HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices Statement
Notice of Information Practices and Privacy Statement
Medstat Clinical Laboratory Service
908 Alfred Drive,
Wylie, TX 75098
How We Collect Information About You: Medstat Clinical Laboratory Service and its employees and volunteers collect data through a variety of means including but not necessarily limited to letters, phone calls, emails, voice mails, and from the submission of applications that is either required by law, or necessary to process applications or other requests for assistance through our organization.
What We Do Not Do With Your Information: Information about your financial situation and medical conditions and care that you provide to us in writing, via email, on the phone (including information left on voice mails), contained in or attached to applications, or directly or indirectly given to us, is held in strictest confidence.
We do not give out, exchange, barter, rent, sell, lend, or disseminate any information about applicants or clients who apply for or actually receive our services that is considered patient confidential, is restricted by law, or has been specifically restricted by a patient/client in a signed HIPAA consent form.
How We Do Use Your Information: Information is only used as is reasonably necessary to process your application or to provide you with health or counseling services which may require communication between Medstat Clinical Laboratory Service and health care providers, medical product or service providers, pharmacies, insurance companies, and other providers necessary to: verify your medical information is accurate; determine the type of medical supplies or any health care services you need including, but not limited to; or to obtain or purchase any type of medical supplies, devices, medications, insurance,
If you apply or attempt to apply to receive assistance through us and provide information with the intent or purpose of fraud or that results in either an actual crime of fraud for any reason including willful or un-willful acts of negligence whether intended or not, or in any way demonstrates or indicates attempted fraud, your non-medical information can be given to legal authorities including police, investigators, courts, and/or attorneys or other legal professionals, as well as any other information as permitted by law.
Information We Do Not Collect: We do not use cookies on our website to collect data from our site visitors. We do not collect information about site visitors.
Limited Right to Use Non-Identifying Personal Information From Biographies, Letters, Notes, and Other Sources: Any pictures, stories, letters, biographies, correspondence, or thank you notes sent to us become the exclusive property of Medstat Clinical Laboratory Service. We reserve the right to use non-identifying information about our clients (those who receive services or goods from or through us) for promotional purposes that are directly related to our mission.
Clients will not be compensated for use of this information and no identifying information (photos, addresses, phone numbers, contact information, last names or uniquely identifiable names) will be used without client’s express advance permission.
You may specifically request that NO information be used whatsoever for promotional purposes, but you must identify any requested restrictions in writing. We respect your right to privacy and assure you no identifying information or photos that you send to us will ever be publicly used without your direct or indirect consent.
What does HIPAA mean?
HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). It was put into place to protect patient privacy and also ensures privacy of all accumulated health information that belongs to the patient. It was signed into law in 1996 under the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Healthcare providers nationwide were required to comply with the rules and regulations of privacy protection by April of 2003.
What does it mean to me?
It means that your private health information is protected by federal law. You have rights regarding your personal information and it provides specific rules and regulations on who may have access to it.
Why do I have to sign the HIPAA agreement papers every time I see a healthcare provider?
The HIPAA agreement states that you must be given the "Notice of Privacy Practices" statement which belongs to the facility that you have an appointment with. The notice states how the healthcare providers can use the information from your personal medical file and when and who they can give the information to. If you are a regular patient at a facility, you may only have to sign the HIPAA paperwork once and then it will become part of your file. Some facilities do require you to sign one at every visit however. It depends on the policy of the facility.
Does my doctor have to sign the HIPAA agreement too?
Medical staff do have to sign an agreement at least once a year, stating that they are aware of the provisions of the law, that they understand these laws and that they will uphold these laws. These are kept on file at the facility at which they work. States may differ in their requirements, but the basic privacy laws must be upheld.
What are my rights under the federal HIPAA laws?
You can ask to see your records and to get copies of them .You can have any corrections that you feel need to be made, included in your chart.
You will be notified if your health information needs to be shared with other healthcare providers or specialists, insurance companies or billing personnel. You can file complaints if you feel your privacy rights were violated in any way.
What kind of information does it protect?
It protects any kind of health information such as office visits, tests and procedures, diagnosis, or other facets of medical care. This includes mental health information, therapy, counseling or other aspects of mental health care. Information that is spoken, printed or transmitted electronically all fall under the HIPAA privacy act.
Does my healthcare provider have the right to share my information?
Yes. Your healthcare provider does have the right to share your information with:
· Other healthcare professionals involved in your care
· For coordination of your healthcare with other specializations
· To report any information that affects public health, such as dog bites, gunshot wounds or infectious diseases
· With any family, friends or other people that YOU determine as acceptable, to help with your medical care or finances and billing
Keep in mind that if you want your medical records from one office sent to another, you will have to sign a release form.
What if I want access to my health information?
You should be able to have access to all your health information whenever and wherever you want. This includes office visits, tests and lab results, and communication between healthcare providers. You also have the right to know who your information has been shared with.
Who gets to see my confidential health information?
Anyone directly involved in your care would have access to your information. Doctors, nurses, other medical personnel, billing offices and secretarial might all have legal access to it. Any specialists, personnel who perform lab tests and diagnostic tests, or any procedures either outpatient or inpatient may also have access to your records for the time that you are in their care. Basically anyone who is necessary to provide the best medical care that you can receive.
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