To Report Abuse, Neglect Or Domestic Violence.  The Visiting Nurse Association is allowed to notify government authorities if we believe you are the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.  We will make this disclosure only when specifically required or authorized by law or when you agree to the disclosure.


To Conduct Health Oversight Activities.  The Visiting Nurse Association may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency for activities including audits, civil administrative or criminal investigations, inspections, licensure or disciplinary action.  We, however, may not disclose your health information if you are the subject of an investigation and your health information is not directly related to your receipt of health care or public benefits.


In Connection With Judicial And Administrative Proceedings.  The Visiting Nurse Association may disclose your health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding in response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal as expressly authorized by such order or in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process, but only when we make reasonable efforts to either notify you about the request or to obtain an order protecting your health information.


For Law Enforcement Purposes.  As permitted or required by State law, The Visiting Nurse Association may disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for certain law enforcement purposes as follows:
       • As required by law for reporting of certain types of wounds or other physical injuries pursuant to the court order, warrant, subpoena or summons or similar process.
        •For the purpose of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person.
        •Under certain limited circumstances, when you are the victim of a crime.
        •To a law enforcement official if we have a suspicion that your death was the result of criminal conduct including criminal conduct at our facility.
        •In an emergency in order to report a crime.  

To Coroners And Medical Examiners.  The Visiting Nurse Association may disclose your health information to coroners and medical examiners for purposes of determining your cause of death or for other duties, as authorized by law.  

To Funeral Directors.  The Visiting Nurse Association may disclose your health information to funeral directors consistent with applicable law and if necessary, to carry out their duties with respect to your funeral arrangements.  If necessary to carry out their duties, we may disclose your health information prior to and in reasonable anticipation of your death.  

For Organ, Eye Or Tissue Donation.  The Visiting Nurse Association may use or disclose your health information to organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the procurement, banking or transplantation of organs, eyes or tissue for the purpose of facilitating the donation and transplantation.  

For Research Purposes.  The Visiting Nurse Association may, under very select circumstances, use your health information for research.  Before we disclose any of your health information for such research purposes, the project will be subject to an extensive approval process.   

In the Event of A Serious Threat To Health Or Safety.  The Visiting Nurse Association may, consistent with applicable law and ethical standards of conduct, disclose your health information if we, in good faith, believes that such disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or to the health and safety of the public.  

For Specified Government Functions.  In certain circumstances, the Federal regulations authorize us to use or disclose your health information to facilitate specified government functions relating to military and veterans, national security and intelligence activities, protective services for the President and others, medical suitability determinations and inmates and law enforcement custody.  
For Worker's Compensation.  The Visiting Nurse Association may release your health information for worker's compensation or similar programs.

AUTHORIZATION TO USE OR DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION
Other than as stated above, we will not disclose your health information other than with your written authorization.  If you or your representative authorizes us to use or disclose your health information, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time.
YOUR RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
You have the following rights regarding your health information that we maintain:
Right to request restrictions.  You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information.  You have the right to request a limit on our disclosure of your health information to someone who is involved in your care or the payment of your care.  However, we are not required to agree to your request.  If you wish to make a request for restrictions, please contact The VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer at 724-463-6340.
Right to receive confidential communications.  You have the right to request that we communicate with you in a certain way.  For example, you may ask that we only conduct communications pertaining to your health information with you privately with no other family members present.  If you wish to receive confidential communications, please contact the VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer at 724-463-6340.  We will not request that you provide any reasons for your request and will attempt to honor your reasonable requests for confidential communications.
Right to inspect and copy your health information.  You have the right to inspect and copy your health information, including billing records.  A request to inspect and copy records containing your health information may be made to the VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer at 724-463-6340.  If you request a copy of your health information, we may charge a reasonable fee for copying and assembling costs associated with your request.
Right to amend health care information.  You or your representative have the right to request that we amend your records, if you believe that your health information is incorrect or incomplete.  That request may be made as long as the information is maintained by us.  A request for an amendment of records must be made in writing to Privacy Officer, Visiting Nurse Association of Indiana County, 1265 Wayne Ave, Indiana , PA  15701.  We may deny the request if it is not in writing or does not include a reason for the amendment.  The request also may be denied if your health information records were not created us, if the records you are requesting are not part of our records, if the health information you wish to amend is not part of the health information you or your representative are permitted to inspect and copy, or if, in our opinion, the records containing your health information are accurate and complete.
Right to an accounting.  You or your representative have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures, if any, of your health information made by us. This right applies to disclosures for purposes other than treatment, payment or healthcare operations as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. It excludes disclosures we may have made to you, to family members or friends involved in your care, or for notification purposes.  The request for an accounting must be made in writing to the VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer, Visiting Nurse Association of Indiana County, 1265 Wayne Ave., Indiana , PA  15701. The request should specify the time period for the accounting starting on or after April 14, 2003 .  Accounting requests may not be made for periods of time in excess of six (6) years.  We would provide the first accounting you request during any 12-month period without charge.  Subsequent accounting requests may be subject to a reasonable cost-based fee.
Right to a paper copy of this notice.  You or your representative have a right to a separate paper copy of this Notice at any time even if you or your representative have received this Notice previously.  To obtain a separate paper copy, please contact The VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer at 724-463-6340. [In addition, you may obtain a copy of this Notice at our website, www.vnaindiana-pa.org.]
OUR DUTIES
The Visiting Nurse Association are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide to you and your representative this Notice of its duties and privacy practices.  We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice as may be amended from time to time.  We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the new Notice provisions effective for all health information that it maintains.  If we change our Notice, we will provide a copy of the revised Notice to you or your appointed representative.  You or your personal representative have the right to express complaints to us and to the Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services if you or your representative believe that your privacy rights have been violated.  Any complaints to us should be made in writing to Privacy Officer, Visiting Nurse Association of Indiana County, 1265 Wayne Ave, Indiana , PA  15701.  We encourage you to express any concerns you may have regarding the privacy of your information.  You will not be retaliated against in any way for filing a complaint.
CONTACT PERSON
We have designated the VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer as our contact person for all issues regarding patient privacy and your rights under the Federal privacy standards.  You may contact this person at the Visiting Nurse Association of Indiana County, 1265 Wayne Ave, Indiana , PA  15701, and (724)463-6340.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Notice is effective April 14, 2003.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE, PLEASE CONTACT the VNA of Indiana County Group Privacy Officer at 724-463-6340

Tree of Lights  A VNA Tradition returns to the IRMC campus

 

Hope Takes Flight

Monarch Butterfly Release in honor and memory of your loved ones. August 21, 2011 at 2PM

YMCA of INDIANA COUNTY

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