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Notice of Privacy Practices Of Pinellas County Human Services

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.

Your health information is personal, and we are committed to safeguarding it. Moreover, we must deliver high-quality care and comply with applicable laws and regulations. This notice encompasses all records related to your care at our facility. (Your doctor may have different policies and a different notice regarding your health information.)

I. We are Legally Required to Safeguard Your Protected Health Information.

We are required by law to:

  1. maintain the privacy of your health information, also known as “protected health information” or “PHI.”
  2. provide you with this Notice, and
  3. comply with this notice.

II. Future Changes to Our Practices and This Notice

We reserve the right to amend our privacy practices and to apply any such modifications to the PHI we previously obtained about you prior to the change. If a change is material, we will update this Notice to reflect the modification. You may request a copy of any revised Notice by contacting the Human Services Privacy Officer at: 440 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Clearwater, FL 33756. Additionally, we will make any revised Notice accessible in our reception area and on our official website at pinellas.gov/department/Human Services

III. How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information

The law requires your consent for certain uses and disclosures. In other cases, we may use or share PHI without your permission. This section (III) provides examples of both situations.

  1. Uses and Disclosures that do not Require Your Authorization. We may use or share your PHI to provide you with treatment or to enable others to do so. For instance, your PHI might be shared with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers involved in your care. We may also use and share your PHI to contact you about upcoming appointments, suggest treatment options or alternatives, or inform you about health-related benefits or services that might interest you. With your permission, we might share your PHI with your insurance company to process payments for your treatment, such as creating bills or sharing relevant information with billing and claims partners. Without your permission, we may also use or disclose your PHI for healthcare operations, such as assessing the quality of care you received or evaluating staff performance. We may provide your PHI to our lawyers, accountants, and consultants to ensure legal compliance. Some exceptions to the permission requirement exist under the law, such as emergency treatment situations where your consent cannot be obtained immediately, for example, if you are unconscious or in severe pain, and we have a reasonable belief you would agree to treatment if able.
  2. Uses and Disclosures That Require Us to Allow You to Object. Unless you object, we may share your PHI with family members, friends, or other individuals you specify who are involved in your healthcare, assist you in obtaining insurance coverage, or facilitate payment for your healthcare services. Additionally, we may use or disclose your PHI to inform your family or personal representative of your location or condition. In cases of emergency or when you are unable to consent or object to such disclosures, we will release PHI as we deem appropriate for your best interests and will inform you of the disclosure afterward, providing you with an opportunity to object to future disclosures to family and friends if circumstances permit. Unless you explicitly object, we may also disclose your PHI to personnel conducting disaster relief operations.
  3. Certain Uses and Disclosures Do Not Require Your Authorization. The law permits the disclosure of PHI without your prior authorization under the following circumstances:
  1. We disclose PHI when mandated to do so by federal, state, or local law.
  2. Regarding Public Health Activities, for instance, we disclose PHI when reporting adverse reactions to a medication or medical device, or when notifying individuals who may have been exposed to a disease in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Furthermore, we may use and disclose your PHI as necessary to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state workplace safety laws.
  3. Regarding reports concerning victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, we will disclose your PHI in these reports solely if mandated or permitted by law, or with your explicit consent.
  4. To Health Oversight Agencies: We shall furnish PHI upon request to government agencies authorized to conduct audits, quality control and assurance reviews, or those granted oversight authority over our operations.
  5. In cases of lawsuits and disputes, we may disclose your PHI in response to a subpoena, other lawful requests, or upon court or administrative order.
  6. To Law Enforcement we may disclose PHI as legally authorized upon request by a law enforcement official under the following circumstances: (a) in response to a court order issued by a court in the county where the records are located, grand jury subpoena, court-ordered warrant, administrative request, or similar process; (b) to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; (c) regarding a crime victim if, under specific limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the individual’s consent; (d) concerning a death believed to be caused by criminal activity; (e) relating to criminal conduct occurring at our facility; and (f) in emergencies, to report a crime, its location or victims, or the identity, description, or whereabouts of the perpetrator.
  7. To Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors: We may disclose PHI to assist these individuals in performing their official duties.
  8. For Medical Research. We may disclose your PHI without your consent to medical researchers who request it for approved medical research projects. However, with minimal exceptions, such disclosures must be authorized through a designated approval process before any disclosure of PHI to researchers, who must safeguard the PHI they receive.
  9. To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may disclose your PHI to individuals who can assist in preventing a serious threat to your health and safety, to the health and safety of another individual, or to the public.
  10. For Specialized Government Functions. For example, we may disclose your PHI to authorized federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized by law, or to provide protective services to the President or foreign heads of state, or to conduct special investigations authorized by law.
  11. To Workers’ Compensation or Similar Programs. We may furnish your PHI to these programs to facilitate your access to benefits related to work-related injuries or illnesses.
  12. To Organ Procurement Organizations: We may disclose PHI to facilitate the processes of organ donation and transplantation.

IV. Other Uses and Disclosures of Your Protected Health Information

Any other uses and disclosures of your PHI not covered by this Notice or the applicable laws will only be conducted with your explicit written authorization. Should you provide such authorization, you retain the right to revoke it at any time, provided that the revocation is made in writing. Upon revocation, we will cease using or disclosing your PHI for the purposes outlined in the original authorization; however, we cannot retract disclosures already made with your permission. Moreover, we reserve the right to use or disclose your PHI after you revoke your authorization for actions based on prior consent. Additionally, we are required to maintain records of uses and disclosures that occurred during the period the authorization was valid.

V. Your Rights Related to Your Protected Health Information

You have the following rights:

  1. The Right to Request Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI. You have the right to request restrictions on how we utilize and disclose your PHI, provided that such requests do not pertain to disclosures mandated or authorized by us to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, or related to our facility’s patient directory, or as described in Section III above. All such requests must be submitted in writing to our Privacy Officer. We are not obliged to accept your request. Should we agree to the restrictions, we will document the agreement in writing and adhere to it, except in cases requiring emergency treatment.
  2. The Right to Choose How We Communicate with You. You have the right to request that we send information to you at a designated address (such as your workplace rather than your residence) or via a preferred method (such as email instead of regular mail, or never by telephone). We are obliged to comply with your request, provided it does not disrupt our operations. Such requests must be submitted in writing and addressed to our Privacy Officer.
  3. The Right to See and Copy Your PHI. Except for limited circumstances, you are entitled to review and copy your PHI that may be utilized in making decisions regarding your healthcare if you submit a written request. Such requests must be directed to our Privacy Officer, who will respond within 30 days, or within 60 days if additional time is needed. In certain situations, we may refuse your request; however, we will notify you in writing of the reasons for such denial and inform you of your rights to request a review of the denial. Alternatively, we may offer a summary or explanation of your PHI, subject to your prior agreement to this arrangement and the associated costs.
  4. The Right to Correct or Update Your PHI. If you believe that the PHI we have regarding you is incomplete or inaccurate, you may request its correction. Such requests must be submitted in writing, addressed to our Privacy Officer, and must include the reasons for the proposed correction. We will respond to your request within 60 days (or 90 days if additional time is required) and will inform you in writing of whether the amendment will be approved or denied. If we agree to amend the information, we will inquire about any additional parties you wish us to notify of the alteration. We reserve the right to deny your request to amend information if it falls under any of the following categories:
    • (1) information not created by us, unless the individual responsible for creation is no longer available to make the amendment;
    • (2) information that is not part of the Protected Health Information (PHI) we maintain about you;
    • (3) information that you are not permitted to access or copy; or
    • (4) information that we have verified to be accurate and complete.
      • If we deny your request for amendment, we will provide written notice outlining the procedure for submitting a statement of disagreement or complaint, or for requesting that your original amendment request be included in your PHI.
  5. The Right to Get a List of the Disclosures We Have Made. You have the right to request a list of instances in which we have disclosed your PHI. This list will exclude disclosures made for treatment, payment, and health care operations, as well as disclosures directly to you, your family, or friends, or through our facility directory, and disclosures made for disaster relief purposes. Additionally, the list will not include disclosures made for national security reasons, to law enforcement personnel, or disclosures made before April 14, 2003. Your request for a list of disclosures must be submitted in writing and directed to our Privacy Officer. The list provided will include disclosures made in the past six years, excluding those made before April 14, 2003, unless you specify a shorter timeframe. The initial list requested within a 12-month period will be provided at no cost. Any subsequent lists requested within the same period will incur a charge to cover our costs.
  6. The Right to Get a Paper Copy of This Notice. Even if you have consented to receive the Notice via email, you retain the right to request a physical copy. You may obtain a hard copy of this Notice by contacting The Human Services Privacy Officer at: 440 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Clearwater, FL 33756. The Notice is also accessible at our reception area and on our official website. pinellas.gov/department/Human Services

VI. Participation in the Health Information Exchange Network

Access to information about your health history, social and behavioral factors, and medical care is essential to ensure high-quality care and provide your healthcare provider with a comprehensive understanding of your overall health. Such information facilitates informed decision-making by your provider and may prevent the need for redundant tests, thereby conserving your time, resources, and concern. Recent technological advancements have enabled the secure and confidential electronic exchange of critical clinical information among healthcare providers via Health Information Exchange (HIE) networks. The Human Services department participates in these networks, alongside various trusted external healthcare providers, to swiftly and securely share your health information electronically among a broad network of healthcare professionals, including physicians, hospitals, laboratories, and pharmacies. Your health information is transmitted securely, and access is strictly limited to authorized healthcare providers with a legitimate need. Electronic sharing reduces the risk of misuse or misplacement associated with paper or faxed records. Participation in HIE is entirely voluntary.

Choice 1. Consent to HIE Participation: If you agree to have your medical information shared through HIE, and you have a current Initiation of Services form on file, no additional action is required. By signing this form, you authorize us to share your health information via HIE.

Choice 2. Decline HIE Participation: You may choose to opt out of electronic sharing through the HIE network at any time by completing the Health Information Exchange Opt-Out Form available at the county health department. If you opt out, healthcare providers will be unable to access your health information through HIE. However, opting out does not prevent healthcare providers involved in your care from requesting your health information directly, as outlined in this Notice of Privacy Practices. Opting out also does not affect information previously shared via HIE.

Choice 3. Modification of Consent: You may withdraw or alter your consent at any time. You can either affirm your current consent to share your information via HIE or opt out by completing the appropriate forms, including the Revocation of HIE Opt-Out Request Form.

VII. Billing Release and Assignment of Benefits

  1. Billing Release. Understand that your billing information may be disclosed to the Social Security Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, any HMO/PPO, other private or public insurance providers, their agents, fiscal intermediaries, carriers, or an independent agency performing billing or collection functions. This includes, but is not limited to, itemized billing statements, invoices, payment records, and insurance claim billing records related to my care. You retain the right to revoke this authorization in writing at any time by submitting your request in writing and directed to the Human Services Privacy Officer.
  2. Assignment of Benefits. You understand that you are releasing information that may be necessary during or after the course of treatment to ensure the efficient processing of an insurance claim. You retain the right to revoke this authorization in writing at any time by submitting your request to the Human Services Privacy Officer, understanding that doing so would make you responsible for service payment processing.

VIII. Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may submit a formal complaint to our Privacy Officer or to the Secretary of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. To initiate a complaint with our office, please submit your written grievance addressed to our Privacy Officer at 440 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Clearwater, FL 33756. County policy prohibits retaliation for filing a complaint. You may also contact the Human Services Privacy Officer if you have questions or comments about our privacy practices at (727)464-4200.