Notice of Privacy Practices
Understanding Your Health Information
Excelsior cares about your privacy and wants you to know how your health information may be used and disclosed. THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
PURPOSE
Excelsior is legally required to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other federal and state laws. We create a record of the care and health services you receive, to provide your care, and to comply with certain legal requirements. This Notice applies to all the PHI that we generate. We follow and our employees and other workforce members follow the duties and privacy practices that this Notice describes and any changes once they take effect.
How Your Information is Used and Shared
We follow the law to keep your health information private. We may use or share this information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, and as permitted or required by law.
- Treatment: Excelsior may share your information with your treatment team to coordinate your care. We may also share it with other healthcare providers to continue your care after leaving our services.
- Payment: We use and disclose your information to obtain payment for our services. This may include sharing information with third-party payers or collection agencies for unpaid fees.
- Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose your information to support our professional practice, ensuring quality care. This includes health education, planning, quality assurance, and administrative functions.
Disclosures Without Your Consent
Certain disclosures may occur without your consent due to legal requirements:
- Required by Law: We may disclose your information as required or authorized by law, such as healthcare licensure reports or public health activities.
- Health Oversight: Information may be disclosed to health oversight agencies for authorized activities, like audits, investigations, and inspections.
- Public Health: Disclosures may occur for disease prevention or control to federal, state, or local authorities.
- Legal Proceedings: Your information may be disclosed in response to court orders, subpoenas, or other lawful processes.
- Law Enforcement: Information may be shared for law enforcement purposes, like identifying suspects or reporting crimes.
- Research: In certain circumstances, your information may be used for research with approval from an institutional review board.
- Emergency Situations: Information may be disclosed to authorities in emergency situations to prevent serious threats to health or safety.
Your Rights
You have rights regarding your health information:
- Inspect and Copy: You can request to inspect and copy your health information, excluding psychotherapy notes.
- Amend: If you believe your information is incomplete or incorrect, you may request amendments.
- Accounting of Disclosures: You can request an account of disclosures made for treatment or authorized by you.
- Request Restrictions: You can ask us not to use or disclose specific parts of your information, and we will consider your request.
- Confidential Communications: You can request specific communication methods or locations.
- Paper Copy of Notice: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice.
- Approve Shared Information: If Excelsior is part of an integrated health plan network, you have the right to approve sharing your healthcare information with other network providers.
- Breach Notification: You have the right to be notified if there is a compromise in the use or disclosure of your information.
Complaints
If you believe Excelsior has violated your privacy rights, you can file a complaint with our HIPAA Privacy Officer or with the Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Health and Human Services. We won’t retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Effective Date
This policy is effective as of May 17, 2024.
Changes to this Notice
Excelsior may change this notice’s terms, and the updated version will be posted. You can request a copy at any time.
For more information or to file a complaint:
- Contact our HIPAA Privacy Officer at (509) 559-3100.
- File a complaint with the Washington Department of Health or the US Secretary of Health and Human Services.