Texas Oncology has a legal and ethical obligation to safeguard your patient rights and your protected health information. At all times, we strive to comply with the standards set forth in these documents: please review them carefully.
Patient's Bill of Rights
Source: American Medical Association, 1994.
The patient has the right to receive information from physicians and to discuss the benefits,
risks, and costs of appropriate treatment alternatives. Patients should receive guidance from
their physicians as to the optimal course of action. Patients are also entitled to obtain copies
or summaries of their medical records, to have their questions answered, to be advised of
potential conflicts of interest that their physicians might have, and to receive independent
professional opinions.
- The patient has the right to make decisions regarding the health care that is recommended
by his or her physician. Accordingly, patients may accept or refuse any recommended medical
treatment.
- The patient has the right to courtesy, respect, dignity, responsiveness, and timely attention
to his or her needs.
- The patient has the right to confidentiality. The physician should not reveal confidential
communications or information without the consent of the patient, unless provided for by law
and the need to protect the welfare of the individual or the public interest.
- The patient has the right to continuity of health care. The physician has an obligation to
cooperate in the coordination of medically indicated care with other health care providers
treating the patient. The physician may not discontinue treatment of a patient as long as
further treatment is medically indicated, without giving the patient reasonable assistance and
sufficient opportunity to make alternative arrangements for care.
- The patient has a basic right to have available adequate health care. Physicians, along with
the rest of society, should continue to work toward this goal. Fulfillment of this right is
dependent on society providing resources so that no patient is deprived of necessary care
because of an inability to pay for the care. Physicians should continue their traditional
assumption of a part of the responsibility for the medical care of those who cannot afford
essential health care. Physicians should advocate for patients in dealing with third parties
when appropriate.
Patient Privacy
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective Date: 4/14/03
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.
About Us
In this Notice, we use terms like "we," "us" or "our" to refer to Texas Oncology, its physicians,
employees, staff and other personnel. All of the sites and locations of Texas Oncology follow
the terms of this Notice and may share health information with each other for treatment,
payment or health care operations purposes as described in this Notice.
Purpose of this Notice
This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your health information to carry out
treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or
required by law. This notice also outlines our legal duties for protecting the privacy of your
health information and explains your rights to have your health information protected. We will
create a record of the services we provide you, and this record will include your health
information. We need to maintain this information to ensure that you receive quality care and
to meet certain legal requirements related to providing you care. We understand that your
health information is personal, and we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring
that your health information is not used inappropriately.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and provide you
notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information. We will
abide by the terms of this Notice.
How We May Use or Disclose Your Health Information
The following categories describe examples of the way we use and disclose health information:
For Treatment: We may use your health information to provide you with medical treatment or
services. For example, your health information will be disclosed to the oncology nurses who
participate in your care. We may disclose your health information to another oncologist for the
purpose of a consultation. We may also disclose your health information to your physician or
another healthcare provider to be sure those parties have all the information necessary to
diagnose and treat you.
For Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to others so they will pay us
or reimburse you for your treatment. For example, a bill may be sent to you, your insurance
company or a third-party payer. The bill may contain information that identifies you, your
diagnosis, and treatment or supplies used in the course of treatment.
We may share your health information with pharmaceutical company patient assistance
programs and patient support organizations in order to assist you in obtaining payment for
your care or payment for certain parts of your care.
For Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in order to
support our business activities. For example, we may use your health information for quality
assessment activities, training of medical students, necessary credentialing, and for other
essential activities.
We may ask you to sign your name to a sign-in sheet at the registration desk and we may call
your name in the waiting room when we call you for your appointment.
We may disclose your health information to a third party that performs services, such as
billing and collection, on our behalf. In these cases, we will enter into a written agreement
with the third party to ensure they protect the privacy of your health information.
Appointment Reminders: We may use and disclose your health information in order to contact
you and remind you of an upcoming appointment for treatment or health care services.
Treatment Alternatives and Health-Related Benefits and Services: We may use your health
information to inform you of services or programs that we believe would be beneficial to you.
We may call, mail or e-mail you information about these services or goods. For example, we
may contact you to make you aware of new products, supply product information, or a new
patient assistance program that may be available to you.
Fundraising Activities: We may use your demographic information, such as name, address and
phone number, and the dates you received services from us, to contact you in an effort to
raise money for charitable purposes. We may also disclose this information to a foundation
related to the practice so that the foundation may contact you to raise money for the
foundation. If you do not want the practice or foundation to contact you for fundraising
activities, please notify your local Texas Oncology office.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care: We may release your health
information, including information about your condition, to a family member or friend who is
involved in your medical care or who helps pay for your care. If you would like us to refrain
from releasing your health information to a family member or friend, you must make your
request in writing and submit it to the Medical Records Manager of your local Texas Oncology
office. We may also disclose your health information to disaster-relief organizations so that
your family can be notified about your condition, status and location.
We are also allowed by law to use and disclose your health information without your
authorization for the following purposes:
As Required by Law: We may use and disclose your health information when required to do so
by federal, state or local law.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: If you are involved in a legal proceeding, we may
disclose your health information in response to a court or administrative order. We may also
release your health information 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.
Health Oversight Activities: We may use and disclose your health information to health
oversight agencies for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities are necessary for
the government to monitor the health care system, government benefit programs, compliance
with government regulatory programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.
Law Enforcement: We may disclose your health information, within limitations, to law
enforcement officials for several different purposes:
- To comply with a court order, warrant, subpoena, summons, or other similar process;
- To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person;
- About the victim of a crime, if unable to obtain the victim's agreement;
- About a death we suspect may have resulted from criminal conduct;
- About criminal conduct we believe in good faith to have occurred on our premises; and
- To report a crime, the location of a crime, and the identity, description and location of
the individual who committed the crime, in an emergency situation.
Public Health Activities: We may use and disclose your health information for public health
activities, including the following:
- To prevent or control disease, injury, or disability;
- To report births or deaths;
- To report child abuse or neglect;
- To report adverse events, product defects or problems;
- To track FDA-regulated products;
- To notify people and enable product recalls; and
- To notify a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease or may be
at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition.
Serious Threat to Health or Safety: If there is a serious threat to your health and safety or the
health and safety of the public or another person, we may use and disclose your health
information to someone able to help prevent the threat.
Organ/Tissue Donation: If you are an organ donor, we may use and disclose your health
information to organizations that handle organ procurement or organ, eye, or tissue
transplantation or to an organ donation bank.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors: We may use and disclose health
information to a coroner or medical examiner. This disclosure may be necessary to identify a
deceased person or determine the cause of death. We may also disclose health information, as
necessary, to funeral directors to assist them in performing their duties.
Workers' Compensation: We may disclose your health information for workers' compensation
or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence: We may disclose health information to the
appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse,
neglect, or domestic violence. We will only make this disclosure if you agree, or when required
or authorized by law.
Military and Veterans Activities: If you are a member of the Armed Forces, we may disclose
your health information to military command authorities. Health information about foreign
military personnel may be disclosed to foreign military authorities.
National Security and Intelligence Activities: We may disclose your health information 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 your health information to
authorized federal officials so they may provide protective services for the President and
others, including foreign heads of state.
Inmates: If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law
enforcement official, we may disclose your health information to the correctional institution or
law enforcement official to assist them in providing you health care, protecting your health
and safety or the health and safety of others, or for the safety of the correctional institution.
Research: We may use and disclose your health information for certain limited research
purposes. All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process. This
process evaluates a proposed research project, assesses a number of specific issues, and
determines that appropriate privacy safeguards are in place to allow the use of health
information in the research project. We may, however, disclose your health information to
people preparing to conduct a research project; for example, to help them look for patients
with specific medical needs, so long as the health information they review does not leave the
practice.
Other Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information: Other uses and disclosures of your
health information not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only
with your authorization. If you authorize us to use or disclose your health information, you
may revoke that authorization, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your authorization, we
will no longer use or disclose your health information as specified by the revoked
authorization, except to the extent that we have taken action in reliance on your
authorization.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights regarding health information we maintain about you:
Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on how we use and
disclose your health information for treatment, payment or health care operations. 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 and submit it to your local Texas Oncology office.
Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we
communicate with you in a certain manner or at a certain location regarding the services you
receive from us. For example, you may ask that we only contact you at work or only by mail.
To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing and submit it
to your local Texas Oncology office. We will not ask you the reason for your request. We will
attempt to accommodate all reasonable requests.
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 or information that is compiled in reasonable
anticipation of, or use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding. To inspect
and copy your health information, you must make your request in writing by filling out the
appropriate form provided by us and submitting it to your local Texas Oncology office. If you
request a copy of your health information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying,
mailing or preparing the requested documents.
We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited circumstances. If you
are denied access to your health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed by
a licensed health care professional chosen by us. 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 your health information is incorrect or incomplete, you may
request that we amend your information. You have the right to request an amendment for as
long as the information is kept by or for us. To request an amendment, you must make your
request in writing by filling out the appropriate form provided by us and submitting it to your
local Texas Oncology office.
We may deny your request for an amendment. If this occurs, you will be notified of the reason
for the denial and given the opportunity to file a written statement of disagreement with us.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an accounting of certain
disclosures we make of your health information. Please note that certain disclosures, such as
those made for treatment, payment or health care operations, need not be included in the
accounting we provide to you.
To request an accounting of disclosures, you must make your request in writing by filling out
the appropriate form provided by us and submitting it your local Texas Oncology office. Your
request must state a time period which may not be longer than six years, and which may not
include dates before April 14, 2003. The first accounting you request within a 12-month period
will be free. For additional accountings, we may charge you for the costs of providing the
accounting. We will notify you of the costs involved and give you an opportunity to withdraw
or modify your request before any costs have been incurred.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice at any
time, even if you previously agreed to receive this Notice electronically. To obtain a paper
copy of this Notice, please contact your local Texas Oncology office.
Right to Complain: If you have any questions about this Notice or would like to file a complaint
about our privacy practices, please direct your inquiries to Texas Oncology at 1-800-758-7608
and ask for the Privacy Officer. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be retaliated against or penalized for
filing a complaint.
Changes to this Notice
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. We reserve the right to
make the new Notice provisions effective for all health information we currently maintain, as
well as any health information we receive in the future. If we make material or important
changes to our privacy practices, we will promptly revise our Notice. We will post a copy of the
current Notice in the waiting room. Each version of the Notice will have an effective date listed
on the first page.