HIPAA Privacy Practice Information

How we may use and disclose health information about you

The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose health information. For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed; however, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories. Please note that, for some of the categories below, there are additional protections for your confidentiality with regard to your treatment through the Counseling services provided at the Health and Counseling Center. Confidentiality rights for counseling clients are described in further detail in the "Client Rights and Informed Consent" form.

• For Treatment

  We may use health information about you to provide you with health care treatment or services. We may disclose health information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, health students, or other personnel who are involved in taking care of you. They may work at our offices, at the hospital if you are hospitalized under our supervision, or at another doctor's office, lab, pharmacy, or other health care provider to whom we may refer you for consultation, to take x-rays, to perform lab tests, to have prescriptions filled, or for other treatment purposes. If you transfer your care from our entities to another provider of care, we will ask that you fill out a request for release of information form.

• For Payment

  We may use and disclose health information about you so that the treatment and services you receive from us may be billed to and payment collected from you, an insurance company, or a third party. For example, we may need to give your health plan information about your office visit so your health plan will pay us or reimburse you for the visit. We may also tell your health plan about a treatment you are going to receive to obtain prior approval or to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment.

• For Health Care Operations

  We may use and disclose health information about you for operations of our health care practice. These uses and disclosures are necessary to run our practice and make sure that all of our patients receive quality care. For example, we may use health information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you. We may also combine health information about many patients to decide what additional services we should offer, what services are not needed, whether certain new treatments are effective, or to compare how we are doing with others and to see where we can make improvements. We may remove information that identifies you from this set of health information so others may use it to study health care delivery without learning who our specific patients are.

• For Appointment Reminders

  We may use and disclose health information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment. We will disclose as little health information as possible within this reminder. Be sure to inform the HCC of your correct contact information. This information should also be current on the University of Denver's main system (MyDU).

• For Health-Related Services and Treatment Alternatives

  We may use and disclose health information to tell you about health-related services or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you. Please let us know if you do not wish us to send you this information, or if you wish to have us use a different address to send this information to you.

• With Health Information Exchange

  We endorse, support, and participate in electronic Health Information Exchange (HIE) as a means to improve the quality of your health and healthcare experience. HIE provides us with a way to securely and efficiently share patients’ clinical information electronically with other physicians and health care providers that participate in the HIE network. Using HIE helps your health care providers to more effectively share information and provide you with better care. The HIE also enables emergency medical personnel and other providers who are treating you to have immediate access to your medical data that may be critical for your care. Making your health information available to your health care providers through the HIE can also help reduce your costs by eliminating unnecessary duplication of tests and procedures.
  We participate in the Colorado Immunization and Information System (CIIS) and contributes and receives immunization information within this system. The Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) is a confidential, computerized, population-based system that collects and consolidates immunization data for Coloradans of all ages from a variety of sources and provides tools for designing and sustaining effective immunization strategies to prevent disease and reduce healthcare costs.
  We also participate in the Colorado Regional Health Information Organization (COHRIO) and shares select laboratory and prescription information.
  However, you may choose to opt-out of participation in either exchange, or cancel an opt-out choice, at any time. Please contact the HCC for information on how to opt out exempt information as allowed.

• As Required By Law

  We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

• To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety

  We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure, however, would only be to someone able to help prevent the threat.

• For Military and Veterans

  If you are a member of the armed forces or separated/discharged from military services, we may release health information about you as required by military command authorities or the Department of Veterans Affairs as may be applicable. We may also release health information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authorities.

• For Public Health Risks

  We may disclose health information about you for public health activities.
  These activities generally include the following:

  • to prevent or control disease, injury or disability;
  • to report births and deaths;
  • to report child abuse or neglect;
  • to report reactions to medications or problems with products;
  • to notify people of recalls of products they may be using;
  • to notify person or organization required to receive information on FDA-regulated products;
  • to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition;
  • to notify the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. We will only make this disclosure if you agree or when required or authorized by law.
• Health Oversight Activities

  We may disclose health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.

• Lawsuits and Disputes

  If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose health information about you in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose health information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.

• Law Enforcement

  We may release health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:

  • in reporting certain injuries, as required by law, gunshot wounds, burns, injuries to perpetrators of crime;
  • in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process;
  • to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person:
    • Name and address
    • Date of birth or place of birth;
    • Social security number;
    • Blood type or Rh factor;
    • Type of injury;
    • Date and time of treatment and/or death, if applicable; and
    • A description of distinguishing physical characteristics.
  • about the victim of a crime, if the victim agrees to disclosure or under certain limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person's agreement;
  • about a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct;
  • about criminal conduct at our facility; and
  • in emergency circumstances to report a crime;
  • the location of the crime or victims; or
  • the identity, description, or location of the person who committed the crime.
• Coroners, Health Examiners and Funeral Directors

  We may release health information to a coroner or health examiner. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death. We may also release health information about patients to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.

• National Security and Intelligence Activities

  We may release health information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.

• Protective Services for the President and Others

  We may disclose health information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or conduct special investigations.

• Inmates

  If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release health information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official. This release would be necessary (1) for the institution to provide you with health care; (2) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others; or (3) for the safety and security of the correctional institution.

• Research

  We may use or disclose health information about you for the purposes of research, in accordance with the relevant federal HIPAA privacy regulations.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

If you wish to file a complaint with us, visit our online feedback form, or contact the University of Denver Health & Counseling Center Executive Director.

 

All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.