Four Seasons Compassion for Life

Four Seasons Privacy Policy

Patient privacy rights and practices

Patient Privacy Rights

POLICY STATEMENT: Four Seasons implements policies and procedures to accommodate patient privacy rights as required by and specified in the privacy regulations of the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

PROCEDURES:

1. Patients cared for by Four Seasons have the following rights with respect to the privacy of their health information to:
   • receive a paper copy of the hospice's Notice of Privacy Practices;
   • lodge complaints about the hospice's privacy practices;
   • request restrictions on the uses and disclosures of health information;
   • request to receive confidential communication;
   • access their protected health information for inspection and/or copying;
   • amend their health care information; and
   • request an accounting of disclosures of health information.
2. The privacy policies of Four Seasons detail the requirements for each of these rights and provide procedures for implementation.
3. Information related to patient privacy rights is included in the orientation program for new employees.
4. Patients and families are informed of their rights with respect to the privacy of protected health information in the hospice's Notice of Privacy Practices.

 

Notice of Privacy Practices

POLICY: The privacy practices of Four Seasons are clearly delineated in the hospice's Notice of Privacy Practices which was developed and is used in accordance with Federal requirements.

PROCEDURES:

1. The privacy practices of Four Seasons are described in the Notice of Privacy Practices and are further explained in the hospice's privacy policies and procedures.
2. The Notice of Privacy Practices is given to all patients no later than the date of the first service delivery.
3. A good faith effort is made to obtain written acknowledgement of the patient's receipt of the hospice's Notice of Privacy Practices.
4. When written acknowledgement of the patient's receipt of the Notice of Privacy Practices cannot be obtained, there is documentation to explain efforts made to obtain it and the reason(s) why it was not obtained.
5. The Notice of Privacy Practices is available to anyone who requests it.
6. The Notice of Privacy Practices is revised as needed to reflect any changes in the hospice's privacy practices. Revisions to the Notice of Privacy Practices are not implemented prior to the effective date of the revised Notice.
7. When revisions to the Notices of Privacy Practices are necessary, all current patients, employees, and business associates receive a revised copy with a notation of the changes made.
8. The Privacy Official retains copies of the original Notice of Privacy Practices and any subsequent revisions for a period of six (6) years from the date of its creation or when it was last in effect, whichever is later.
9. Documentation is retained for six years of the patient's written acknowledgment of receipt of the hospice's Notice of Privacy Practices or of efforts made to obtain this written acknowledgment and the reason(s) why it was not obtained.
10. All employees and business associates of Four Seasons are required to adhere to the privacy practices as detailed in the Notice of Privacy Practices, privacy policies and procedures and business associate contracts.
11. Violations of the hospice's privacy practices result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or contracts.
12. The Notice of Privacy Practices is posted in a clear and prominent location at the hospice and on the hospice's web site.