Privacy Policy

Notice of Privacy Practices

The Arc of Northern Rhode Island is required by law to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI) and to provide individuals with this NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES describing how we may use and disclose PHI to carry out treatment, payment or healthcare operations and for other purposes permitted by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your PHI. PHI is information about you, including demographics that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical and mental health care and substance abuse services.

The Arc of Northern Rhode Island is permitted to use and disclose your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations (TPO) once you have given consent by signing our Request of Release of Confidential Information form. When required to, we will obtain your written authorization before disclosing any of your information.

Treatment:

We will use and disclose your PHI to those treatment providers involved in your care. Different departments of our facility also may share your PHI in order to coordinate the different things you need, such as prescriptions or lab work. We may also disclose information to other healthcare providers that you see outside The Arc of Northern Rhode Island to maintain your continuity of care.

Payment:

Your PHI will be used, as needed, to submit bills for payment and to obtain payment from you, your insurance company or third-party payer, as well as to obtain authorization for services.

Healthcare Operations:

We may use or disclose your PHI to support the business operations of The Arc of Northern Rhode Island, such as quality improvement, employee review and other business-related activities.

Disclosures of your PHI may occur without your written authorization for the following reasons:

• for emergency treatment when written authorization is not feasible, but implied
• to government or law enforcement agencies in response to, for example, court orders, subpoenas, or criminal conduct involving our facility
• for public health risks, including, for example, communicable diseases, abuse or neglect
• to a correctional institution if you are or become an inmate
• for health oversight activities – these include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections and licensure
• for lawsuits and disputes that you may be involved in. We will make all efforts to notify you of the request or to obtain a court order to protect the requested PHI.
• to the Medical Examiner to identify a deceased person or to determine the cause of death
• to federal officials investigating intelligence, counter-intelligence and other national security activities authorized by law
• to Worker’s Compensation

Your PHI may also be disclosed with your written authorization. Please note that you maintain the right to revoke your written authorization at any time except to the extent action has been taken in reliance on it.

Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information (PHI):

Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI that may be used to make decisions about your care. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form and the procedure for inspecting and copying your PHI. In certain situations, we may deny your request to read and copy your PHI. You have the right to have this decision reviewed and the decision to deny access may be reversed.

Right to Amend: If you feel that any PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment as long as the information is maintained by The Arc of Northern Rhode Island. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form and the procedure for amending your record.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have a right to request the list of disclosures that we have made of your PHI after April 14, 2003. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form and the procedure to receive an accounting of disclosures. We are not required to maintain this list of disclosures made for treatment, payment or healthcare operations.

Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you regarding your PHI in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at home or by mail. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form and the procedure for confidential communications.

Right to Request Restrictions: Even though all disclosures we make are with the minimal amount of PHI, you have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the PHI we use or disclose about you. You can ask the staff at any reception area for a copy of the request form and the procedure. We are not required to honor this request. If we agree, we will comply with your request unless the information needed is for emergency treatment.

Right to a Copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices: You have the right to obtain a copy of this notice at any time. You may obtain a copy of this notice at the reception desk.

If you have a concern or complaint about how your protected health information is being used from this date forward, you may contact:

Albert J. Vario, Privacy Officer

320 Main St.

Woonsocket, RI 02895

401-765-3700, Ext 183

You have recourse if you feel that your privacy protections have been violated. You have the right to file a written complaint with our office or with the Department of Health & Human Services – Office of Civil Rights, about violations of the provisions of this notice or the policies and procedures of our office. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.