Notice of Privacy Practices - Pharmacy Express
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!
Effective Date: April 14, 2003
This “Notice” describes Olathe Health System’s privacy practices and how we may use and disclose your protected health information.
Olathe Health System is defined as Pharmacy Express, Olathe Health System, Inc., Olathe Medical Center Inc., Miami County Medical Center, Inc., Olathe Medical Services, Inc., and its medical staff members participating in the Organized Health Care Arrangement.
This Notice describes our responsibilities required by law and your rights to access and control your protected health information. “Protected health information” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.
An explanation of this information and how it is used and disclosed is provided below.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PHARMACY EXPRESS
Pharmacy Express is required by law to:
- Keep your health information private and only disclose it when required to do so by law;
- Provide you with this notice that explains our legal duties and privacy practices in connection with your health records;
- Obey the rules found in this notice.
We will not use or disclose your health information without your written authorization, except as explained in this notice or as required by law. Certain laws may require that we disclose your health information without your written authorization and we are obligated to follow those laws.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
For Treatment: We may use health information about you to provide you with proper medications. For example, the pharmacist will review your new prescriptions and other medications you are taking to check for possible interactions or allergies. We may also use your health information to counsel you on proper use of your medications. If we do not have all the information we need to fill your prescriptions, we may contact your doctors, nurses, dentists or other health care professionals to obtain the information.
For Payment: Your health information may be used as needed to bill for or receive payment for your prescriptions. This may include, but is not limited to, communication with insurance companies, medical review organizations and other health care providers. For example, we may contact your insurance company or pharmacy benefits manager to determine whether it will pay for your prescriptions and/or the amount of co-payment that applies.
For Health Care Operations: We may use or disclose your protected health information in order to support business activities that are considered necessary to run the pharmacy and to make sure that all of our customers receive quality care. For example, we may use your health information to evaluate the performance of our staff pharmacists who provide care for you. The information may be used to review our services in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of the care we provide.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care: We may disclose your health information to your family or friends or any other person identified by you when they are involved in your care or payment for your care. We will only disclose the health information directly related to their involvement in your care or payment. We may also use or disclose your health information to notify or assist in the notification of a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, of your location, general condition or death. If you are available, we will give you an opportunity to object to these disclosures, and we will not make these disclosures if you object. If you are not available, we will determine whether a disclosure to your family or friends is in your best interest and we will disclose only the information that is directly related to their involvement in your care. When permitted to do so by law, we may coordinate our uses and disclosures of your health information with public or private entities authorized to assist in disaster relief efforts.
Appointment Reminders: We may use and disclose health information to contact you as a reminder that your prescriptions are ready to be picked up or if you have an appointment to see the pharmacist. We may leave a brief reminder on your answering machine/voicemail system unless you tell us not to.
Treatment Alternatives and Health-Related Benefits and Services: We may use and disclose health information to tell you about or recommend new treatment alternatives or other health-related services that may be of interest to you.
Research: We may use and disclose health information about you for research purposes. Before we use or disclose health information for research, the project will have been approved through the research approval process. We may, however, disclose health information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project; for example, to help them look for patients with specific health needs, so long as the health information they review does not leave the pharmacy.
As Required by Law: We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure, however, would only be to someone able to prevent the threat.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS (Other uses and disclosures that do not require authorization)
Military and Veterans: If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release health information about you as required by military command authorities. We may also release health information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority.
Workers’ Compensation: We may release health information about you for workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
Public Health Activities: We may disclose health information about you for public health activities. These activities generally include the following:
- To prevent or control disease, injury or disability (e.g. disease or trauma registries);
- To report births and deaths;
- To report abuse or neglect;
- To report reactions to medications or problems with products;
- To notify people of recalls of products they may be using;
- To notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or condition;
Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose health information to a government health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, licensing functions, and compliance with civil rights laws.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose health information about you in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose health information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.
Law Enforcement: We may release health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:
- in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process;
- to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person;
- about the victim of a crime under certain limited circumstances;
- about a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct; and
- about criminal conduct on our premises.
National Security and Intelligence Activities: We may release health information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence and other national security activities authorized by law.
Protective Services for the President and Others: We may disclose health information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or to conduct special investigations.
Inmates: If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release health information about you to the correctional institution or the law enforcement official. This release would be necessary 1) for the institution to provide you with health care; 2) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others; or 3) for the safety and security of the correctional institution.
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES
Other uses and disclosures of your health information not covered in the previous sections of this notice will only be made with your written permission or authorization. If you have given us permission to use or disclose your health information you may also revoke that authorization, in writing, at any time. Once you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose the information about you for the reasons covered by that authorization, but we cannot take back any uses or disclosures already made with your permission.
YOUR RIGHTS
Although your health record is the physical property of the pharmacy, the information belongs to you. Any requests to exercise your rights will be reviewed by the Director of Pharmacy Express. You have the following rights regarding the health information we maintain:
Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction (limitation) on the health information we use or disclose about you for your treatment, payment or healthcare operations. To request such restrictions, including what may be revealed to a family member or caregiver, you must make your request in writing to the Director of Pharmacy Express. We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will notify you in writing and comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you with emergency treatment or is required by law.
Right to Request Alternative Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical or billing information in a certain way (phone, fax, mail, etc.) or location (home, office, etc.). You must specify, in writing, how or where you wish to be contacted, and give it to the Director of Pharmacy Express. We will not ask for the reason for your request but we may ask for clarification. We will accommodate your request if it is reasonable for us to do so.
Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of medical information that we use for making decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical/prescription records and billing records. To inspect and obtain a copy of your records you must submit your request in writing to the Director of Pharmacy Express. We may charge a fee for the cost of copying and/or mailing your request. We may deny your request to inspect or copy your records in certain, limited circumstances. If denied, you may request a review of the denial.
Right to Amend Your Records: If you feel that health information we have recorded about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend or change the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by Pharmacy Express. To request an amendment, you must submit the request in writing to the Director of Pharmacy Express for review. You must state specifically the reason that supports your request. We may deny your request if these criteria are not met. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
- was not created by Pharmacy Express, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
- is not part of the health information kept by or for Pharmacy Express;
- is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
- is accurate and complete.
Right to Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request, in certain situations, an “accounting of disclosures.” This is a list that includes disclosures of your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment and health care operations. You must submit your written request to the Director of Pharmacy Express so that it may be reviewed. You may be charged for the cost of providing the list. Once notified of the cost, you may withdraw or modify your request before any costs are incurred.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice through email, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice. To obtain a paper copy of this notice, you may call or write to the Pharmacy or visit our website at www.ohsi.com.
COMPLAINTS
We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal health information. If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you may call the Director of Pharmacy Express at the phone number below or file a written complaint with the Chief Privacy Officer, General Counsel Office, Olathe Medical Center, 20333 West 151st Street, Olathe, KS 66061. You may also send your complaint to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for health information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. Copies of the current notice will be posted in the pharmacy. You may request a copy of the notice currently in effect.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or would like additional information about Pharmacy Express’s privacy practices, you may contact:
Director of Pharmacy Express
The Doctor’s Building at Olathe Medical Center
20375 West 151st Street, Suite 100A
Olathe, KS 66061
Phone: 913-393-4440