This notice describes how information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review carefully.
Understanding Your Personal Health Information (PHI)/Record
Each time you visit The Kent Center, a record of your visit is made. Typically, this record contains your history, symptoms, diagnoses, treatment, test results and plans for treatment. This information is referred to as your personal health information (PHI) and provides:
- for planning your care and treatment.
- a means of communication among the health professionals who contribute to your care.
- the legal documentation describing the care you received.
- a means by which you or a third-party payor can verify that services billed were actually provided.
- a means by where mental health professionals receive further education and training in their profession such as interns and residents.
- a source of data for facility planning and marketing.
- a means by which we can assess and continually work to improve the quality of care.
Understanding what is in your record and how your PHI is used helps you to:
- ensure its accuracy.
- better understand who, what, when, where, and why others may access your PHI.
- make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.
Your Personal Health Information Rights.
Although your record is the physical property of The Kent Center, the information within it belongs to you. You have the right as provided in the Federal Privacy Regulations (45 CFR 160.522-528) to:
- ask that we limit how we use and disclose your information. Although we consider each request for client information, we are not legally required to accept it. When we accept your request, we will put any limits in writing and will follow your limitations except in uses & disclosures we are legally required to make.
- obtain a paper copy of this privacy notice upon request or review our notice on our website. (www.thekentcenter.org)
- look at and obtain a copy of your PHI, however, you must make this request in writing. All requests will be responded to within 30 days of receiving your written request. There may be a situation in which we may deny your request. If a request is denied we will tell you in writing of our reason for denial and your right to have the denial reviewed. If you request a copy of your PHI, we have the right to charge a nominal fee for the copying services.
- amend your PHI. All requests to change any information contained within the record must be made in writing. There may be a situation in which we deny your request. If a request is denied we will tell you in writing of our reason for denial. You have the right to submit a notice of disagreement, which will be included in the record.
- obtain a list of individuals to whom your PHI has been disclosed. This list will not include uses/disclosures for treatment, payment or healthcare operations. This list will not include uses/disclosures made for national security purposes, as required by law, or before April 14, 2003. All requests for this list must be made in writing and will be responded to within 60 days. This list will include the disclosures made in the last six (6) years. The first request for this list will be free of charge. Any further requests made in a twelve (12) month period will have a fee attached.
- request how we send PHI so long as we can easily provide it in the format requested.
- revoke your authorization to use or disclose PHI except when we have already processed the request.
Our Responsibilities
The Kent Center is required to:
- maintain the privacy of your PHI.
- provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information that we collect and maintain about you.
- abide by the terms of this notice.
- notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction.
- accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate PHI by alternative means or at alternative locations within the capabilities of TKC.
The Kent Center reserves the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected PHI we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will mail a revised notice to the address you’ve supplied as well as post on our website.
The Kent Center will not use or disclose your PHI without your authorization, except as described in this notice.
For More Information or to Report a Problem.
If you have questions and would like additional information, you may contact the Privacy Officer at 401-738-4300.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with The Kent Center’s Director of Health Information, or the Privacy Officer at 401-738-4300. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at
1-866-627-7748. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint about our privacy practices.
Examples of Disclosure for Treatment, Payment and Health Operations:
We will use your PHI for treatment:
For example: Information obtained by a nurse, physician, case manager, clinician or other members of your treatment team will be recorded in your record and used to help determine the course of treatment that should work best for you. Members of your treatment team will then record the treatment provided, their observations and the progress in treatment.
Information used to fill prescriptions will be released via fax or telephone.
We may contact you to remind you of your appointment.
Information may be used when The Kent Center enters a contract as your Rep-Payee.
We will disclose diagnosis and medication information as well as required data as outlined on the state form for individuals enrolled in the Community Medication Assistance Program (CMAP).
We will use your Personal Health Information (PHI) for payment:
For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third party payor. The information on or with the bill may include information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis.
The information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis may be required for pre-authorization for services here at The Kent Center.
Information will be disclosed for eligibility in SPMI (Serious & Persistent Mental Illness) so that any adult Rite Care client may receive services out-of-plan on a fee-for-service basis.
We will use your personal health information for regular health care operations.
For example: Members of the utilization review, risk management, and quality improvement teams may use information from your record to assess the case and the outcome of services provided. This information will then be used in an effort to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the services we provide.
Information about you may be required by the agencies that fund services such as the Department of Human Services (DHS) and/or the Department for Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) or a licensing body such as the Department of Mental Health, Retardation, and Hospitals (MHRH).
Examples of other Personal Health Care Disclosures:
Business Associates: There are some services provided in our organization through contracts with business associates. Examples include laboratory testing, the liaison for inpatient treatment related services, drug/alcohol detoxification, legal counsel and transcription services. When these services are contracted, we may disclose your personal health information to our business associate so that they can perform the job we have asked them to do. To protect your health information, however, we require the business associate to appropriately safeguard your information.
Notification: We may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying your designated emergency contact person.
Research: We may disclose information to a researcher when their research has been approved by The Kent Center research policy. This policy states that we review the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your health information.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA health information concerning adverse effects with respect to medication, supplements and products.
Workers Compensation: We may disclose health information to Workers Compensation or other similar programs established by law to the extent authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with these laws.
Public Health: As required by law, we may disclose your health information to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.
Correctional Institution: Should you be an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose to the institution or agents thereof health information necessary for your health and the health and safety of other individuals.
Law Enforcement : We may disclose health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law, in response to a valid subpoena and/or court order, or when a crime has been committed on the premises or against The Kent Center personnel.
Required Reporting: State Law mandates reporting when there is:
- suspected child abuse and/or neglect to appropriate individuals. (CANTS-Child Abuse & Trauma Tracking System DCYF-Department for Children, Youth & Families)
- suspected elderly abuse and/or neglect to appropriate individuals. (DEA-Department of Elderly Affairs)
Marketing: We may contact you regarding information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Fund Raising: We may contact you as part of a fund-raising effort.
This notice is effective as of 1/1/2003. If you have any questions regarding the content of this notice, please contact the Privacy Officer at 738-4300.