Client Privacy Notice (HIPAA)
Privacy Statement
Northern Human Services is required by law to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI)
and to provide individuals, this NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES describes how we may use
and disclose PHI to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes
permitted by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your PHI. PHI is information about you,
including demographics that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical
and mental healthcare and substance abuse services. PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.
Northern Human Services is permitted use and disclose your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment,
and healthcare operations once you have given consent by signing our Client Rights Form.
When required to, we will obtain your written authorization before disclosing any of your information.
Treatment:
We will use and disclose your PHI to those treatment providers (within Northern Human Services)
involved in your care. Different departments of our facility also may share your PHI in order
to coordinate the different things you need, such as prescriptions or lab work. With your written
permission, we may also disclose information to other healthcare providers that you see outside
Northern Human Services to maintain your continuity of care.
Payment:
Your PHI will be used, as needed, to submit bills for payment and to obtain payment from you,
your insurance company or third-party payer, as well as to obtain authorization for services.
We will use this information to improve the quality of services we provide.
Healthcare Operations:
We may use or disclose your PHI to support the business operations of Northern Human Services,
such as quality improvement, employee review and other business-related activities.
Disclosures of your PHI may occur WITHOUT your written authorization for the following reasons:
- For emergency treatment when written authorization is not feasible, but implied
- To government or law enforcement agencies in response to, for example, court orders,
subpoenas, or criminal conduct involving our facility
- For public health risks, including, for example, communicable diseases, abuse or neglect
- To a correctional institution, if you are an inmate
- For health oversight activities – these include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections and licensure
- For lawsuits and disputes that you may be involved in. We will make all efforts to notify you
of the request or to obtain a court order to protect the requested PHI
- To the Medical Examiner to identify a deceased person or to determine the cause of death
- To federal officials investigating intelligence, counterintelligence and other national security
activities authorized by law
- To Worker’s Compensation
- For contractual agreements with Business Associates that provide services to Northern Human Services
such as telephone answering services, disposal services and technology services. The business associate
is required to protect your health information.
- To report a serious and credible threat directed towards an identified person (duty to warn)
Your PHI may also be disclosed WITH your written authorization for other reasons,
including the following examples:
- For appointment reminders once you are involved in treatment
- For marketing purposes including communications in which Northern Human Services
receives financial compensation (subsidized treatment communications)
- For disclosures that constitute the “sale” of PHI
- For disclosure of genetic information
- For communication with your support network such as significant other, spouse, children,
parents, friends, or your current or former treatment providers, parole, probation, employer or advocate
- All other uses and disclosures of your medical information will be made only with your written
- authorization. You may revoke your written authorization at any time except to the extent
- action has been taken in reliance on it.
Your Rights Regarding your Protected Health Information (PHI)
Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI that may be used to make
decisions about your care. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form
and the procedure for inspecting and copying your PHI. In certain situations, we may deny
your request to read and copy your PHI. You have the right to have this decision reviewed and the decision
to deny access may be reversed.
