Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: April 14, 2003

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

WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE

This notice describes the practices of The Reading Hospital and Medical Center including:

• Any healthcare professional authorized to enter information into your Hospital chart;
• All employees in any department or unit of the Hospital;
• Any member of a volunteer group we allow to help you while you are in the Hospital.
• Any employee of an organization that we have contracted with to provide care to you.

These practices apply not only to the departments and units at the Hospital’s West Reading campus, but also to the Hospital’s off-campus satellites. Since these entities, sites, and locations are part of the Hospital, they may share health information with each other for treatment, payment, or Hospital operations purposes described in this notice.

OUR PLEDGE REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION

We understand that information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting your health information. We create a record of the care and services you receive at the Hospital. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by the Hospital, whether made by Hospital staff or your personal doctor. Your personal doctor may have different policies or notices regarding the doctor’s use and disclosure of your health information created in the doctor’s office or clinic.

This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you. We also describe your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of health information.

We are required by law to:

• make sure that health information that identifies you is kept private;
• give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information about you;
• and follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose health information. For each category of uses or disclosures, we will explain what we mean and give examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

For Treatment

• We may use health information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services.
• We may disclose health information about you to doctors, nurses, technologists, therapists, medical students, or other Hospital personnel who are involved in taking care of you at the Hosp
  For example, a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you have diabetes because diabetes may slow the healing process. In addition, the doctor may need to tell the dietitian so that we can arrange the appropriate meals.
• Departments of the Hospital may share health information about you in order to coordinate the different things you need, such as prescriptions, lab tests, and x-rays.
• We also may disclose health information about you to people outside the Hospital who may be involved in your medical care after you leave the Hospital, such as family members, clergy, or others we use to provide services that are part of your care.

For Payment

• We may use and disclose health information about you so that the treatment and services you receive at the Hospital may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company, or another party.
• For example, we may need to give your health plan information about surgery you received at the Hospital so your health plan will pay us or reimburse you for the surgery.
• We may also tell your health plan about treatment you are going to receive to obtain prior approval or to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment.

For Healthcare Operations

• We may use and disclose health information about you for Hospital operations. These uses and disclosures are necessary to run the Hospital and make sure that all of our patients receive quality care.
  For example, we may use health information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you.
• We may also combine health information about many Hospital patients to decide what additional services the Hospital should offer, what services are not needed, and whether certain new treatments are effective.
• We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technologists, therapists, medical students, and other Hospital personnel for review and learning purposes.
• We may also combine the health information we have with health information from other hospitals to compare how we are doing, and see where we can make improvements in the care and services we offer.
• We may remove information that identifies you from this set of health information so others may use it to study health care and healthcare delivery without learning who the specific patients are.

Appointment Reminders

• We may use and disclose health information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment for treatment or medical care at the Hospital.

Treatment Alternatives

• We may use and disclose health information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you.

Health-Related Benefits and Services

• We may use and disclose health information to tell you about health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.

Fundraising Activities

• We may use information such as your name, address, and phone number, to contact you in an effort to raise money for the Hospital.
• If you do not want the Hospital to contact you for fundraising efforts, you must notify the Privacy Officer at The Reading Hospital in writing.

Hospital Directory

• We may include limited information about you in the Hospital directory while you are a patient at the Hospital. This information may include your name, location in the Hospital, your general condition (good, fair, poor, critical) and your religious affiliation. It may be released to people who ask for you by name. Your religious affiliation may be given to a member of the clergy, even if they don’t ask for you by name. This is so family, friends, and clergy can visit you in the Hospital and generally know how you are doing.

Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care

• We may release health information about you to a friend or family member who is involved in your care.
• We may also tell your family or friends your condition and that you are in the Hospital.
• In addition, we may disclose health information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that your family can be notified about your condition, status, and location.

Research

• Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose health information about you for research purposes.
  For example, a research project may involve comparing the health and recovery of all patients who received one medication to those who received another for the same condition. All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process. This process evaluates a proposed research project and its use of health information, trying to balance the research needs with patients’ need for privacy of their health information. Before we use or disclose health information for research, the project will have been approved through this research approval process.
• We may, however, disclose health information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project to help them look for patients with specific medical needs, so long as the health information they review does not leave the Hospital.
• We will almost always ask for your specific permission if the researcher will have access to your name, address, or other information that reveals who you are, or who will be involved in your care at the Hospital.

As Required By Law

• We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety

• We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety, or to the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure, however, would be to only someone able to help prevent the threat.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS

Organ and Tissue Donation

• If you are 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 to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.

Military and Veterans

• If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release health information about you as required by military command authorities.
• We may also release health information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority.

Workers Compensation

• We may release health information about you for workers compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

Public Health Risks

• We may disclose health information about you for public health activities. These activities generally include the following:
  • to prevent or control disease, injury, or disability;
  • to report births and deaths;
  • to report child abuse or neglect;
  • to report reactions to medications or problems with products;
  • to notify people of recalls of products they may be using;
  • to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease, or who may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition;
  • to notify the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. We will make this disclosure only if you agree, or when required or authorized by law.

Health Oversight Activities

• We may disclose health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the healthcare system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.

Lawsuits and Disputes

• If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose health information about you in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose health information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.

Law Enforcement

• We may release health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:
  • in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons, or similar process;
  • to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person;
  • about the victim of a crime if, under certain limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement;
  • about a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct;
  • about criminal conduct at the Hospital;
  • and in emergency circumstances to report a crime, the location of the crime or victims, or the identity, description, or location of the person who committed the crime.

Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors

• We may release health information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary to identify a deceased person, or determine the cause of death.
• We may also release health information about patients of the Hospital to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.

National Security and Intelligence Activities

• We may release health information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.

Protective Services for the President and Others

• We may disclose health information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons, or foreign heads of state, or in order to conduct special investigations.

Inmates

• If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release health information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official. This release would be necessary for the institution to provide you with health care, and to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

You have the following rights regarding health information we maintain about you.

Right to Inspect and Copy

• You have the right to inspect and copy health information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes.
• To inspect and copy health information that may be used to make decisions about you, you must submit your request in writing to the Medical Records Department at The Reading Hospital. If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, or other supplies associated with your request.
• We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited circumstances. If you are denied access to health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed. Another licensed healthcare professional chosen by the Hospital will review your request and the denial. The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied your request. We will comply with the outcome of the review.

Right to Amend

• If you feel that health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for the Hospital.
• To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to the Director of Medical Records at The Reading Hospital. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your requests.
• We have the right to deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing, or does not include a reason to support the request.
• In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
  • was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
  • is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy;
  • or is accurate and complete.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

• You have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures.” This is a list of the disclosures we made of health information about you.
• To request this list or accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to the Medical Records Department at The Reading Hospital. Your request must state a time period which may not be longer than six years, and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. Your request should indicate in what form you want the list – on paper or electronic copy.
  • The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free.
  • For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list. We will notify you of the cost involved, and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time before any costs are incurred.

Right to Request Restrictions

• You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
• You also have the right to request a limit on the health information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as a family member or friend.
  For example, you could ask that we not use or disclose information about a surgery that you had.
• We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment.
• To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to the Director of Medical Records Department at The Reading Hospital.
• In your request, you must tell us:
  • what information you want to limit;
  • whether you want to limit our use, disclosure, or both;
  • and to whom you want the limits to apply.
  For example, you may ask that we not disclose information to your spouse.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

• You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location.
  For example, you can ask that we contact you at only work or only by mail.
• To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to the Privacy Officer at The Reading Hospital. We will not ask you the reason for your request. We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice

• You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice.
• You may refer to this notice at our website http://www.readinghospital.org at anytime, and may print out a copy of it.
• To obtain a paper copy of this notice, contact the Privacy Officer at The Reading Hospital.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for health information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future.

We will make easily available a paper copy of the current notice in the Hospital. The notice will contain the effective date on the cover, in the top right-hand corner.

In addition, each time you register at or are admitted to the Hospital for treatment or healthcare services as an inpatient or outpatient, we will offer you a copy of the current notice in effect.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Hospital, or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with the Hospital, contact The Reading Hospital Privacy Officer.. All complaints must be submitted in writing.

You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

OTHER USES OF HEALTH INFORMATION

HEALTH INFORMATION

Other uses and disclosures of health information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose health information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time.

If you revoke your permission, we will no longer use or disclose health information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization. You must understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission, and that we are required to retain our records of the care that we provided to you.

ADDRESSES

For requests involving your records (amendments, copies, accounting of disclosures):

Director of Medical Records
The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
PO Box 16052
Reading, PA 19612-6052
610-988-8000

To request confidential communications, copies of this notice, or to file a complaint:

Privacy Officer
The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
PO Box 16052
Reading, PA 19612-6052
610-988-8000

To file a complaint with the government:

Office for Civil Rights
150 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 372
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3499
Phone: 215-861-4441
TDD: 215-861-4440
Fax: 215-861-4431

ENTITIES THAT FOLLOW
THESE PRIVACY PRACTICES

The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
PO Box 16052
Reading, PA 19612

Primary Care Satellites

Family Health Care Center

Doctors Office Building, Suite 200
301 S. Seventh Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

The Reading Health Dispensary at 2nd Street

430 N. Second Street
Reading, PA 19601

RPS Internal Medicine

1991 State Hill Road
Wyomissing, PA 19610

Spring Medical Associates

Doctors Office Building, Suite 120
301 S. Seventh Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

Diagnostic Satellites

Laboratory Services and/or Imaging Center services at these locations:

Bernville Family Practice Center

7169 Bernville Road
Bernville, PA 19506

Boyertown Family Medicine

9 Rowell Road
Boyertown, PA 19512

Conrad Weiser Medical Group

1137 W. Penn Avenue
Womelsdorf, PA 19567

Exeter Imaging Center

2 Hearthstone Court
Reading, PA 19606

Exeter Medical and Professional Center

6 Hearthstone Court, Suite 105
Reading, PA 19606

Exeter Medical Center

4885 DeMoss Road, Suite 100
Reading, PA 19606

Hamburg Imaging Center

Northern Berks Medical Center
31 Industrial Drive
Hamburg, PA 19526

Kutztown Imaging Center

15050 Kutztown Road
Kutztown, PA 19530

Muhlenberg Imaging Center

1000 Tuckerton Court
Reading, PA 19605

The Reading Hospital at Spring Ridge

2603 Keiser Boulevard
Wyomissing, PA 19610

The Reading Hospital Doctors Office Building

301 S. Seventh Avenue, Suite 110
West Reading, PA 19611

Rockland Professional Center

1940 N. 13th Street, Suite 201
Reading, PA 19604

Twin Valley Medical Center

North and Walnut Streets
Morgantown, PA 19543

West Lawn Professional Plaza

25 Stevens Avenue
Building A, Rear
West Lawn, PA 19609

West Reading Laboratory Services

401 Buttonwood Street
West Reading, PA 19611

West Reading Radiology Associates

Doctors Office Building
301 S. Seventh Avenue, Suite 135
West Reading, PA 19611

The Women’s Center

Doctors Office Building
301 S. Seventh Avenue, Suite 125
West Reading, PA 19611

Other Hospital Entities

Occupational Health Services

1000 Tuckerton Court
Reading, PA 19605

The Reading Hospital at Spring Ridge

2603 Keiser Boulevard
Wyomissing, PA 19610

The Reading Hospital Diabetes Center

Doctors Office Building, Suite 2070
301 S. Seventh Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

The Reading Hospital School of Nursing

PO Box 16052
Reading, PA 19612-6052

The Reading Hospital Home Care

Doctors Office Building, Suite 340
301 S. Seventh Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

RPS Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates

Doctors Office Building
301 S. Seventh Avenue, Suite 1120
West Reading, PA 19611

RPS Physiatry

1991 State Hill Road
Wyomissing, PA 19610

Contracted Services

Reading Anesthesia Associates

Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street
West Reading, PA 19611

West Reading Radiology Associates

Doctors Office Building, Suite 135
301 S. Seventh Avenue
West Reading, PA 19611

Revised 01.05