rights p.
- Right to Request Special Privacy Protections
- Right to Request Confidential Communications
- Right to Inspect and Copy
- Right to Amend or Supplement
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
- Right to a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice
- Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices p.
- SLO Recovery Center Applicable…………………………………………………………..
- Complaints p.
- Privacy Officer Contact Information…………………………………………….……………..
- How SLO Recovery Center May Use or Disclose Your Health Information
SLO Recovery Center collects health information about you and stores it in a chart and in an electronic health record/personal health record. This is your medical record. The medical record is the property of SLO Recovery Center, but the information in the medical record belongs to you. The law permits us to use or disclose your health information for the following purposes:
- Treatment. We use medical information about you to provide your medical care. We disclose medical information to our employees and others who are involved in providing the care you need. For example, we may share your medical information with other physicians or other health care providers who will provide services that we do not provide. Or we may share this information with a pharmacist who needs it to dispense a prescription to you, or a laboratory that performs a test. We may also disclose medical information to members of your family or others who can help you when you are sick or injured, or after you die.
- Payment. We use and disclose medical information about you to obtain payment for the services we provide. For example, we give your health plan the information it requires before it will pay us. We may also disclose information to other health care providers to assist them in obtaining payment for services they have provided to you.
- Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose medical information about you to operate SLO Recovery Center. For example, we may use and disclose this information to review and improve the quality of care we provide, or the competence and qualifications of our professional staff. Or we may use and disclose this information to get your health plan to authorize services or referrals. We may also use and disclose this information as necessary for medical reviews, legal services and audits, including fraud and abuse detection and compliance programs and business planning and management. We may also share your medical information with our "business associates," such as our billing service, that perform administrative services for us. We have a written contract with each of these business associates that contains terms requiring them and their subcontractors to protect the confidentiality and security of your protected health information. We may also share your information with other health care providers, health care clearinghouses or health plans that have a relationship with you, when they request this information to help them with their quality assessment and improvement activities, their patient-safety activities, their population-based efforts to improve health or reduce health care costs, their protocol development, case management or care-coordination activities, their review of competence, qualifications and performance of health care professionals, their training programs, their accreditation, certification or licensing activities, or their health care fraud and abuse detection and compliance efforts. We may also share medical information about you with the other health care providers, health care clearinghouses and health plans that participate with us in “coordinated care organizations” (CCOs) for any of the CCOs' health care operations. CCOs include hospitals, physician organizations, health plans, and other entities which collectively provide health care services. A listing of the CCOs we participate in is available from the Privacy Official.
- Appointment Reminders. We may use and disclose medical information to contact and remind you about appointments. If you are not home, we may leave this information on your answering machine or in a message left with the person answering the phone.
- Sign In Sheet. We may use and disclose medical information about you by having you sign in when you arrive at our office. We may also call out your name when we are ready to see you.
- Notification and Communication With Family. We may disclose your health information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care about your location, your general condition or, unless you had instructed us otherwise, in the event of your death. In the event of a disaster, we may disclose information to a relief organization so that they may coordinate these notification efforts. We may also disclose information to someone who is involved with your care or helps pay for your care. If you are able and available to agree or object, we will give you the opportunity to object prior to making these disclosures, although we may disclose this information in a disaster even over your objection if we believe it is necessary to respond to the emergency circumstances. If you are unable or unavailable to agree or object, our health professionals will use their best judgment in communication with your family and others.
- Marketing. Provided we do not receive any payment for making these communications, we may contact you to give you information about products or services related to your treatment, case management or care coordination, or to direct or recommend other treatments, therapies, health care providers or settings of care that may be of interest to you. We may similarly describe products or services provided by this organization and tell you which health plans we participate in. We may also encourage you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and get recommended tests, participate in a disease management program, provide you with small gifts, tell you about government sponsored health programs or encourage you to purchase a product or service when we see you, for which we may be paid. Finally, we may receive compensation which covers our cost of reminding you to take and refill your medication, or otherwise communicate about a drug or biologic that is currently prescribed for you. We will not otherwise use or disclose your medical information for marketing purposes or accept any payment for other marketing communications without your prior written authorization. The authorization will disclose whether we receive any compensation for any marketing activity you authorize, and we will stop any future marketing activity to the extent you revoke that authorization.
- Sale of Health Information. We will not sell your health information without your prior written authorization. The authorization will disclose that we will receive compensation for your health information if you authorize us to sell it, and we will stop any future sales of your information to the extent that you revoke that authorization.
- Required by Law. As required by law, we will use and disclose your health information, but we will limit our use or disclosure to the relevant requirements of the law. When the law requires us to report abuse, neglect or domestic violence, or respond to judicial or administrative proceedings, or to law enforcement officials, we will further comply with the requirement set forth below concerning those activities.
- Public Health. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to public health authorities for purposes related to: preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability; reporting child, elder or dependent adult abuse or neglect; reporting domestic violence; reporting to the Food and Drug Administration problems with products and reactions to medications; and reporting disease or infection exposure. When we report suspected elder or dependent adult abuse or domestic violence, we will inform you or your personal representative promptly unless in our best professional judgment, we believe the notification would place you at risk of serious harm or would require informing a personal representative we believe is responsible for the abuse or harm.
- Health Oversight Activities. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to health oversight agencies during the course of audits, investigations, inspections, licensure and other proceedings, subject to the limitations imposed by law.
- Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information in the course of any administrative or judicial proceeding to the extent expressly authorized by a court or administrative order. We may also disclose information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process if reasonable efforts have been made to notify you of the request and you have not objected, or if your objections have been resolved by a court or administrative order.
- Law Enforcement. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for purposes such as identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person, complying with a court order, warrant, grand jury subpoena and other law enforcement purposes.
- Coroners. We may, and are often required by law, to disclose your health information to coroners in connection with their investigations of deaths.
- Organ or Tissue Donation. We may disclose your health information to organizations involved in procuring, banking or transplanting organs and tissues.
- Public Safety. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to appropriate persons in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or the general public.
- Proof of Immunization. We will disclose proof of immunization to a school that is required to have it before admitting a student where you have agreed to the disclosure on behalf of yourself or your dependent.
- Specialized Government Functions. We may disclose your health information for military or national security purposes or to correctional institutions or law enforcement officers that have you in their lawful custody.
- Workers’ Compensation. We may disclose your health information as necessary to comply with workers’ compensation laws. For example, to the extent your care is covered by workers' compensation, we will make periodic reports to your employer about your condition. We are also required by law to report cases of occupational injury or occupational illness to the employer or workers' compensation insurer.
- Change of Ownership. In the event that BLVD Treatment Center is sold or merged with another organization, your health information/record will become the property of the new owner, although you will maintain the right to request that copies of your health information be transferred to another physician or medical group.
- Breach Notification. In the case of a breach of unsecured protected health information, we will notify you as required by law. If you have provided us with a current e-mail address, we may use e-mail to communicate information related to the breach. In some circumstances our business associate may provide the notification. We may also provide notification by other methods as appropriate. [Note: We will only use e-mail notification if we are certain it will not contain PHI and it will not disclose inappropriate information.]
- Psychotherapy Notes. We will not use or disclose your psychotherapy notes without your prior written authorization except for the following: 1) use by the originator of the notes for your treatment, 2) for training our staff, students and other trainees, 3) to defend ourselves if you sue us or bring some other legal proceeding, 4) if the law requires us to disclose the information to you or the Secretary of HHS or for some other reason, 5) in response to health oversight activities concerning your psychotherapist, 6) to avert a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, or 7) to the coroner or medical examiner after you die. To the extent you revoke an authorization to use or disclose your psychotherapy notes, we will stop using or disclosing these notes.
- Research. We may disclose your health information to researchers conducting research with respect to which your written authorization is not required as approved by an Institutional Review Board or privacy board, in compliance with governing law.
- Fundraising. We may use or disclose your demographic information in order to contact you for our fundraising activities. For example, we may use the dates that you received treatment, the department of service, your treating physician, outcome information and health insurance status to identify individuals that may be interested in participating in fundraising activities. If you do not want to receive these materials, notify the Privacy Officer listed at the end of this Notice of Privacy Practices and we will stop any further fundraising communications. Similarly, you should notify the Privacy Officer if you decide you want to start receiving these solicitations again.
- When Sober Living Oregon Recovery Center May Not Use or Disclose Your Health Information
Except as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices, SLO Recovery Center will, consistent with its legal obligations, not use or disclose health information which identifies you without your written authorization. If you do authorize SLO Recovery Center to use or disclose your health information for another purpose, you may revoke your authorization in writing at any time.
- Your Health Information Rights
- Right to Request Special Privacy Protections. You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information by a written request specifying what information you want to limit, and what limitations on our use or disclosure of that information you wish to have imposed. If you tell us not to disclose information to your commercial health plan concerning health care items or services for which you paid for in full out-of-pocket, we will abide by your request, unless we must disclose the information for treatment or legal reasons. We reserve the right to accept or reject any other request and will notify you of our decision.
- Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that you receive your health information in a specific way or at a specific location. For example, you may ask that we send information to a particular e-mail account or to your work address. We will comply with all reasonable requests submitted in writing which specify how or where you wish to receive these communications.
- Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and copy your health information, with limited exceptions. To access your medical information, you must submit a written request detailing what information you want access to, whether you want to inspect it or get a copy of it, and if you want a copy, your preferred form and format. We will provide copies in your requested form and format if it is readily producible, or we will provide you with an alternative format you find acceptable, or if we can’t agree and we maintain the record in an electronic format, your choice of a readable electronic or hardcopy format. We will also send a copy to any other person you designate in writing. We will charge a reasonable fee which covers our costs for labor, supplies, postage, and if requested and agreed to in advance, the cost of preparing an explanation or summary. We may deny your request under limited circumstances. If we deny your request to access your child's records or the records of an incapacitated adult you are representing because we believe allowing access would be reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the patient, you will have a right to appeal our decision. If we deny your request to access your psychotherapy notes, you will have the right to have them transferred to another mental health professional.
- Right to Amend or Supplement. You have a right to request that we amend your health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. You must make a request to amend in writing and include the reasons you believe the information is inaccurate or incomplete. We are not required to change your health information and will provide you with information about SLO Recovery Centers denial and how you can disagree with the denial. We may deny your request if we do not have the information, if we did not create the information (unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment), if you would not be permitted to inspect or copy the information at issue, or if the information is accurate and complete as is. If we deny your request, you may submit a written statement of your disagreement with that decision, and we may, in turn, prepare a written rebuttal. All information related to any request to amend will be maintained and disclosed in conjunction with any subsequent disclosure of the disputed information.
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information made by SLO Recovery Center, except that SLO Recovery Center does not have to account for the disclosures provided to you or pursuant to your written authorization, or as described in paragraphs 1 (treatment), 2 (payment), 3 (health care operations), 6 (notification and communication with family) and 18 (specialized government functions) of Section A of this Notice of Privacy Practices or disclosures for purposes of research or public health which exclude direct patient identifiers, or which are incident to a use or disclosure otherwise permitted or authorized by law, or the disclosures to a health oversight agency or law enforcement official to the extent SLO Recovery Center has received notice from that agency or official that providing this accounting would be reasonably likely to impede their activities.
- Right to a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice. You have a right to notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information, including a right to a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices, even if you have previously requested its receipt by e-mail.
If you would like to have a more detailed explanation of these rights or if you would like to exercise one or more of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer listed at the end of this Notice of Privacy Practices
- Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices
We reserve the right to amend this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time in the future. Until such amendment is made, we are required by law to comply with the terms of this Notice currently in effect. After an amendment is made, the revised Notice of Privacy Protections will apply to all protected health information that we maintain, regardless of when it was created or received. We will keep a copy of the current notice posted in our reception area, and a copy will be available at each appointment.
- Sober Living Oregon Recovery Center Sites where this Notice will be Applicable
1122 NE 122nd avenue, suite A-102, Portland, Oregon, 97230
- Complaints
Complaints about this Notice of Privacy Practices or how SLO Recovery Center handles your health information should be directed to our Privacy Officer listed at the end of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
If you are not satisfied with the manner in which this office handles a complaint, you may submit a formal complaint to:
Linda Yuu Connor – Region X Manager
Office for Civil Rights
US Dept of Health and Human Service
2201 Sixth Ave. – M/M: RX 11
Seattle, WA 98121-1831
1-800-368-1019
OCRMail@hhs.gov
The complaint form may be found at
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/hipcomplaint.pdf.
You will not be penalized in any way for filing a complaint.
- Privacy Officer and Human Resources:
Todd Flynn- Executive Director
1122 NE 122nd avenue, suite A-102
Portland, Oregon, 97230
Phone: 503.332.4969