MCMC Privacy Policy
We are required by law to:
- Ensure that medical information that identifies you is kept private
- Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you
- Follow the terms of the notice that are currently in effect
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
We may use and disclose health information for the following purpose:
For treatment.
We may use medical information about to provide you with medical treatment or services. For example, a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you have diabetes because it may slow the healing process.
For payment. We may use and disclose health information about you so that the treatment and services you receive at this office may be billed to, and payment may be collected from you, or an insurance company. For example, your health plan may request information about services you received at the clinic in order to reimburse or pay for such services.
For health care operations.
We may use and disclose medical information about you for Mattawa Community Medical Clinic (MCMC) operational reasons. For example, we may use and disclose health information to review our treatment and services. It may also be used to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you, or by accrediting agencies that evaluate our performance.
Appointment reminders, treatment alternatives, and health-related benefits and services.
We may use and disclose medical information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment for treatment or medical care. Additionally, it may be used to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you, or to tell you about medical-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.
Individuals involved in your care or payment for your care.
We may release medical information about you to friends or family members who are involved in your medical care. We may also give information to someone who helps pay for your care. If possible, we will ask your permission prior to discussing your care with others.
Research.
Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose medical information about you for research purposes. All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process. Medical information about you may be disclosed to people preparing to conduct a research project.
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 medical 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 be in order to prevent the treat.
Organ and tissue donation.
If you are an organ donor, we may release medical information to organizations as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation. These organizations may direct the following: organ procurement; organ, eye or tissue transplantation; and organ donation.
Worker’s compensation.
We may release medical information about you for worker’s compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
Public health risks.
We may disclose medical information about you for public health. These generally include items such as:
- To prevent or control disease, injury or disability.
- To report abuse or neglect.
Health oversight activities.
We may disclose medical information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, and licensure.
Lawsuits and disputes.
If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose health information about you in response to a court or administrative order. Subject to all applicable legal requirements, we may also disclose health information about you in response to a subpoena.
Law enforcement.
We may release medical information if asked to do so by law enforcement official in response to:
- Responding to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process
- Identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person
- Assisting the victim of a crime if, under certain limited circumstance, we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement
- Reporting a death, we believe may be the result of criminal conduct
- Reporting criminal conduct at the clinic
Coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors.
We may release medical information to a corner, medical examiner, or funeral director.Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release medical information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
You have the following rights regarding health information we maintain about you:
Right to inspect and copy.
You have the right to inspect and obtain copies of medical information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records.To exercise this right, you must submit your request in writing to our Medical Records department. If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other costs associated with your request.We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain, very limited, circumstances. If you are denied access to medical information, you may request that the denial be reviewed.
Right to amend.
If you feel that medical 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 or for MCMC.To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to our Medical Records department. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request.We may deny your request for an amendment if your request is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny or partially deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
- Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment.
- Is not part of the medical information kept by or for MCMC
- Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy.
- Is accurate and complete as is.
Right to an accounting of disclosures.
You have the right to request an “accounting of disclosure.” This is a list of the disclosures we made of medical information about you to others that was not authorized by you and not for the purpose of payment, treatment, or health care operations. To request this list, you must submit your request in writing to our Medical Records Department, your request must state a time period. The first list you request each year will be free. For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list. We will notify you of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time before any costs are incurred.
Right to request restrictions.
You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provided you emergency treatment. To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to our Medical Records Department. In your request, you must tell us what information you want to limit, whether you want to limit our use, disclosure, or both to whom you want the limits to apply.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this notice at any time. A current copy of this notice is available upon request. The notice will contain the effective date.
COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office.To file a complaint with MCMC, please contact Quality Assurance at 509-932-4499You will not be penalized for filling a complaint.
