In compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), this notice will describe how your health information may be used or disclosed and how you may gain access to this information. Please review the following information carefully.

Our commitment to your privacy.
“Protected Health Information” (PHI), is information about you. This includes information which may identify you presently, in the past or in the future. This may include demographic information, and/or mental or physical health services provided to you. Ramona Women’s Clinic (RWC) is committed to maintaining the privacy of your PHI. By law we are required to provide you with this notice, our legal responsibilities, and the privacy practices we follow to protect your PHI.  The following information discusses how we may use and disclose your PHI, your privacy rights concerning your PHI and our obligation regarding the use and disclosure of your PHI. The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your PHI that are created or maintained in our clinic. RWC reserves the right to revise this notice at any time.

Uses and Disclosures.
Treatment-Your PHI may be used by our RWC Advocates, Medical Staff and/or our Medical Director. This will be done for evaluating your health and providing treatment. For example, laboratory tests or diagnostic procedure results will be available in your records to healthcare professionals who may provide treatment for you.

Health Care Operations.
Confidentiality is important to us and we encourage you to inform us how and where you prefer to be contacted, along with how your information is communicated. Additionally, RWC may use your PHI to support business activities. These activities may be related to budgeting and financing, licensing, employee review and clinic activities which promote and evaluate quality.

Disclosure of your Protected Health Information (PHI) under special circumstances.
Your PHI may be used without your authorization under the following circumstances. For example, abuse or neglect or when there is a situation of a threat to harm yourself, a third party or RWC. We are also required to report public health issues such as certain communicable diseases to the California Department of Public Health. We are required by law to make these disclosures to you which are mandated under the requirements of Section 164.500 of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Individual Rights.
As permitted by federal law, you may request in writing to inspect or copy your protected health information we maintain in our records. We are not obligated to grant your request, but we will notify you in writing of our decision within 60 days.  RWC will obtain your written permission for any other uses or disclosures not identified in this notice. Any authorization of the use or disclosure of your PHI may be revoked in writing at any time. However, RWC is required to retain your records for a period of 7 years.

If you have questions regarding our privacy policies, please contact us.