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Standards – HOSPICE PRIVACY PRACTICES

NOTICES OF HOSPICE PRIVACY PRACTICES

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.

Use and Disclosure of Health Information

Compassionate Care Hospice may use your health information for the purposes of providing you with treatment, obtaining payment for your care and conducting health care operations. Your health information may be used or disclosed only after Compassionate Care Hospice has obtained your written consent. Compassionate Care Hospice has established a policy to guard against unnecessary disclosure of your health information.

The following is a summary of the circumstances under which and purposes for which your health information may be used and disclosed after you have provided your written consent:

To Provide Treatment

Compassionate Care Hospice may use your health information to coordinate care within Compassionate Care Hospice and with others involved in your care, such as your attending physician, members of the Hospice interdisciplinary team and other health care professionals who have agreed to assist Compassionate Care Hospice in coordinating care. For example, physicians involved in your care will need information about your symptoms in order to prescribe appropriate medications. Compassionate Care Hospice may also disclose your health care information to individuals outside of Compassionate Care Hospice involved in your care including family members, clergy whom you have designated, pharmacists, suppliers of medical equipment or other health care professionals that Compassionate Care Hospice uses in order to coordinate your care.

To Obtain Payment

Compassionate Care Hospice may include your health information in invoices to collect payment from third parties for the care you may receive from Compassionate Care Hospice. For example, Compassionate Care Hospice may be required by your health insurer to provide information regarding your health care status so that the insurer will provide reimbursement for your care. Compassionate Care Hospice also may need to obtain prior approval from your insurer and may need to explain to the insurer your need for hospice care and the services that will be provided to you.

To Conduct Health Care Operations

Compassionate Care Hospice may use and disclose health care information for its own operations in order to facilitate the function of Compassionate Care Hospice as necessary to provide quality care to all of its patients. Health care operations includes such activities as:

  • Quality assessment and improvement activities
  • Activities designed to improve health or reduce health care costs
  • Protocol development, case management and care coordination
  • Contacting health care providers and patients with information about treatment alternatives and other related functions that do not include treatment
  • Professional review and performance evaluation
  • Training programs including those in which students, trainees or practitioners in health care learn under supervision
  • Training of non-health care professionals
  • Accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities
  • Review and auditing, including compliance reviews, medical reviews, legal services and compliance programs
  • Business planning and development including planning related analysis and formulary development
  • Business management and general administrative activities of Compassionate Care Hospice
  • Certain marketing activities

For example, Compassionate Care Hospice may use your health information to evaluate its staff performance, combine your health information with other Hospice patients in evaluating how to more effectively serve all patients, disclose your health information to Hospice staff and contracted personnel for training purposes, use your health information to contact you as a reminder regarding a visit to you, or contact you or your family as part of community information mailings (unless you tell us you do not want to be contacted).