Advanced Diagnostic Imaging

USE AND DISCLOSURE OF HEALTH INFORMATION

I. How A/WDI May Use Your Health Information.

A. Treatment: A/WDI will use or disclose your Health Information as necessary for A/WDI and other health care providers to provide you with medical care. For example: A/WDI will use your medical history, such as the presence or absence of heart disease, to assess your health and perform requested diagnostic services. A/WDI may also disclose your Health Information to those other doctors, nurses, therapist, or other health care providers not affiliated with A/WDI who are providing you with medical care.

B. Payment: A/WDI will use and disclose your Health Information to obtain payment for services provided to you by A/WDI and as necessary to assist other healthcare providers, health plans and health care clearinghouses in obtaining payment for health care services provided to you. For example: when you register for service, A/WDI will use your information to verify that you have insurance coverage. After you have received service, a bill identifying you, your diagnosis and the procedures performed will be sent to your insurer or to you. Any bill sent to you will be sent by regular mail at your home address as listed in A/WDI’s records. A/WDI may also send your contact information to collections agencies if your payment is overdue.

C. Health Care Operations: A/WDI may use and disclose your Health Information for A/WDI’s health care operations or for limited types of health care operations of other health care providers, health care plans and clearinghouses. For example: A/WDI sometimes arranges for accreditation organizations, auditors or other consultants to review A/WDI’s practice, evaluate operations, and tell A/WDI how to improve its services. As part of that review process, A/WDI may disclose your Health Information to said consultants.

D. Appointment Reminders: A/WDI may use and disclose Health Information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment or that you should schedule an appointment.

E. Treatment Alternatives, Benefits and Services: A/WDI may disclose your Health Information to tell you about possible treatment options or alternatives, health-related benefits or other services that may be of interest to you or to recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you.

F. Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care: Unless you object, A/WDI may discuss your health care with members of your family, close friends or other individuals you identify who may be involved in your care or the payment for your care. If you have a mental health diagnosis, no information about you will be shared with your family, friends or others identified by you without your explicit written permission.

G. Research. A/WDI may use or disclose certain Health Information about your condition and treatment for research purposes where an Institutional Review Board or similar body referred to as a Privacy Board determines that your privacy interests will be adequately protected in the study. A/WDI may also use and disclose your Health Information to prepare or analyze a research protocol and for other research purposes.

H. A/WDI Business Associates: A/WDI sometimes works with outside individuals and businesses that help A/WDI operate its business successfully. A/WDI may disclose your Health Information to these business associates so that they can perform the tasks that A/WDI hires them to do. A/WDI’s business associates must guarantee that they will respect and protect the confidentiality of your Health Information.

II. How A/WDI is Required By Law To Disclosure Your Health Information.

A. Required by Law. A/WDI may disclose Health Information about you when A/WDI is required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

B. Public Health Activities. A/WDI may disclose Health Information about you in connection with certain public health reporting activities. For instance, A/WDI may disclose Health Information to a public health authority authorized to collect or receive PHI for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability, or at the direction of a public health authority, to an official of a foreign government agency that is acting in collaboration with a public health authority. Public health authorities include, but are not limited to, state health departments, the Center for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

C. Abuse and Neglect. A/WDI is also permitted to disclose Health Information to a public health authority or other government authority authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect. A/WDI may also disclose your Health Information in situations of domestic abuse or elder abuse.

D. FDA Reports. A/WDI may disclose your Health Information if you are a person subject to the Food and Drug Administration’s power for the following activities: to report adverse events, product defects or problems, or biological product deviations, to track products, to enable product recalls, repairs or replacements, or to conduct post marketing surveillance.

E. Health Care Oversight Activities. A/WDI may disclose your Health Information in connection with certain health oversight activities of licensing and other agencies. Health oversight activities include, but are not limited to, audit; investigation; inspection; licensure or disciplinary actions; civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings or actions; or any other activity necessary for the oversight of 1) the health care system, 2) governmental benefit programs for which Health Information is relevant in determining beneficiary eligibility, 3) entities subject to governmental regulatory programs for which Health Information is necessary for determining compliance with program standards, or 4) entities subject to civil rights laws for which Health Information is necessary for determining compliance.

F. Threat to Health and Safety. Health Information also will be disclosed when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of others.

G. Legal Actions and Law Enforcement. A/WDI may disclose Health Information in response to a warrant, subpoena, or other order of a court or administrative hearing body, and in connection with certain government investigations and law enforcement activities.

H. National Security and Intelligence. A/WDI may disclose Health Information for national security and intelligence activities and for the provision of protective services to the President of the United States and other officials or foreign heads of state.

III. Special Circumstances Requiring Disclosure of Your Health Information.

A. Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. A/WDI may release Health Information to a coroner, medical examiner and/or funeral director to assist in identifying a deceased person, determining the cause of death, or to otherwise allow them to carry out their duties.

B. Organ and Tissue Procurement. A/WDI also may release Health Information to organ procurement organizations, transplant centers, and eye or tissue banks.

C. Workers’ Compensation and other Employee Benefit Programs. A/WDI may release Health Information to workers’ compensation or similar programs.

D. Military. If you are a member of the Armed Forces, A/WDI may release Health Information about you as required by military command authorities. A/WDI also may release Health Information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority.

E. Litigation. A/WDI may disclose your Health Information for legal or administrative proceedings that involve you. A/WDI may release such information upon order of a court or administrative tribunal. A/WDI may also release Health Information in the absence of such an order and in response to a discovery or other lawful request, if efforts have been made to notify you or secure a protective order.

F. Inmates. If you are an inmate, A/WDI may release Health Information about you to a correctional institution where you are incarcerated or to law enforcement officials.

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