EPISCOPAL HEALTH SERVICES INC.
HIPAA PRIVACY PRACTICES EFFECTIVE
APRIL 14, 2003

HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a law enacted by Congress to protect patients' health information. This law includes a Privacy Rule with national standards to protect individuals' personal health information. This rule went into effect on April 14, 2003, requiring most health care providers to implement the standards detailed in the law at that time.

HIPAA requires health care professionals to protect the privacy of health information. The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services enforces the regulations and imposes penalties on institutions that don't make a good-faith effort to comply with the privacy and security requirements.

HIPAA is the result of the public's concern about how their health care information is used. This law gives patients more control over their own health care information. EPISCOPAL HEALTH SERVICES INC. complies with all legal requirements of HIPAA, including informing our patients of their rights under the law, including the right to:

• Inspect and Copy Your Records
• Amend Your Records
• An Accounting of the Disclosures We Have Made About You
• Request Restrictions
• Request Confidential Communications
• Paper Copy of This Notice

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE: We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and make the revised or changed notice effective for all PHI we maintain. We will post copies of the current notice in all locations where you may receive care. The effective date of the notice is contained on the first page. In addition, each time you register at or are admitted to the hospital for treatment or health care services as an inpatient or outpatient, we will offer you a copy of the current notice in effect.

COMPLAINTS: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with EHS or with the Secretary of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). You will not be penalized for filing a complaint. All complaints must be submitted in writing. To file a complaint with EHS, contact the compliance hotline at (866) 789-0943.

To file a complaint with the DHHS, you must file in writing (electronic or paper), within 180 days of when you knew, or should have known, of the problem. Send your complaint to:

DHHS Regional Manager, Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Government Center
J.F. Kennedy Federal Building - Room 1875
Boston, Massachusetts 02203
Voice phone (617) 565-1340
FAX (617) 565-3809
TDD (617) 565-1343

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacyhowtofile.htm(English)
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacyhowtofilesp.html(Spanish)

Hospital Patient Consent Forms

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