PROGRESSIVE CARE NETWORK
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Effective April 14, 2003

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions about this notice, please contact our Privacy Officer, Progressive Care Network: 7202 East 87th Street, Suite 103, Indianapolis, Indiana 46256 or by telephone at (317) 596-2805 or 1(800) 921-6496

Technical questions or concerns regarding this website should be directed to the webmaster.

OUR PLEDGE REGARDING YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION

We understand that information about you and your health is personal and we are committed to protecting this information. A record of the services and products you receive from Progressive Care Network. (“Progressive”) is created and maintained in order to provide you with quality services and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all the records of your care created or maintained by Progressive. Your record may include documents provided to Progressive by your insurance company or treating physician.

This notice will tell you how we may use and disclose your health information. It also describes your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of this information.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

The following categories describe different ways that we may use and disclose health information. Not every use or disclosure will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose health information will fall within one of the following categories.

  • Treatment
    We may use your health information in the normal course of providing you with necessary services or supplies. For example, we may review your health information in order to provide you with services or supplies prescribed by your physician. We may also disclose your health information to people outside Progressive who are involved with us in providing services or supplies to you.
  • Payment for Treatment
    We may use and disclose your health information to others for purposes of receiving payment for the services or supplies you receive. For example, a bill may be sent to you or an insurance company or health plan. The information on the bill may contain information that identifies you, your diagnosis, and the service provided.
  • Health Care Operations
    We may use and disclose your health information for operational purposes, that is, for use by Progressive staff other than those providing services or supplies. For example, your health information may be used by our quality improvement department to evaluate the performance of our staff, assess the quality of car and outcomes in your case and in similar cases and to determine how we may continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the services we provide. At times, we may remove identifiers from your health information so other may use the anonymous information to study health care delivery.
  • Appointment Reminders/Contacts
    We may disclose your health information to contact you as a reminder that you have a delivery scheduled or to discuss with you an order for supplies. We may also use and disclose your health information in order to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options, alternatives or health-related benefits that may be of interest to you.
  • Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care
    We may release your health information to a friend or family member who is involved or helps pay for your care.
  • Research
    We may use or disclose your health information for research purposes pursuant to your signed authorization, or with institutional review board or privacy board approval.
  • As Required By Law
    We will disclose your health information when required to do so by Federal, State or local law.
  • To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety
    We will disclose medical information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another person or the general public.
  • Government
    If you are a member of the armed forces, we may disclose your health information as required by military command authorities. We may release your health information to authorized Federal officials for national security activities authorized by law.
  • Public Health Risks
    We may disclose your health information for a number of public health activities. These include disclosures:
    • To prevent or control disease, injury or disability
    • To report births and deaths
    • To report child abuse or neglect
    • To notify authorities if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
    • To report adverse events, product defects or problems, to track products, to notify patients of product recalls, and to conduct post-marketing surveillance as required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    • To notify your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance
    • To notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or who may be at risk for contacting or spreading a disease.
  • Health Oversight Audits or Inspections
    We may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency for health oversight activities authorized by law, which may include 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 your health information in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose your health information in response to a subpoena, search warrant, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute.
  • Law Enforcement
    We may disclose your health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:
    • To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person
    • About the victim of a crime, under certain limited circumstances
    • About a death if there is reason to believe it may be the result of criminal conduct
    • About criminal conduct at any of our facilities
    • 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/Medical Examiners/Funeral Directors
    We may disclose your health information to a coroner, medical examiner or funeral director to assist them in performing their duties.

OTHER USES OR DISCLOSURES

Uses or disclosures of your health information other than those identified in this notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke that authorization by notifying us in writing at any time.

YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION RIGHTS

You have the following rights regarding your health information:

  • To request restrictions/limitations on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. However, Progressive is not required to agree to such a request
  • To request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail
  • To inspect and obtain a copy of your health record
    • If you request copies, we may charge a fee for the cost of copying, mailing or other related supplies. If we deny your request to review or obtain a copy, you may submit a written request for a review of that decision.
  • To request an amendment of incorrect or incomplete information in your health record
    • Progressive could deny your request to amend a record if the information was not created by us; if it is not part of the medical information maintained by us; or if we determine the record is accurate. You may appeal, in writing, a decision by Progressive not to amend a record.
  • To receive an accounting of certain disclosures made to entities outside of Progressive other than for treatment, payment, health care operations or where you specifically authorized a disclosure.
  • To receive a paper copy of this notice if this notice was sent to you electronically

Note: All requests must be submitted in writing.

PROGRESSIVE’S OBLIGATION TO YOU

Progressive is required by law to:

  • Maintain the privacy of your health information
  • Provide you with this notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information
  • Abide by the terms of this notice
  • Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction on how your health information is used or disclosed
  • Accommodate reasonable requests you may make to communicate health information as requested
  • Obtain your written authorization to use or disclose your health information for reasons other that those listed above and permitted by law.

DISCLOSURES OF MEDICAL INFORMATION OF MINORS:

Under Indiana law, we cannot disclose the medical information of minors to non-custodial parents if a court order or decree is in place that prohibits the non-custodial parent from receiving such information. However, we must have the documentation of the court order prior to denying the non-custodial parent such access.

SECURITY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Progressive Care Network takes the security of your personal information seriously. Using standardized industry technologies and techniques, we painstakingly take steps to safeguard your data from loss, unauthorized access or misuse.

Your personal information is never shared with any other company or individual, except under the limited conditions explained in this HIPAA/privacy policy. Within Progressive Care Network, your information is stored on servers with limited access and behind extensive hardware firewalls, wholly in the United States and at a single, central location.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

We reserve the right to change this notice and its practices. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. You can receive a copy of the current notice at any time. The effective date will be listed just below the title. In addition, each time you register or admitted for treatment or health care services or supplies, we will office you a copy of the current notice in effect.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Progressive or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be submitted in writing. Progressive will investigate all complaints promptly and thoroughly. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.