Notice of Privacy Practices

As required by the privacy regulations created as a result of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

COMMITMENT

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.

Osage County Health Department (OCHD) is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). In conducting our business, we will create records regarding you and the treatment and services we provide to you. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies you. We are also required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and of the privacy practices that we maintain concerning your PHI. By federal and state law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices that we have in effect.

We realize that these laws are complicated, but we must provide you with the following important information:

  • How we may use and disclose your PHI

  • Your privacy right in your PHI

  • Our obligation concerning the use and disclosure of your PHI

These terms of this notice apply to all records containing your PHI that are created or retained by OCHD. We reserve the right to revise or amend this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any revision or amendment to this notice will be effective for all of your records that we have created or maintained in the past, and for any that we may create or records maintained in the future. OCHD will post a copy of our current Notice of Privacy Practices in our office in a visible location, and you may request a copy at any time.

DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your PHI in the following ways:

  • Treatment

  • Payment

  • Health Care Operations

  • Appointment Reminders

  • Treatment Options

  • Information about Health-Related Benefits and Services

  • Release of Information to Designated Individuals as Necessary for your Care

  • Disclosure Required by Law

Use and Disclosure of your PHI can be made in certain special circumstances:

  • Public Health Risks

  • Health Oversight Activities

  • Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings

  • Law Enforcement Officials

  • Deceased Clients

  • Research

  • Serious Threats to Health or Safety

  • Military

  • National Security

  • Correctional Institutions, if an inmate

  • Workers’ Compensation

RIGHTS

You have certain rights with respect to PHI. These include:

  • Confidential Communications

  • Requesting Restrictions

  • Inspection and Copies

  • Amendment to your Records

  • Accounting of Disclosures

  • Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice, Upon Request

  • Right to Provide an Authorization for Other Uses and Disclosures

  • Right to Complain if Privacy Rights have been Violated

Anyone may file a complaint with the Osage County Health Department without fear of filing a complaint. If there is ever a security breach and we feel someone’s PHI may have been affected, we are required to notify all individuals impacted.

CONTACT

For more information about our privacy practices, please contact the Osage County Health Department Administrator:

Kim Sallin, RN
(573) 897-3103
1218 E Main St Linn, MO 65051

03/14/2024