Privacy, HIPPA and Our Patients

Your privacy is something we treat with utmost seriousness at O'Connor Hospital.

Most people feel that our health and medical information is private and should be protected, and we want to know who has this information. O'Connor Hospital is fully compliant with federal law that:

- Gives you rights over your health information

- Sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information.

Who must follow this law?

• Most doctors, nurses, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and many other health care providers

• Health insurance companies, HMOs, most employer group health plans

• Certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

What information is protected?

• Information your doctors, nurses, and other health care providers put in your medical record

• Conversations your doctor has about your care or treatment with nurses and others

• Information about you in your health insurer’s computer system

• Billing information about you at your clinic

• Most other health information about you held by those who must follow this law.

Providers and health insurers who are required to follow this law must comply with your right to:

• Ask to see and get a copy of your health records

• Have corrections added to your health information

• Receive a notice that tells you how your health information may be used and shared

• Decide if you want to give your permission before your health information can be used or shared for certain purposes, such as for marketing

• Get a report on when and why your health information was shared for certain purposes

If you believe your rights are being denied or your health information isn’t being protected, you can

1. File a complaint with your provider or health insurer
2. File a complaint with the U.S. Government

You should get to know these important rights, which help you protect your health information.
You can ask your provider or health insurer questions about your rights. You also can learn more about your rights, including how to file a complaint, from the website at www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/