Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT KCFD 1 PATIENTS MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW PATIENTS CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.  PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

  Klamath County Fire District 1 ( “KCFD1” ) is required by law to maintain the privacy of certain confidential health care information, known as Protected Health Information or PHI, and to provide patients with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to a patient’s PHI.  KCFD1 is also required to abide by the terms of the version of the Notice of Privacy Practices form currently in effect. 

Uses and Disclosures of PHI: KCFD1 may use PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, in most cases without written permission from the patient.  Examples of use by KCFD1 of PHI:  

For treatment.  This includes such things as obtaining verbal and written information about the patient’s medical condition and treatment from the patient as well as from others, such as doctors and nurses who give orders to allow us to provide treatment to patients.  We may give PHI to other health care providers involved in patient treatment, and may transfer patient PHI via radio or telephone to the hospital or dispatch center.  

For payment.  This includes any activities KCFD1 must undertake in order to get reimbursed for the services we provide to patients, including such things as submitting bills to insurance companies, making medical necessity determinations and collecting outstanding accounts.  

For health care operations.  This includes quality assurance activities, licensing, and training programs to ensure that KCFD1 personnel meet our standards of care and follow established policies and procedures, as well as certain other management functions.
 

Reminders for Scheduled Transports and Information on Other Services:We may also contact the patient to provide them with a reminder of any scheduled appointments for non-emergency ambulance and medical transportation, or to provide information about other services KCFD1 provides. 

Use and Disclosure of PHI Without Your Authorization: KCFD1 is permitted to use PHI without patient written authorization, or opportunity to object, in certain situations, and unless prohibited by a more stringent state law, including:  

•  For the treatment, payment or health care operations activities of another health care provider who treats the patient; 
• For health care and legal compliance activities;
• To a patient family member, other relative, or close personal friend or other individual involved in a patient’s care if KCFD1 obtains the patient’s verbal agreement to do so or if we give the patient an opportunity to object to such a disclosure and the patient does not raise an objection, and in certain other circumstances where KCFD1 is unable to obtain patient agreement and believe the disclosure is in the patient’s best interests; 
• To a public health authority in certain situations as required by law (such as to report abuse, neglect or domestic violence;
• For health oversight activities including audits or government investigations, inspections, disciplinary proceedings, and other administrative or judicial actions undertaken by the government (or their contractors) by law to oversee the health care system;
• For judicial and administrative proceedings as required by a court or administrative order, or in some cases in response to a subpoena or other legal process; 
• For law enforcement activities in limited situations, such as when responding to a warrant; 
• For military, national defense and security and other special government functions;
• To avert a serious threat to the health and safety of a person or the public at large;
• For workers’ compensation purposes, and in compliance with workers’ compensation laws;
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors for identifying a deceased person, determining cause of death, or carrying on their duties as authorized by law;
• If a patient is an organ donor, we may release health information to organizations that handle organ procurement or organ, eye or tissue transplantation or to an organ donation bank, as necessary to facilitate organ donation and transplantation;
• For research projects, but this will be subject to strict oversight and approvals;
• KCFD1 may also use or disclose health information about a patient in a way that does not personally identify the patient or reveal who the patient is.

Any other use or disclosure of PHI, other than those listed above will only be made with the patient’s written authorization.  Patients may revoke their authorization at any time, in writing, except to the extent that KCFD1 has already used or disclosed medical information in reliance on that authorization. 

Patient Rights:  Patients have a number of rights with respect to PHI, including:The right to access, copy or inspect PHI  A patient may inspect and copy most of the medical information about them that KCFD1 maintains.  KCFD1 will normally provide a patient with access to this information within 30 days of their request. KCFD1 may also charge a patient with a reasonable fee to copy any medical information that a patient has the right to access.  In limited circumstances, KCFD1 may deny access to a patient wanting medical information, and a patient may appeal certain types of denials.  KCFD1 has available forms for a patient who requests access to their PHI and KCFD1 will provide a written response if we deny a patient access and let the patient know their appeal rights.  A patient also has the right to receive confidential communications of their PHI and must contact the Privacy Officer.

The right to amend PHI:  A Patient has the right to ask KCFD1 to amend written medical information that KCFD1 may have about them. KCFD1 will generally amend patient information within 60 days of your request and will notify the patient when KCFD1 has amended the information. KCFD1 is permitted by law to deny a patient’s request to amend their medical information only in certain circumstances, like when KCFD1 believes the information the patient has asked us to amend is correct.  If the patient wishes to request that KCFD1 amend the medical information that KCFD1 has, the patient should contact KCFD1’s Privacy Officer.

The right to request an accounting:  A patient may request an accounting from KCFD1 of certain disclosures of their medical information that KCFD1 has made in the six years prior to the date of the request. KCFD1 is not required to give a patient an accounting of information we have used or disclosed for purposes of treatment, payment or health care operations, or when KCFD1 shares a patient’s health information with our business associates. KCFD1 is also not required to give a patient an accounting of KCFD1 uses of protected health information for which the patient has already given us written authorization.  If a patient wishes to request an accounting, they have to contact our Privacy Officer. 

The Right to Request that KCFD1 Restricts the Uses and Disclosures of Patient’s PHI: A patient has the right to request that KCFD1 restricts how we use and disclose a patient’s medical information that we have. KCFD1 is not required to agree to any restrictions but any restrictions agreed to by KCFD1 in writing are binding on KCFD1.   

 Internet, Electronic Mail, and the Right to Obtain Copy of Paper Notice on Request:If KCFD1 maintains a web site, we will prominently post a copy of this Notice on our web site.  If the patient allows us, KCFD1 will forward this Notice by electronic mail instead of on paper and the patient may always request a paper copy of the Notice.

Revisions to the Notice: KCFD1 reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, and the changes will be effective immediately and will apply to all protected health information that we maintain.  Any material changes to the Notice will be promptly posted in our facilities and posted to our web site, if we maintain one.  Patients can get a copy of the latest version of this Notice by contacting our Privacy Officer. 

A Patients Legal Rights and Complaints: Patients also have the right to complain to KCFD1, or to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services if they believe their privacy rights have been violated. Patients will not be retaliated against in any way for filing a complaint with KCFD1 or to the government.  Should a patient have any questions, comments or complaints they may direct all inquiries to our privacy officer.  

  Privacy Officer Contact Information: 

Phil Hull , Privacy Officer
Klamath County Fire District 1
143 North Broad Street
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
Office: 1-541-885-2056
Fax: 1-541-884-6920

Effective:  April 14, 2003