Notice of Privacy Practices

1. In some circumstances we are required or permitted to use/disclose your health information without obtaining your prior authorization. These circumstances include:

    a. Uses/disclosures for purposes relating to treatment, payment and health care operations:

i. Treatment. We may use and/or disclose your health information for the purpose of providing, or allowing others to provide, treatment to you. An example would be if your physician discloses your health information to another doctor for the purposes of a consultation.
ii. Payment. We may use and/or disclose your health information for the purpose of allowing us, as well as others, to secure payment for the health care services provided to you. For example, we may inform your health insurance company of your diagnosis and treatment in order to assist them in processing a claim for payment for health care services provided to you.
iii. Health Care Operations. We may use and/or disclose your information for the purposes of our day-to-day operations and functions including, but not limited to, proper administration of records, evaluation of the quality of treatment and to assess the care and outcomes of your case.

    b. Requirements under the law;
    c. Public health activities;
    d. Disclosure of information about victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence;
    e. Health oversight activities authorized by law, such as audits, or civil, administrative or criminal 
    investigations;
    f. Judicial or administrative proceedings;
    g. Law enforcement activities;
    h. Assistance to coroners, medical examiners or funeral directors with their official duties;
    i. Assistance with organ, eye or tissue donation;
    j. Certain research projects that have been evaluated and approved through a research approval process that 
    takes into account patient’s need for privacy;
    k. Activities to avert a serious threat to health or safety;
    l. Specialized governmental functions, such as military, national security, criminal corrections, or public 
    benefit purposes; and
    m. Workers' compensation activities, as permitted by law.

2. Hospital Directory: Unless you notify us that you object, we may include certain limited information about you in the hospital directory while you are a patient. This information may include your name, location in the hospital, your general condition and your religious affiliation. The directory information, except for your religious affiliation, may be released to people who ask for you by name. Your religious affiliation may be given to a member of the clergy, such as a priest or rabbi, even if they don’t ask for you by name. This is so your family, friends and clergy can visit you in the hospital and generally know how you are doing.

3. Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care: Unless you object, we may release health information about you to a friend or family member who is identified as being directly involved in your medical care. We also may give relevant information to someone who helps pay for your care. We may use and disclose your health information for the purpose of locating and notifying your relatives or close personal friends of your location and general condition. In addition, we may disclose health information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that your family can be notified about your condition, status and location.

4. Fundraising: We may use limited information to contact you in an effort to raise money for North Oaks and its operations. You may request not to be contacted for fundraising activities by submitting a written request to the Contact Person listed at the end of this Notice.

5. We may contact you with appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.

Except as described above, other disclosures of your health information may be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke any such authorization, in writing, at any time. 

 

2. You have the right to have your reasonable requests for confidential communications about your own health information honored by North Oaks. This means that you may, for example, designate that we bill you at work rather than at home. To request communications by other means or to other locations, you must submit a written request to the Contact Person listed at the end of this Notice. Reasonable requests will be granted.

3. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of health information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records. To access and obtain a copy of medical records, contact the Health Information Management department at (985) 230-6630. To access and obtain a copy of billing records, contact the Patient Financial Services department at (985) 230-6873. If you request a copy of your medical record, you will be charged the standard fee set by law for copying and mailing the requested information. We may deny your request to access and copy in certain limited circumstances. If you are denied access to your health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed under limited circumstances. We will designate a licensed health care professional not involved in the original decision to review your request and the denial. We will comply with the outcome of the review.

4. If you feel that health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by North Oaks. Requests to amend health information must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person listed at the end of this Notice or by contacting the Health Information Management department at 985-230-6630 or Patient Financial Services department at 985-230-6873. We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:

    a. Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to 
    make the amendment;

    b. Is not part of the health information kept by or for North Oaks;

    c. Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or

    d. Is accurate and complete.

5. You have the right to an accounting of disclosures of your health information. Records of disclosures are maintained for 6 years, starting April 14, 2003. However, the following disclosures will not be accounted for:

    a. Disclosures made for the purpose of carrying out treatment, payment or health care operations;
    b. Disclosures made to you;
    c. Disclosures of information maintained in our patient directory, or disclosures made to persons involved in 
    your care/payment of your care, or for the purpose of notifying your family or friends about your whereabouts;
    d. Disclosures that occurred prior to April 14, 2003;
    e. Disclosures made with your authorization;
    f. Certain other disclosures not accountable by law.

The accounting will include the date of each disclosure, the name of the entity or person who received the information and that person's address (if known), a brief description of the information disclosed and the purpose of the disclosure. To request an accounting of disclosures, submit a written request to the Contact Person listed at the end of this Notice.

6. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice.

7. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.

8. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make those changes applicable to all health information that we maintain. Any changes to this Notice will be posted at our facilities and will be available upon request.

You may complain to us and/or to the Secretary of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. To lodge a complaint with us, please file a written complaint with the Contact Person set forth below. No action will be taken against you for filing a complaint.

(985) 230-6224
P.O. Box 2668
Hammond, LA 70404

Effective Date: April 14, 2013 (07/06)