HIPAA Information on Patient Rights

Notice of Privacy Practices

Student Health and Wellness is required by applicable federal and state laws to maintain the privacy of your health information. Student Health and Wellness is also required to give you this Notice about our privacy practices, our legal duties and your rights concerning your health information. We must follow the privacy practices that are described in this Notice while it is in effect. This Notice is currently in effect and will remain in effect until we replace it.

Student Health and Wellness reserves the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable law. We reserve the right to make the changes in our privacy practices and the new terms of our Notice effective for all health information that we maintain, including health information that we created or received before we made the changes. Before we make a significant change in our privacy practices, we will change this Notice and make the new Notice available upon request.

This information is to help you understand your rights under federal privacy regulations, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.

What is a Notice of Privacy Practices?

The Notice of Privacy Practices, or Notice, describes the privacy practices of UMKC Student Health and Wellness.It describes how we use or disclose your medical or health information.It also explains your rights as a patient under privacy regulations, as well as the responsibilities of UMKC Student Health and Wellness regarding your information.

Why do I need a Notice of Privacy Practices?

We are required by federal regulations to maintain the privacy of your medical or health information.We create a record of the care and services you receive at UMKC Student Health and Wellness.We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements.The Notice will help you understand how to exercise your rights regarding your health information.

How do I get a copy of the Notice?

  • At your first visit to UMKC Student Health and Wellness, staff should provide you the opportunity to review and request a copy of the Notice.
  • You may request a copy of the Notice at any time.
  • You may also view a copy of the Noticefrom our website:umkc.edu/studenthealth/files/shw-npp.pdf

How do I get more information about certain rights discussed on the Notice?

For additional information on your rights from the list below, you may:

  1. Ask UMKC Student Health and Wellness staff for forms or written information when available.
  2. Access information from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website at hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/

What are my patient rights?

As a patient, you have certain rights. Understanding them will help us provide the best possible care. It is our responsibility to protect and defend your rights.

  • You have the right to request access to your health information:
  1. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of medical or health information that may be used to make decisions about your care.
  2. You have the right to request that we provide copies in a format other than photocopies. We will use the format that you request unless we cannot practicably do so.
  3. To request access to your health information:
  • You must make a request in writing to obtain access to your health information. To submit a written request, complete the Consent/Authorization for Release of Information(LINK TO FORM).
  • We will charge you a reasonable cost for the expenses such as copying, mailing, and staff time.
  • If we deny your request to review or obtain a copy of your health information, you may submit a written request to the UMKC Student Health and Wellness Privacy Officer for a review of that decision.
  • You have the right to request an Accounting of Disclosures:
  1. You have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures” made by UMKC Student Health and Wellness of your medical or health information that occurred in the past six years.
  2. The accounting, or list, of disclosures will include:
  • The date of the disclosure;
  • The name of the entity or person who received the information, and, if known, the address;
  • A brief description of the medical information disclosed; and
  • A brief summary of the purpose of the disclosure.
  1. To request an accounting of disclosures:
  • You must request this list in writing.Your request must state a time period that may not be longer than six years prior to the date of the request.The time period may be less than six years.
  • Your request should state in what format you want the list, for example:via paper or electronical version.
  • The first list you request within a twelve month period will be provided to you free of charge.For additional lists during this same time period, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list.We will notify you of the cost involved, and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request before any costs are incurred.
  • You have the right to request an amendment:
  1. If you feel that medical or health information that we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information.
  2. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for the institution.
  3. To request an amendment:
  • You must request this amendment in writing.
  • You must provide a reason for your request.
  1. We are not required to accept your request:
  • We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason for the request.
  • We may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
  • Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
  • Is not part of the information kept by or for the institution;
  • Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
  • Is accurate and complete as it is.
  • If we deny your request to amend the information, we will notify you in writing.
  • You have the right to request confidential communications:
  1. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location.For example, you can ask that we only contact you by telephone at work, or that we only contact you by mail at home.We will accommodate all reasonable requests, and will not ask you the reason for your request.
  2. To request communication in alternative methods or locations, you must make your request in writing on a designated form.
  • You have the right to request restrictions on certain disclosures:
  1. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
  2. To request a restriction:
  • You must make your request in writing.In your request you must tell us:
  • What information you want to limit;
  • Whether you want to limit our use or disclosure of the information (or both); and
  • To whom you want the limits to apply (for example, disclosures to your spouse).
  • We are not required to agree to these additional restrictions.
  • If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you with emergency treatment, or where disclosure is required by law.
  • You have the right to complain if you are concerned that your privacy rights have been violated, or if you disagree with a decision we have made about access to your health information or in response to any request you have made.

If you would like to complain:

  1. We encourage you to first address the complaint with the UMKC Student Health and Wellness staff.
  2. You may also contact the UMKC Student Health and Wellness Privacy Officer:

Scott Thompson

Administrator, Student Health and Wellness

816-235-6133

  1. You may also submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, whose address we will provide upon your request.
  2. We support your right to the privacy of your health information. We will not retaliate against you in any way if you choose to file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

What are the common uses and disclosures of my health information?

We use and disclose health information about you for treatment, payment and health care operations.

  • For example: Treatment —We may use or disclose your health information to a physician or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you.
  • Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you.
  • Health care operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.
  • Your authorization: In addition to our use of your health information for treatment, payment or healthcare operations, you may give us written authorization to use your health information or to disclose it to anyone for any purpose. If you give us an authorization, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect any use or disclosure permitted by your authorization while it was in effect. Unless you give us a written authorization, we cannot use or disclose your health information for any reason except those described in this Notice.
  • To your family and friends: We must disclose your health information to you, as described in the Patient Rights section of this Notice. We may disclose your health information to a family member, friend or other person to the extent necessary to help with your healthcare or with payment for your healthcare, but only if you agree that we may do so.
  • Persons involved in your care: We may use or disclose health information to notify or assist in the notification of (including identifying or locating) a family member, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care, of your location, general condition, or death. If you are present, then prior to use or disclosure of your health information, we will provide you with an opportunity to object to such uses or disclosures. In the event of your incapacity or emergency circumstances, we will disclose health information based on a determination using our professional judgment and disclosing only that health information directly relevant to the person’s involvement in your healthcare. We will also use our professional judgment and our experience with common practice to make reasonable inferences of your best interest in allowing a person to pick up filled prescriptions, medical supplies, x-rays, or other similar forms of health information.
  • Marketing: We will not use your health information for marketing communications without your written authorization.
  • Required by law: We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law, such as in response to a request from law enforcement in specific circumstances, or in response to valid judicial or administrative orders.
  • Appointment reminders: We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders, such as voicemail messages, postcards, or letters.
  • Other: Subject to certain requirements, we may give out health information about you without your prior authorization for public health purposes, abuse or neglect reporting, health oversight audits or inspections, research studies, funeral arrangements and organ donation, worker’s compensation purposes, and emergencies, including national security activities.
  • We may also be involved as a study site and serve as researchers in connection with certain clinical trials. Our participation in the advancement of science and medicine may be of benefit to you as our clinicians often are aware of experimental and new treatments. In order to provide you with useful information concerning the availability to you of these treatments, we may review your medical record from time to time to determine whether you may be eligible to participate in certain studies in which you would then have access to experimental treatments. Only our clinicians will review your medical record during these reviews, and none of your protected health information will be disclosed to third parties without your specific authorization. If it is preliminarily determined that you may be eligible to participate in such treatment and that such treatment may be beneficial to you, your doctor or a member of our staff will contact you with further information.