HIPAA - Protecting Patient Privacy
As a valued patient of the Health System, we respect your right to authorize the release of your health information. We will only release your personal information with a valid authorization or when permitted by law. Federal and state laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provide guidance for patients regarding their privacy rights and the use or disclosure of their medical information. These rights are described in detail in the North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Notice of Privacy Practices.
To see a copy of the Notice, please click on the appropriate link:
To ensure the development of a lasting bond of trust with our patients, we have many safeguards to protect the privacy and security of your personal information. Each of our facilities has a Privacy Officer who is able to answer any questions a patient may have about the way in which their health information will be used while they are a patient at the North Shore-LIJ Health System. We also have many policies in place to protect the privacy and security of your personal information. If you have any questions about your privacy rights or our policies in place to protect you, please contact the Office of Corporate Compliance at 516.465.8097.
HIPAA Frequently Asked Questions
| Q: | What is HIPAA? |
| A: | HIPAA is an acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a federal law. |
| Q: | What does HIPAA do? |
| A: | HIPAA protects the privacy and security of patient medical information in both written and electronic forms. It also sets the terms on which medical information can be transmitted to other providers and to health insurers. |
| Q: | Is the North Shore-LIJ Health System required to comply with HIPAA? |
| A: |
Yes. HIPAA applies to:
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| Q: | What information is protected under HIPAA? |
| A: |
The HIPAA Privacy Rule protects all "individually identifiable health information" held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral. The Privacy Rule calls this information "Protected Health Information,” which is also referred to as “PHI”. The following are examples of identifiers that could be considered individually identifiable information:
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| Q: | How is the North Shore-LIJ Health System ensuring compliance with HIPAA? |
| A: |
The Health System has implemented a number of controls to comply with HIPAA. Some of them are:
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| Q: | What are the rights that HIPAA gives to me as a patient? |
| A: | HIPAA provides many rights to patients. These rights include:
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| Q: | If I would like to request a copy of my medical record, what should I do? |
| A: | You can access the form that you must fill out to request a copy of your medical records by clicking here. Submit the completed form to the individual who is responsible for medical records in the facility from which you are requesting the records. |
| Q: | Will all of my information be included in the response to my request for medical information? |
| A: | Most of the information in your medical record will be included in the response to your request. However, certain portions of your record, such as psychotherapy notes, may not be included in the response. For further information on this restriction, please click here. |
| Q: | How do I request an amendment to my medical information? |
| A: | You may request an amendment to your medical record if you believe that information in your l record is inaccurate. Subject to your health care provider’s discretion and applicable law, we will do our best to accommodate all reasonable requests. To request an amendment, please click on the following link to access the form you must complete and submit: Request for Amendment of Protected Health Information |
| Q: | How do I request a restriction on the way in which my medical information is disclosed? |
| A: | To request a restriction, please click on the following link to access the form you must complete and submit: Request for confidential Communications and/or Restrictions on Access, Use or Disclosure of Protected Health Information |
| Q: | Who should I contact if I have more questions about my privacy rights? |
| A: | The North Shore-LIJ Health System has a staff of Compliance and Privacy Officers who are here to assist you with any questions related to the privacy of your health information. Please call the Office of Corporate Compliance at 516.465.8097 for further information. |
| Q: | Will my medical information be used for research purposes? |
| A: | You may be asked to participate in research studies while you are a patient at North Shore-LIJ Health System facilities. However, your identifiable medical information will not be used for research purposes without your prior authorization. |
| Q: | How can I learn more about HIPAA and patient privacy? |
| A: | For more information about the privacy of your medical information, we recommend that you consult the following link: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr |
| Q: | Who should I contact if I have a complaint related to the privacy of my medical information? |
| A: | The North Shore-LIJ Health System’s Office of Corporate Compliance is here to address any complaint you may have related to the way in which the privacy of your medical information is handled. We can be reached as follows: Office of Corporate Compliance Compliance Help Line The HelpLine is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. You can make reports anonymously or by using your name. You can contact OCR at: |