Information
You have several rights with respect to health information about you. This section of the Notice will briefly mention each of these rights. If you would like to know more about your rights, please contact our Privacy Officer at (608) 647-8821.
1. Right to a copy of this Notice
You have a right to have a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. In addition, a copy of this Notice will always be posted in our waiting areas and on our website at www.co.richland.wi.us. If you would like to have a copy of our Notice, ask one of our receptionists for a copy or contact our Privacy Officer.
2. Right of access to inspect and copy
With a few exceptions, you have the right to inspect (which means see or review) and receive a copy of health information about you that we maintain in certain groups of records. However, this right does not apply to psychotherapy notes or information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, for example. In addition, we may charge you a reasonable fee if you want a copy of your health information. If you request that we mail you a copy of your health information, we will charge you the postage costs as well. If you would like to inspect or receive a copy of health information about you, you must provide us with a request in writing.
We may deny your request in certain circumstances. If we deny your request, we will explain our reason for doing so in writing. We will also inform you in writing if you have the right to have our decision reviewed by another person.
3. Right to have health information amended
You have the right to have us amend (which means correct or supplement) health information about you that we maintain in certain groups of records. If you believe that we have information that is either inaccurate or incomplete, we may amend the information to indicate the problem and notify others who have copies of the inaccurate or incomplete information. If you would like us to amend information, you must provide us with a request in writing and explain why you would like us to amend the information.
We may deny your request in certain circumstances. For example, if we did not create the health information that you believe is incorrect, or if we disagree with you and believe your health information is correct, we may deny your request. If we deny your request, we will explain our reason for doing so in writing. You will have the opportunity to send us a statement explaining why you disagree with our decision to deny your amendment request and we will share your statement whenever we disclose the information in the future.
4. Right to an accounting of disclosures we have made
You have the right to receive an accounting (which means a detailed listing) of disclosures that we have made for the previous six (6) years. If you would like to receive an accounting, you may send us a letter requesting an accounting or contact our Privacy Officer.
The accounting of disclosures will not include disclosures made prior to April 14, 2003.
The accounting of disclosures will include the date of each disclosure, who received the disclosed health information, a brief description of the health information disclosed, and why the disclosure was made. We must comply with your request for a list of disclosures within 60 days, unless you agree to a 30-day extension, and we may not charge you for the list, unless you request such list more than once per year. In addition, we will not include in the list of disclosures, disclosures made to you, or for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, national security, law enforcement/corrections, and certain health oversight activities, unless otherwise required by law.
5. Right to request restrictions on uses and disclosures
You have the right to request that we limit the use and disclosure of health information about you for treatment, payment and health care operations.
We are not required to agree to your request.
If we do agree to your request, we must follow your restrictions (except if the information is necessary for emergency treatment). You may cancel the restrictions at any time. In addition, we may cancel a restriction at any time as long as we notify you of the cancellation and continue to apply the restriction to information collected before the cancellation.
6. Right to request an alternative method of contact
You have the right to request to be contacted at a different location or by a different method. For example, you may prefer to have all written information mailed to your work address rather than to your home address.
We will agree to any reasonable request for alternative methods of contact. If you would like to request an alternative method of contact, you must provide us with a request in writing.