Notice of Privacy Practice

Policy No.                   8-27-2019 Revised Date: 

Introduction:

WSU Employee Wellness is committed to maintaining and protecting the confidentiality of the individual’s PHI. WSU Employee Wellness is required by federal and state law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), to protect the individual’s PHI and other personal information. WSU Employee Wellness is required to provide the individual with this Notice of Privacy Practices about WSU Employee Wellness policies, safeguards, and practices. When WSU Employee Wellness uses or discloses an individual’s PHI, WSU Employee Wellness is bound by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices, or the revised Notice of Privacy Practices, if applicable.

WSU Employee Wellness obligations:

WSU Employee Wellness is required by law to:

· Maintain the privacy of PHI (with certain exceptions)

· Give the individual this notice of the WSU Employee Wellness legal duties and privacy practices regarding health information about the individual.

· Follow the terms of the WSU Employee Wellness notice of Privacy Practice that is currently in effect

 

Policy:

How the WSU Employee Wellness may use and disclose PHI:

The following describes the ways WSU Employee Wellness may use and disclose PHI. Except for the purposes described below, the WSU Employee Wellness will use and disclose PHI only with the individual’s written permission. The individual may revoke such permission at any time by writing to WSU Employee Wellness Compliance Officer  

· Health-Related Programs and Services. The WSU Employee Wellness may use and disclose PHI to tell the individual about health-related programs and services that may be of interest to the individual.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS:

· As Required by Law. The WSU Employee Wellness will disclose PHI when required to do so by international, federal, state or local law.

· Business Associates. The WSU Employee Wellness may disclose PHI to the WSU Employee Wellness business associates that perform functions on the WSU Employee Wellness behalf or provide the WSU Employee Wellness with services if the information is necessary for such functions or services. For example, the WSU Employee Wellness may use another company to perform billing services on the WSU Employee Wellness behalf. All of the WSU Employee Wellness business associates are obligated to protect the privacy of the individual’s information and are not allowed to use or disclose any information other than as specified in our contract.

  • Lawsuits and Disputes If the individual is involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, the WSU Employee Wellness may disclose PHI in response to a court or administrative order. The WSU Employee Wellness also may disclose PHI in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful requests by someone else involved in the request or to allow the individual to obtain an order protecting the information requested.
  • Law Enforcement The WSU Employee Wellness may release PHI if asked by a law enforcement official if the information is: (1) in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process; (2) limited information to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; (3) about the victim of a crime even if, under certain very limited circumstances, the WSU Employee Wellness is unable to obtain the individual’s agreement; (4) about a death the WSU Employee Wellness believes may be the result of criminal conduct; (5) about criminal conduct on the WSU Employee Wellness premises; and (6) in an emergency to report a crime, the location of the crime or victims, or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime.

INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS REGARDING PHI:

The following uses and disclosures of the individual’s PHI will be made only with the individual’s written authorization:

  1. Disclosures of wellness coaching/personal training notes.

Other uses and disclosures of PHI not covered by this Notice of Privacy Practice or the laws that apply to the WSU Employee Wellness will be made only with the individual’s written authorization. If the individual gives authorization, the individual may revoke it at any time by submitting a written revocation to WSU Employee Wellness Compliance Office and we will no longer disclose PHI under the authorization. But disclosure that the WSU Employee Wellness made in reliance on an individual’s authorization before the individual revoked it will not be affected by the revocation.

INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS REGARDING PHI:

  • Right to Inspect and Copy. The individual has a right to inspect and copy PHI that may be used to make decisions about the individual’s care or payment for the individual’s care. This included medical and billing records, other than psychotherapy notes. To inspect and copy the individual’s PHI, the individual must make their request, in writing, to the Department in which their care was provided. The WSU Employee Wellness has up to 30 days to make the individual PHI available to the individual and the WSU Employee Wellness may charge the individual a reasonable fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with the individual’s request. The WSU Employee Wellness may not charge the individual a fee if the individual needs the information for a claim for benefits under the Social Security Act or any other state or federal needs-based benefit program. The WSU Employee Wellness may deny the individual’s request in certain limited circumstances. If the WSU Employee Wellness does deny the individual’s request, the individual has the right to have the denial reviewed by a licensed healthcare professional that was no directly involved in the denial of the individual’s request, and the WSU Employee Wellness will comply with the outcome of the review.
  • Right to Get Notice of a Breach.  WSU Employee Wellness is committed to safeguarding the individual’s PHI.  If a breach of the individual’s PHI occurs the WSU Employee Wellness will notify the individual in accordance with state and federal law.
  • Right to Amend, Correct or Add an Addendum. If the individual feels that the PHI the WSU Employee Wellness has is incorrect, incomplete, or the individual wishes to add an addendum to the individual’s records, the individual has the right to make such request for as long as the information is kept by or for the WSU Employee Wellness office. The individual must make their request in writing to the Department in which their care was provided. In the case of claims that the information is incorrect, incomplete, or if the record was not created by WSU Employee Wellness, the WSU Employee Wellness may deny the individual’s request. However, if the WSU Employee Wellness denies any part of the individual’s request, the WSU Employee Wellness will provide the individual with a written explanation of the reasons for doing so within 60 days of the individual’s request.
  • Right to Request Confidential Communications. Individuals have the right to request that the WSU Employee Wellness communicate with them about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location.  For example, the individual can ask that the WSU Employee Wellness only contact individuals by mail or at work. To request confidential communications, individuals must make their request, in writing, to the Department in which their care was provided.  The individual’s request must specify how or where the individual wishes to be contacted.  WSU Employee Wellness will accommodate reasonable requests.
  • Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice of Privacy Practices. Individuals have the right to a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices. Individuals may ask the WSU Employee Wellness to give the individual a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES:

WSU Employee Wellness reserves the right to change this Notice of Privacy Practices and make the new Notice of Privacy Practices apply to PHI the WSU Employee Wellness already has as well as any information the WSU Employee Wellness receives in the future. The WSU Employee Wellness will post a copy of the WSU Employee Wellness current Notice of Privacy Practice at our office. The Notice of Privacy Practices will contain the effective date on the first page, in the top right-hand corner. Individuals will be sent information regarding the changes via email or via mail on how they can obtain a new copy. Individuals will be asked to sign off on the new Notice of Privacy Practices at the individual’s next scheduled appointment.