NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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.

Understanding Your Health Record/Information
Each time you are admitted to our hospital or nursing home, a record of your visit is made.  Typically this record contains your symptoms, examinations, test results, diagnoses, treatment, and a plan for future care or treatment.  This is often referred to as your medical record and serves as a:

• basis for planning your care and treatment;
• means of communication among health professionals who take care of you;
• legal document that describes the care you receive;
• verification that services we bill for are actually provided;
• tool to educate health professionals;
• source of data for medical research;
• source of information for public health officials who work to improve the health of the nation;
• a source of data for facility planning and marketing, and;
• a tool we use to work to improve the care we provide and outcomes we achieve.

By your knowing what is in your medical record and how information is used helps you to:

• ensure its accuracy;
• better understand who, what, when, where, and why others have access to your health information, and;
• make more informed decisions about authorizing others to receive your information. 

What Rights You Have Regarding Your Health Information
Your medical record is the physical property of Virginia Regional Medical Center but the information belongs to you.  You have the right to:

• request restrictions on how we use and disclose your information, though we are not required to agree to the requested restriction;
• obtain a paper copy or e-mail of this notice;
• request to see and get copies of your information;
• request a change or addition to your information;
• ask for a list of disclosures we made for up to six (6) years beginning April 14, 2003 (see exceptions listed below);
• request to  receive your information at alternate locations or by alternate means, and;
• revoke your authorization to use or disclose information.

We may ask you to make requests in writing.  If you request copies of information, we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of generating copies.  If you request an amendment to your information, or request restrictions on how we use or disclose your information, we are not required to grant all such requests.

Exceptions to accounting of disclosures:
We are not required to give you a list of disclosures made:

• to carry out treatment, payment, and health care operations;
• to you as the subject of the information;
• to our facility directory;
• when you specifically authorized release of information, and;
• to doctors and other health care professionals involved in your care.