Privacy Policy (HIPAA)

• You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.
• We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

• You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.
• We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

• You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
• We will say “yes” to all reasonable and possible requests.

• You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care or is not operationally possible.
• If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

• You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.

• We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

• You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
• We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

• You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us at:
  
  RRMC Privacy Officer
  

  Compliance and Legal Services
  160 Allen Street
  Rutland, VT 05701
  Phone: 802.747.3751 Email: Legal Department

• You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, DC 20201, by calling 1.877.696.6775, or by visiting https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/what-to-expect/index.html
• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

• We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: We send information to your primary care provider after an Emergency Department visit or hospitalization.

• We can use and share your health information to run our organization, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. This can include sharing information with “business associates”, which are contracted people or entities that provide services that help us to carry out health care functions.

Example: We may contract with an entity that assists with data analysis or utilization reviews.

• We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.

Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:

• Preventing disease
• Helping with product recalls
• Reporting adverse reactions to medications
• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

We can use or share your information for health research.

We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services, if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law. If two laws governing privacy conflict, we will follow the law that affords you the most privacy.

We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.

We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

We can use or share health information about you:

• For workers’ compensation claims
• For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official or correctional institution
• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
• For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order or in response to a subpoena.

We participate in one or more health information exchanges (HIEs) such as the Vermont Information Technology Leaders (VITL) statewide exchange and may electronically share health information for treatment, payment and healthcare operations purposes with other participants in the HIE. An HIE allows health care providers to efficiently access a patient’s past medical history when the patient received care from other providers who participate in the HIE.

Vermonters have options for sharing information via the Vermont Health Information Exchange that include:

• Participating – no action is necessary.
• Learning more before deciding – more information is available at vthealthinfo.com and by calling the Vermont Health Information Exchange Hotline at 1.888.980.1243. The Health Care Advocate, a resource that is independent of the Health Information Exchange, is also available to answer questions through their helpline at 1.800.917.7787.
• Not participating – Vermonters can opt out of participating by filling out an online form at vitl.net/for-vermonters, downloading a form from the same site to print, fill out, and mail in, or by calling the Vermont Health Information Exchange Hotline at 1.888.980.1243.

Rutland Regional and the physician members of the Medical Staff act as an Organized Health Care Arrangement (OHCA) when a member of the Medical Staff provide services at a Rutland Regional facility and when they access, use or disclose information related to services provided at Rutland Regional.

In addition, Rutland Regional participates in the Rutland Community Care Coordination program with other healthcare providers in the Rutland Region. The Care Coordination participants work cooperatively to coordinate healthcare services across the spectrum of primary care, specialty, hospital, home health and hospice to improve the quality of care and contribute toward the shared mission of improving the health of the community. This joint arrangement and joint activities constitute an Organized Health Care Arrangement (“OHCA”), as defined in HIPAA regulations. The participants share limited healthcare information to the extent necessary to coordinate care and improve the quality of care.