Rights & Responsibilities

Your Rights

Although your health record is the physical property of the healthcare practitioner or facility that compiled it, the information does belong to you.

For this reason, you have the right to:

• Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information.
• Obtain a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon request.
• Inspect and obtain a copy of your health record.
• Amend your health record.
• Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information.
• Request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.

Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken.

You have a right to:

RESPECTFUL & CARING TREATMENT

• Considerate and respectful care regardless of your race, religion, sex, age, type of illness or financial status.
• To be free from mental, physical, sexual and verbal abuse, neglect and exploitation.

CONFIDENTIALITY

• Consideration of privacy to include confidential treatment of personal information and medical reports.
• To receive your package with discreet labeling.

INFORMATION ABOUT TREATMENT

• We recommend that you review your own medical records periodically. It is also
  recommended that your physician be present when you review your records to
  assist you with interpretation of the contents.

EXAMINE & UNDERSTAND YOUR BILL FOR A GRIEVANCE OR CONCERN

• If at any time your have a grievance or concern, you are encouraged to speak to us directly or by email or postal mail.

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Your Responsibilities

It is your responsibility to:

BE HONEST

• Provide an accurate and complete medical history and then those who are caring for you exactly how you feel about the things that are happening to you.
  

UNDERSTAND

• Be informed about your health problems. If you do not understand your illness or your treatment, ask your health care them to explain it to you.

FOLLOW THE PLAN OF TREATMENT

• If you are unable to follow this plan, notify your doctor or nurse.
• Report changes in your health.
• Know your treatment and medications.

Provide a copy of your written Advanced Directive if you have one. If you do not have one, find one for the State where you reside and complete the form with legal advise.

Be considerate of others including those trying to help you on the phone or through e-mail.

Assure that the financial obligations of your health care are fulfilled as promptly as possible.

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Responsibilities of Home Care Together Toward You:

We obligate ourselves to:

• Maintain the privacy of your health information.
• Provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information 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 health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.

Remember our motto?  Always treat others the way we would want to be treated?  We are committed to your privacy because this is not only the right thing to do; but it is what we expect of other companies that we personally have to deal with.  We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with our Privacy Officer or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint. You may contact:

Gary L. Fenn @ gary@homecaretogether.com
Or call toll free:  800-433-7622

HERE ARE WAYS YOUR HEALTH CARE INFORMATION MAY BE USED: 

• We will use your health information for treatment. For example: Information obtained by a therapist or other member of your healthcare team will be recorded in your record and used to determine the course of treatment that should work best for you. We may provide your physician or a subsequent healthcare provider with copies of various reports that should assist him or her in treating you when requested.
• We will use your health information for payment. For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. The information on or accompanying the bill may include information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis, procedures, and supplies used.  In fact Medicare REQUIRES such information be provided when billing.
• Notification: We may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, your location, and general condition. You have a right to decline release of any information to anyone when provided to us in writing.

• Communication with family: Health professionals, using their best judgment, may disclose to a family member, other relative, close personal friend or any other person you identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment related to your care.

• Marketing: We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA health information relative to adverse events with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects, or post marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacement.
• Workers compensation: We may disclose health information to the extent authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to workers compensation or other similar programs established by law.
• 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 or in response to a valid subpoena.
• Medicare, Medicaid, State and Federal Legal Purposes: Federal law makes provision for your health information to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a work force member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public.