CHI Commitment Regarding your Health Information
The Comprehensive Health Integration (CHI) is committed to protecting the privacy of its members and patients. The CHI maintains safeguards to store and secure information about its members and customers. The safeguards my be physical, electronic, or procedural.
This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes:
- how the CHI collects information from its websites and through your other voluntary interactions with the CHI (e.g;.application for CHI membership, subscription to a CHI publication, communication with the CHI contact center, purchase of an CHI product, registration to a CHI event, participation in a member/patient survey); and
- how the CHI uses this information.
By visiting the CHI's websites (i.e., comprehensivehealth.blogger.com, comprehensivehealthintegration.blogger.com), becoming a member, patient or customer or otherwise voluntarily submitting information to the CHI, you agree to this Policy. The CHI reserves the right to make changes to this Policy at any time; in such case, the CHI will post a notice that this Policy has been modified by revising the "Last updated" date at the bottom of this page.
What information does the CHI collect?
The CHI collects two types of information:- non-personally identifiable information for everyone who visits its websites; and
- personally identifiable information for members, registered website users, and anyone who purchases or requests products, services or information.
Non-personally identifiable information
The CHI employs cookies to collect information about all visitors to CHI websites, including pages viewed and order visited, terms used in searching CHI websites, and products investigated or purchased. The CHI uses cookies to offer greater functionality, and the information generated from these cookies is used to help determine which services are most important and to guide editorial and business decisions.Users who do not desire the functionality offered by cookies may disable cookie functionality in their browsers or through settings on their mobile devices; however, users who do so may not be able to use some features of CHI websites. For example, a registered user must have cookies enabled in order to access the registered user sections of the CHI websites.
For system administration and troubleshoothing, the CHI also logs the originating Internet Protocol (IP) address the browser and operating system used, and information about your individual use, such as time and date of visits, duration of sessions, and other similar usage or system data.
The CHI collects this non-personally identifiable information form users who are browsing the public areas of the CHI websites. Users of the public areas of the CHI websites browse anonymously; however, once a user registers and logs in as a member/customer, subsequent visits to public areas of CHI websites are no longer anonymous. The CHI does not review the use of publicly accessible areas of CHI websites by individual users unless this information will assist in troubleshooting individual problems or in certain cases in conjunction with personally identifiable information (as set forth below under "How does the CHI use information collected?").
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
The following sections describe different ways that we may use and disclose your Health Information. Some information, such as certain drug and alcohol information, HIV information, genetic information and mental health information is entitled to special restrictions related to its use and disclosure. Not every use or disclosure will be listed. All of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information, however, will fall within one of the following categories. Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only if we have your written authorization.
For Treatment. We may use Health Information about you to provide you with medical and mental health treatment or services. We may disclose Health Information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, students, or other health system personnel who are involved in taking care of you in the health system. For example, a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you have diabetes because diabetes may slow the healing process. A doctor treating you for a mental condition may need to know what medications you are currently taking, because the medications may affect what other medications may be prescribed to you. We may also share Health Information about you with other non-CHI providers. The disclosure of your Health Information to non-CHI providers may be done electronically through a health information exchange that allows providers involved in your care to access some of your CHI records to coordinate services for you.
For Payment. We may use and disclose Health Information about you so that the treatment and services you receive at CHI may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company or a third party. For example, we may need to give information to your health plan about a procedure you received at CHI so your health plan will reimburse you for the procedure. We may also tell your health plan about a proposed treatment to determine whether your plan will pay for the treatment.
For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose Health Information about you for our business operations. For example, your Health Information may be used to review the quality and safety of our services, or for business planning, management and administrative services. We may contact you about alternative treatment options for you or about other benefits or services we provide. We may also use and disclose your health information to an outside company that performs services for us such as accreditation, legal, computer or auditing services. These outside companies are called "business associates" and are required by law to keep your Health Information confidential. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical and other students, and other health system personnel for performance improvement and educational purposes.
Appointment Reminders. We may contact you to remind you that you have an appointment at CHI.
Fundraising Activities. We may contact you to provide information about CHI sponsored activities, including fundraising programs and events. We may use contact information, such as your name, address and phone number, date of birth, physician name, the outcome of your care, department where you received services and the dates you received treatment or services at CHI. You may opt-out of receiving fundraising information for the CHI by contacting us at comprehensivehealthintegration@gmail.com
Hospital Directory. If you are hospitalized, we may include certain limited information about you in the hospital directory. This is so your family, friends and clergy can visit you in the hospital and generally know how you are doing. This information may include your name, location in the hospital, your general condition (e.g., fair, stable, etc.) and your religious affiliation. The directory information, except for your religious affiliation, may also be released to people who ask for you by name. Your religious affiliation may be given to members of the clergy, such as ministers or rabbis, even if they don't ask for you by name. You have the opportunity to limit the release of directory information by telling CHI at the time of your hospitalization.
Our disclosure of this information about you if you are hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital will be more limited.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. We may release medical information to anyone involved in your medical care, e.g., a friend, family member, personal representative, or any individual you identify. We may also give information to someone who helps pay for your care. We may also tell your family or friends about your general condition and that you are in the hospital.
Disaster Relief Efforts. We may disclose Health Information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that others can be notified about your condition, status and location.
Research. The CHI is a research institution. We may disclose Health Information about you for research purposes, subject to the confidentiality provisions of state and federal law. All research projects involving patients or the information about living patients conducted by the CHI must be approved through a special review process to protect patient safety, welfare and confidentiality.
In addition to disclosing Health Information for research, researchers may contact patients regarding their interest in participating in certain research studies. Researchers may only contact you if they have been given approval to do so by the special review process. You will only become a part of one of these research projects if you agree to do so and sign a specific permission form called an Authorization. When approved through a special review process, other studies may be performed using your Health Information without requiring your authorization. These studies will not affect your treatment or welfare, and your Health Information will continue to be protected.
As Required By Law. We will disclose Health Information about you when required to do so by federal or state law.
To Prevent a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose Health Information about you when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure would be to someone able to help stop or reduce the threat.
Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ donor, we may release your Health Information to organizations that obtain, bank or transplant organs, eyes or tissue, as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.
Military and Veterans. If you are or were a member of the armed forces, we may release Health Information about you to military command authorities as authorized or required by law.
Workers' Compensation. We may use or disclose Health Information about you for Workers' Compensation or similar programs as authorized or required by law. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
Public Health Disclosures. We may disclose Health Information about you for public health activities such as:
- preventing or controlling disease (such as cancer and tuberculosis), injury or disability;
- reporting vital events such as births and deaths;
- reporting child abuse or neglect;
- reporting adverse events or surveillance related to food, medications or defects or problems with products;
- notifying persons of recalls, repairs or replacements of products they may be using;
- notifying a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition;
Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose Health Information to governmental, licensing, auditing, and accrediting agencies as authorized or required by law.
Lawsuits and Other Legal Proceedings. We may disclose Health Information to courts, attorneys and court employees in the course of conservatorship, writs and certain other judicial or administrative proceedings. We may also disclose Health Information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena, discovery request, warrant, or other lawful process.
Law Enforcement. If asked to do so by law enforcement, and as authorized or required by law, we may release Health Information:
- To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, certain escapees, or missing person;
- About a suspected victim of a crime if, under certain limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person's agreement;
- About a death suspected to be the result of criminal conduct;
- About criminal conduct at CHI; and
- In case of a medical emergency, to report a crime; the location of the crime or victims; or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime.
National Security and Intelligence Activities. As required by law, we may disclose Health Information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities.
Protective Services for the President and Others. As required by law, we may disclose Health Information about you to authorized federal officials so they may conduct special investigations or provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state.
Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of law enforcement officials, we may release Health Information about you to the correctional institution as authorized or required by law.
Marketing or Sale of Health Information. Most uses and disclosures of your Health Information for marketing purposes or any sale of your Health Information would require your written authorization.
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES OF HEALTH INFORMATION
Other uses and disclosures of Health Information not covered by this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. If you authorize us to use or disclose your Health Information, you may revoke that authorization, in writing, at any time. However, the revocation will not be effective for information that we have already used and disclosed in reliance on the authorization.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
Your Health Information is the property of CHI. You have the following rights regarding the Health Information we maintain about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy. With certain exceptions, you have the right to inspect and/or receive a copy of your Health Information. If we have the information in electronic format then you have the right to get your Health Information in electronic format if it is possible for us to do so. If not we will work with you to agree on a way for you to get the information electronically or as a paper copy.
To inspect and/or to receive a copy of your Health Information, you must submit your request in writing to CHI MEDICAL RECORDS, 406 Broadway Ave, 327F, Santa Monica, CA 90401. If you request a copy of the information, there is a fee for these services.
We may deny your request to inspect and/or to receive a copy in certain limited circumstances. If you are denied access to Health Information, in most cases, you may have the denial reviewed. Another licensed health care professional chosen by CHI will review your request and the denial. The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied your request. We will comply with the outcome of the review.
Right to Request an Amendment or Addendum. If you feel that Health Information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information or add an addendum (addition to the record). You have the right to request an amendment or addendum for as long as the information is kept by or for CHI.
Amendment. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to the CHI MEDICAL RECORDS, 406 Broadway Ave, 327F, Santa Monica, CA 90401. You must be specific about the information that you believe to be incorrect or incomplete and you must provide a reason that support the request.
We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing, we cannot determine from the request the information you are asking to be changed or corrected or your request does not include a reason to support the change or addition. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
- Was not created by CHI
- Is not part of the Health Information kept by or for CHI;
- Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
- CHI believes to be accurate and complete.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to receive a list of certain disclosures we have made of your Health Information.
To request this accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to CHI MEDICAL RECORDS, 406 Broadway Ave, 327F, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Your request must state a time period that may not be longer than the six previous years. You are entitled to one accounting within any 12-month period at no cost. If you request a second accounting within that 12-month period, there will be a charge for the cost of compiling the accounting. We will notify you of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time before any costs are incurred.
Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the Health Information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the Health Information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as a family member or friend.
To request a restriction, you must make your request in writing to the CHI MEDICAL RECORDS, 406 Broadway Ave, 327F, Santa Monica, CA 90401. In your request, you must tell us (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, only to you and your spouse. We are not required to agree to your request except in the limited circumstance described below. If we do agree, our agreement must be in writing, and we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency care.
We are required to agree to a request not to share your information with your health plan if the following conditions are met:
1. We are not otherwise required by law to share the information
2. The information would be shared with your insurance company for payment purposes;
3. You pay the entire amount due for the health care item or service out of your own pocket or someone else pays the entire amount for you.
Right to Request Confidential Communications. You
have the right to request that we communicate with you about your Health
Information in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you
may ask that we contact you only at home or only by mail.2. The information would be shared with your insurance company for payment purposes;
3. You pay the entire amount due for the health care item or service out of your own pocket or someone else pays the entire amount for you.
To request confidential medical communications, you must make your request in writing to the CHI MEDICAL RECORDS, 406 Broadway Ave, 327F, Santa Monica, CA 90401. We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this Notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this Notice.
Copies of this Notice are available throughout CHI, or you may obtain a copy at our website, http://www.comprehensive.blogspot.com.
Right to be Notified of a Breach. You have the right to be notified if we or one of our Business Associates discovers a breach of unsecured Health information about you.
CHANGES TO CHI'S PRIVACY PRACTICES AND THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change CHI's privacy practices and this Policy. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Policy effective for Health Information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Policy at the CHI office. In addition, at any time you may request a copy of the current Policy in effect.
QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS
If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact the Dr. Courtney Mizuhara-Cheng at comprehensivehealthintegration[at]gmail.com.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. To file a written complaint with CHI contact: Office of Compliance Services - Privacy, 406 Broadway Ave, 327F, Santa Monica CA, 90401. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.