Recovery Ways Privacy Policy
Patient Privacy Policy for Recovery Ways
Privacy Policy
PURPOSE
Each individual with whom Recovery Ways has a Direct Treatment Relationship must be provided with
notice of their rights with respect to his/her PHI and the privacy practices of Recovery Ways in accordance
with HIPAA and 42 C.F.R., Part 2. The notice is referred to as a Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”). The purpose of this policy is to define how Recovery Ways will implement the requirements of, and who to contact with questions about the Notice.
SCOPE
X Entire Organization
o Other Agents
DEFINITION
□ Interns o Volunteers □ Contractors
- 42 C.F.R., Part 2: are the federal regulations governing the confidentiality of drug and alcohol abuse
treatment and prevention records. The regulations apply to certain federally assisted substance
abuse treatment programs, such as Recovery Ways, limiting the use and disclosure of substance
abuse patient records and identifying information.
- Covered Entity: is a health care clearinghouse, health plan, or a health care provider that transmit
health information electronically.
- Direct Treatment Relationship: means a treatment relationship between an individual and a health
care provider in which the provider delivers health care services or products, or reports diagnoses or
results from that health care, directly to that individual, under the provider’s own orders and with no
other provider intervening.
- Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA): refers to a federal law that protects the
confidentiality and security of the healthcare information. HIPAA sets forth standards for both the
privacy (Privacy Rule) and security (Security Rule) safeguards for Protected Health Information.
- Protected Health Information: is any data that identifies the individual or for which there is a
reasonable basis to believe that data can be used to identify the individual. Individually identifiable
health information includes many common identifiers (e.g., name, address, birth date, Social
Security Number).
- Workforce: refers to faculty, staff, volunteers, trainees, students, agents, and other persons whose
conduct, in the performance of work for Recovery Ways, is under the direct control of Recovery
Ways, whether or not they are paid by Recovery Ways.
POLICY
Recovery Ways will provide to each individual, with whom a Direct Treatment Relationship exists a copy of
Recovery Ways’ Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) at the first date of delivery of service or at any other
time if requested by an individual. This Notice will clearly and adequately provide an explanation of the
individual’s rights with respect to their PHI and the privacy practices of Recovery Ways pursuant to HIPAA
and 42 C.F.R., Part 2.
Recovery Ways’ Notice will be clearly labeled and prominently displayed in all delivery sites at Recovery
Ways. Additionally, an electronic version will be located on Recovery Ways website.
PROCEDURE
- Each individual that receives healthcare services at Recovery Ways will receive a Notice. Recovery
Ways will make best attempts to obtain an acknowledgement of receipt of the Notice from the individual.
- Workforce members responsible for admissions are responsible for distributing Notices to individuals at
the time of their visit as follows:
2.1. New Patients. At the time of admission, Workforce member will provide the individual with the
Notice and obtain a signed acknowledgement of receipt (Patient Acknowledgement of Notice form).
2.2. Current Patients. If there is no documentation of a previous receipt and acknowledgment of the
NPP for the individual, Workforce member will provide the individual with the NPP and request the
individual to acknowledge receipt of the NPP by signing the Patient Acknowledgment of Notice form.
2.3. Refusal to Acknowledge Receipt of Notice. If the individual refuses or is unable to acknowledge
receipt of the Notice, Workforce member will document the individual’s refusal or inability to sign on
the acknowledgment form along with any efforts that were made to obtain the individual’s signature.
2.4. Emergency. In the case of an emergency treatment situation, Recovery Ways will provide the
Notice to the individual as soon as reasonably practicable after the emergency treatment situation.
2.5. File the Patient Acknowledgment of Notice form in the individual’s record.
- Requests for Notice. If an individual requests a copy of Recovery Ways’ Notice, Workforce member
will provide a copy of the Notice to the individual and direct the individual to the Recovery Ways’ Notice
on its website.
- Recovery Ways will post a copy of the Notice in a clear and prominent location such as the entrance
lobby or similar location.
- A current version of the Notice will be maintained on Recovery Ways’ website. The Notice on the
website must be in a downloadable and printable form.
- Whenever the Notice is revised, the Privacy Officer will assure that the revised NPP is:
6.1. Made available upon request on or after the effective date of the revision; and
6.2. Posted in a clear and prominent location.
- A copy of each Notice issued by Recovery Ways will be maintained for at least six years from the date it
was last in effect.
- Direct any questions about Recovery Ways’ Notice to the Privacy Officer.
- Immediately report any violation or potential violation of this Policy to your supervisor or the Privacy
Officer in accordance with Recovery Ways’ Privacy Complaint policy.
RELATED POLICIES
Privacy Complaints policy
REFERENCE
42 C.F.R. § 2.22 Notice to Patients of Federal Confidentiality Requirements
45 C.F.R. § 164.520 Notice of Privacy Practices
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Recovery Ways’ Notice of Privacy Practices
Website Privacy Policy for Recovery Ways.
We collect the e-mail addresses of those who communicate with us via e-mail, or through information volunteered by the consumer, such as survey information and/or site registrations. The information we collect is used to improve the content of our Web page and services. It is not shared with other organizations for commercial purposes. We do not set any cookies.
If you do not want to receive e-mail from us in the future, please let us know by sending an e-mail.
If you supply us with your postal address on-line you may receive periodic mailings from us with information on new products and services or upcoming events. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please let us know by calling us. Please provide us with your exact name and address. We will be sure your name is removed from the list.
Persons who supply us with their telephone numbers on-line may receive telephone contact from us with information regarding new products and services or upcoming events. If you do not wish to receive such telephone calls, please let us know by sending us e-mail or calling. Please provide us with your name and phone number.
With respect to Ad Servers: We do not partner with or have special relationships with any ad server companies.
From time to time, we may use customer information for new, unanticipated uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at some time in the future we will post the policy changes to our Web site to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our Web site periodically. Customers may prevent their information from being used for purposes other than those for which it was originally collected by calling us at the number provided above.
Upon request we provide site visitors with access to contact information (e.g., name, address, phone number) that we maintain about them. Consumers can access this information by writing to us at the above address. With respect to security: We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of information that we have collected from you at our site. If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us at the above addresses or phone number.