If you would like further information regarding your rights or regarding the uses and disclosures of your medical information, you may contact the Health Information Manager at (231) 592-4391.
Mecosta County Medical Center is dedicated to protecting your medical information. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information and to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information.
Mecosta Medical Center is required by law to abide by the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and our policies and procedures, making any revisions applicable to all the protected health information we maintain. If Mecosta County Medical Center revises the terms of this Notice, we will post a revised notice at the Hospital and will make paper copies of the Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information available upon request.
Who Will Follow This Notice:
As an Organized Healthcare Arrangement, Mecosta County Medical Center works with many independent healthcare providers. Your health information will be used by and disclosed to these independent healthcare providers who are involved in your care while you are at the hospital. Examples of these include physicians, nurses, other health care professionals, contracted services, Rehabilitation Service Providers, Specialty Clinic Physicians, Emergency Medical Services, Radiologists, Emergency room providers, Diagnostic testing services, Nutritionists, students, volunteers, Anesthesiologists and Certified Nurse Anesthetists.
How Your Medical Information Will Be Used and Disclosed:
Mecosta County Medical Center will use your medical information as part of providing patient care. We may release information for treatment, payment or health care operations. For example, the health care professional treating you, such as physicians, nurses and nutritional service personnel will as appropriate to your care, use your medical information. Your information may also be used by the business office to process your payment for the services rendered and we may tell your health plan about a treatment or service you are going to receive to obtain pre-certification or authorization for the services. Information about you may be released or used by hospital personnel reviewing the quality and appropriateness of the care you receive.
Mecosta Medical Center may also, without an authorization, use and/or disclose your information in accordance with federal and state laws for the following purposes:
- We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
- We may contact you for the purpose of quality assurance and/or customer satisfaction
- We may disclose medical information when required by the Unites States Department of Health and Human Services as part of an investigation or determination of the Hospital's compliance with relevant laws.
- Unless you object, we will include general information, including your name, location in the hospital, and your condition described in general terms in a directory of individuals located in the Hospital. The directory information will only be released to people who ask for you by name.
- Unless you object, we may disclose to your family members or close personal friends the medical information directly relevant to such person's involvement with your care.
- Unless you object, we may disclose your medical information to notify a family member, a personal representative or another person responsible for your care, of your location, general condition or death.
- We may disclose your medical information to a public or private entity for the purpose of coordinating disaster relief efforts.
- We may contact you in an effort to raise money for the hospital or hospital foundation.
- We may use or disclose your medical information for public health activities including the reporting of disease, injury, vital events and the conduct of public health surveillance, investigation and/or intervention.
- We may disclose your medical information to a health oversight agency for oversight activities authorized by law, including audits, investigations, inspections, licensure or disciplinary actions, administrative and/or legal proceedings.
- We may disclose your medical information in the course of certain judicial or administrative proceedings.
- We may disclose your medical information for law enforcement purposes or other specialized governmental functions.
- We may disclose your medical information to an organ donation organization, coroner, medical examiner or funeral director.
- We may use or disclose your medical information for certain research purposes.
- We may use or disclose your medical information to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the health or safety of another person or the public.
- We may disclose your medical information as authorized by laws relating to workers compensation or similar programs.
Mecosta County Medical Center must obtain your authorization for uses or disclosures of your medical information for purposes other than for payment, treatment, health care operations or related to the items listed above. Once given, you may revoke your authorization in writing at any time by notifying the Health Information Manager.
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Your Rights Regarding Your Medical Information:
You have the following rights with respect to your medical information:
- The right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your medical information. Any requested restrictions must be made in writing. Please note that Mecosta Medical Center is not required to grant your requested restrictions.
- The right to receive communications from Mecosta County Medical Center in a confidential manner.
- The right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical information. This right is subject to certain specific exceptions, and you may be charged a reasonable fee for any copies of your records.
- The right to request an amendment of, or change to, your medical information. Mecosta County Medical Center may deny your request for certain specific reasons, and if denied, the Hospital will provide you with a written explanation for the denial and information regarding further rights you would have at that point.
- The right to receive an accounting of the disclosures of your medical information made by Mecosta County Medical Center except for disclosures for treatment, payment or Hospital operational purposes, disclosures that you authorized, and for certain other specific disclosure types.
- The right to request a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information.
- The right to complain to Mecosta County Medical Center and/or to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, if you believe that the Hospital has violated your privacy rights. To complain to Mecosta County Medical Center, please contact the Public Relations Manager at (231) 592-4409 or for an anonymous report you may call the Healthcare Values Line at (800) 273-8452. You may contact the United States Department of Health and Human Services at (800) 447-8477. You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Health and Human Services at 233 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601 or by phone at (312) 886-2359. If you choose to file a complaint, you will not be retaliated against in any way.
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