WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc.,
NOTICE
OF 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
Effective
Date:
04/14/03
Anyone
has the right to
ask for a paper
copy of this
Notice at any
time.
Purpose
of This Notice
This
Notice applies
to the
information and
records we have
about your
health, health
status, and the
healthcare and
services
administered by
us. A new
federal law, the
Health Insurance
Portability and
Accountability
Act (HIPAA),
requires us to
make sure that
your Protected
Health
Information
(PHI) is kept
private. We must
give you this
Notice of our
legal duties and
Privacy
Practices with
respect to your
PHI. We are also
required to
follow the terms
of the Notice
that is
currently in
effect. PHI
includes
information that
we have created
or received
about your past,
present, or
future health or
medical
condition that
could be used to
identify you. We
are required to
tell you how,
when, and why we
use and/or share
your PHI.
This
Notice will tell
you about the
ways in which we
may use and
disclose health
information
about you and
describes your
rights and our
obligations
regarding the
use and
disclosure of
that
information.
All
personal health
information
supplied by you
to WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc., including
the results of
the medical
examinations and
services, will
be kept
confidential and
in accordance
with OSHA
Regulations
(Standards –
29 CFR, Access
to Employee
Exposure and
Medical Records)
and the HIPAA
Privacy Rule.
Your medical
records cannot
be released to
an unauthorized
party without
your express
written consent
and
authorization,
except as
described below.
The
provisions of
the OSHA law
apply to the
entity that
serves as the
custodian of
records. In most
cases, WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc.’s,
business
associate,
WorkCare, Inc.
serves as the
custodian of
record for your
employer or
organization. In
some cases,
though, the
employer or
organization you
work for serves
as the custodian
of record.
Purposes
for which
WorkCare Medical
Group, Inc., May
Use or Disclose
Your Medical
Information Without
Your Consent or
Authorization
WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc.,
may use and/or
disclose your
PHI for
treatment,
payment or other
healthcare
operations
carried out by
its physicians,
associates and
staff.
As
an occupational
health provider,
treatment
provided
consists of the
coordination of
healthcare,
including health
care management
of the
individual
through medical
surveillance
review, case
management,
disability
review and
on-site medical
evaluations.
WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc.,
will use and/or
disclose your
PHI for the
purposes of:
1.
Treatment
In
order to support
your healthcare
treatment needs,
we may provide
medical
management
services for
incidents of
workplace
injury, illness
or disability.
Your health
information may
be disclosed to
other health
care
professionals in
the course of
your treatment
and recovery.
For
example,
WorkCare Medical
Group, Inc.,
physicians and
staff may use
your health
information
supplied by
another doctor
in the state
where you were
treated. The
WorkCare Medical
Group, Inc.,
doctor and the
treating
physician who
provided you
healthcare
service may
discuss your
health
information to
determine
appropriate
preventive
measures and/or
treatment
related to
occupational
illnesses or
injuries.
We
will report to
your employer or
organization
your work
qualifications
as it relates to
your fitness for
work and any
work
restrictions. If
you are out of
work due to
illness/ injury,
we may also
report your
ability to
return to work
with or without
restrictions.
Also,
your employer or
organization may
ask WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc., to assist
in ensuring that
you receive
appropriate
preventive
medical services
and/or treatment
related to
potential
hazards in the
workplace.
We
will release
your health
information to
your employer or
organization
and/or other
claims managers
or processors in
accordance with
all applicable
Workers’
Compensation
laws and
regulations.
2.
Payment
We
will disclose to
your employer or
organization or
other payer,
treatment
services,
including
medical
surveillance and
disability
review, case
management, and
on-site physical
evaluations in
order to obtain
payment.
3.
Operations
WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc., may use or
disclose your
medical
information to (i)
to conduct
quality
assessment and
improvement
activities, (ii)
to authorize
business
associates to
perform data
aggregation
services, (iii)
to engage in
care
coordination or
case management.
For instance,
WorkCare Medical
Group, Inc.,
may use your
medical
information in
order to
evaluate the
performance of
our staff
personnel.
4.
Health
Evaluation
We
may use health
information
about you for
the purpose of
determining your
medical status
for a specified
purpose such as
to determine a
diagnosis, or to
provide a second
medical opinion,
or as a
qualified
medical examiner
or agreed
medical
examiner. We may
disclose health
information
about you to
doctors, nurses,
technicians,
office staff or
other personnel
who are involved
in the process
of your health
evaluation.
Different
personnel in our
office may share
information
about you and
disclose
information to
people who do
not work in our
office in order
to coordinate
your evaluation,
such as phoning,
scheduling lab
work and
ordering X-rays.
We may disclose
your medical
information to
other healthcare
providers
outside this
office.
5.
Healthcare
Administration
We may use and
disclose health
information
about you in
order to
administer
healthcare
operations and
to ensure that
you and other
client employees
receive quality
care. For
example, we may
use your health
information to
evaluate the
performance of
our staff. We
may also use
health
information
about all or
many of our
client employees
to help us
become more
efficient.
6.
Health Promotion
Services
We
will provide you
with a written
summary of
medical
examination
findings and
results. We may
refer you to
your personal
physician for
treatment or
management of
health
conditions that
are not related
to your
employment such
as for smoking
cessation, high
blood pressure,
abnormal
laboratory
results or
weight control.
Special
Situations In
Which WorkCare
Medical Group,
Inc., May Use or
Disclose Your
Medical
Information
Without Your
Consent or
Authorization
1.
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.
2.
Required By Law
We
will disclose
health
information
about you when
required to do
so by federal,
state or local
law.
3.
Military,
Veterans,
National
Security and
Intelligence
If you are or
were a member of
the armed
forces, or part
of the national
security or
intelligence
communities, we
may be required
by military
command or other
government
authorities to
release health
information
about you. We
may also release
information
about foreign
military
personnel to the
appropriate
foreign military
authority.
4.
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. We will
release your
health
information to
your employer or
organization
and/or other
claims managers
or processors in
accordance with
all applicable
Workers’
Compensation
laws and
regulations.
5.
Public Health
Risks
We
may disclose
health
information
about you for
public health
reasons in order
to prevent or
control disease,
injury or
disability; or
report births,
deaths,
suspected abuse
or neglect,
non-accidental
physical
injuries,
reactions to
medications or
problems with
products.
6.
Health Oversight
Activities
We
may disclose
health
information to a
health oversight
agency for
audits,
investigations,
inspections or
licensing
purposes. These
disclosures may
be necessary for
certain state
and federal
agencies to
monitor the
healthcare
system,
government
programs, and
compliance with
civil rights
laws.
7.
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.
8.
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, subject
to all
applicable legal
requirements.
9.
Coroners,
Medical
Examiners and
Funeral
Directors
We
may release
health
information to a
coroner or
medical
examiner. This
may be
necessary, for
example, to
identify a
deceased person
or determine the
cause of death.
10.
Information Not
Personally
Identifiable
We may use or
disclose health
information
about you in a
way that does
not personally
identify you or
reveal who you
are for purposes
of population
health reporting
or health
promotion
activities for
your employer or
organization.
Appointment
Reminders
As
your
organization’s
or employer’s
occupational
health provider,
we conduct
medical
surveillance
activities that
often require us
to schedule
health exams. We
may contact you
as a reminder
that you have an
appointment or
other scheduled
medical
services.
Uses
And
Disclosures with
Your Permission
We
will not use or
disclose your
health
information for
any purpose
other than those
identified in
the previous
sections without
your specific,
written
Authorization.
We must obtain
your
Authorization
separate from
any Consent we
may have
obtained from
you. If you give
us Authorization
to use or
disclose health
information
about you, you
may revoke that
Authorization,
in writing, at
any time. If you
revoke your
Authorization,
we will no
longer use or
disclose
information
about you for
the reasons
covered by your
written
Authorization,
but we cannot
take back any
uses or
disclosures
already made
with your
permission.
If
we have HIV or
substance abuse
information
about you, we
cannot release
that information
without a
special signed,
written
authorization
(different than
the
Authorization
and Consent
mentioned above)
from you. In
order to
disclose these
types of records
for purposes of
treatment,
payment or
healthcare
operations, we
will have to
have both your
signed Consent
and a special
written
Authorization
that complies
with the law
governing HIV or
substance abuse
records.
Your
Rights Regarding
Health
Information
About You
For
non-work related
examinations,
you have the
following
rights:
1.
Request to
Revoke
Appointment
Reminders and
Consent
Please notify us
if you do not
wish to be
contacted for
appointment
reminders. If
you advise us in
writing (at the
address listed
at the top of
this Notice)
that you do not
wish to receive
such
communications,
we will not use
or disclose your
information for
these purposes.
You
may revoke your
Consent at any
time by giving
us written
notice. Your
revocation will
be effective
when we receive
it, but it will
not apply to any
uses and
disclosures that
occurred before
that time.
If
you revoke your
Consent, we will
not be permitted
to use or
disclose
information for
purposes of
treatment,
payment or
healthcare
operations. As a
result, your
employment with
your employer or
organization may
be adversely
affected.
2.
Right to Inspect
and Copy
As authorized by
the OSHA
Regulations
(Standards –
29 CFR), you
have the right
to access,
inspect and
receive a copy
of your medical
and exposure
records from the
custodian of
records,
WorkCare, Inc. A
copy of your
medical records
will be provided
to you at no
charge. We ask
that you provide
a written
request for your
medical records
to WorkCare,
Inc.
If
your employer or
organization
serves as the
custodian of
record, you also
have the right
to access,
inspect and
receive a copy
of your medical
and exposure
records at no
cost.
3.
Right to Request
an Amendment
If
you believe health information
we have about you is incorrect
or incomplete, you may ask
us to amend the information
if WorkCare, Inc., is serving
as custodian of record.
The WorkCare office is located
at
300 S. Harbor Boulevard, Suite 600, Anaheim, CA 92805 or 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway, #115 ,
Alameda,
CA
94502 .
a.
To request an amendment,
send a letter of request
to Marsinah Trujillo, WorkCare
Medical Group, Inc.’s designated
privacy official, at the
above address in Anaheim.
b.
If your employer
is serving as
custodian of
record, you will
need to contact
them to
determine the
process for
requesting an
amendment.
4.
Right to an
Accounting of
Disclosures
You have the right to request
an “accounting of disclosures.”
This is a list of the disclosures
we made of medical information
about you for purposes other
than treatment, payment
and healthcare operations,
as described in the Special
Situations section of this
notice. To obtain this list,
you must submit your request
in writing to Marsinah Trujillo.
It must state a time period,
which may not be longer
than six years and may not
include dates before April 14, 2003. Your request
should indicate in what
form you want the list (for
example, on paper or electronically).
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.
5.
Right to Request
Restrictions
You
have the right
to request a
restriction or
limitation on
the health
information we
use or disclose
about you for
treatment,
payment or
healthcare
operations. You
also have the
right to request
a limit on the
health
information we
disclose about
you to someone
who is involved
in your care or
the payment for
it, like a
family member or
friend. For
example, you
could ask that
we not use or
disclose
information
about a surgery
you had.
However, if we
are limited from
disclosing
information
regarding your
physical
qualifications
for work, your
employment may
be adversely
affected, based
upon your
employer’s or
organization’s
policy.
To
request restrictions, you
may send a letter to Marsinah
Trujillo, WorkCare Medical
Group, Inc.’s designated
privacy official, at
300
S. Harbor Boulevard,
Suite 600,
Anaheim, CA 92805.
6.
We are Not
Required to
Agree to Your
Request
Regarding
Restriction of
Health
Information
If we do agree,
we will comply
with your
request unless
the information
is needed to
provide you
emergency
treatment.
7.
Right to
Confidential
Communications
To request confidential
communications, you may
send us a letter stating
your request. The letter
should state your Request
For Restriction On Use/Disclosure
of Medical Information And/Or
Confidential. You may send
the letter to WorkCare,
Inc., Marsinah Trujillo
at 300 S. Harbor Boulevard, Suite 600,
Anaheim, CA 92805.
We
will not ask you
the reason for
your request. We
will accommodate
all reasonable
requests. Your
request must
specify how or
when you wish to
be contacted.
8.
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 it electronically,
you are still entitled to
a paper copy. To obtain
such a copy, contact Marsinah
Trujillo.
Changes
To This Notice
We reserve the
right to change
this notice, and
to make the
revised or
changed notice
effective for
medical
information we
already have
about you as
well as any
information we
receive in the
future. We will
post a summary
of the current
notice in the
office with its
effective date
in the top right
hand corner. You
are entitled to
a copy of the
notice currently
in effect.
Complaints
And
Contact
Information
If you believe your privacy
rights have been violated,
you may file a complaint
with our office or with
the Secretary of the Department
of Health and Human Services.
To file a complaint with
our office, contact Marsinah
Trujillo, Vice President,
Corporate Communications,
714-978-7488. You will not
be penalized for filing
a complaint. If you have
any questions about this
notice, please contact Marsinah
Trujillo, WorkCare Medical
Group, Inc.’s designed privacy
official of our office at
714-978-7488.
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I acknowledge
receipt of the
WorkCare Medical
Group Notice of
Privacy
Practices with
an effective date of 4/14/03.
Sign:_________________________
Date:_________________________________
Print
name of patient:__________________________________________________
If
you are signing
as the
patient’s
representative:____________________________
Print
your name:______________________________________________________
Describe
your authority:________________________________________________
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