Download CONFIDENTIALITY Student Health Services is committed to WE MAY DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH

CONFIDENTIALITY
Student Health Services is committed to
maintaining the confidentiality of all health
information about patients in accordance with all
applicable federal and state laws. We will obtain
your consent to disclose your health information
as required by law.
Student Health Services is also committed to
providing excellent, well-coordinated care to all
patients. We plan to share information and
consult with health care providers who are
directly involved in your care, as appropriate. We
also encourage you to involve family and friends
in your care to provide support and help as
needed.
YOUR MEDICAL RECORD
Each time you receive services at Student Health
Services, a record of your visit is made. This record
may describe your condition, diagnoses, treatments
and a plan for future care. Medical information such
as test results and medications prescribed will be
recorded. Your “Medical Record” is the collection of
information and documentation created and/or
maintained by Student Health Services that is
directly related to your health care here. Your
Medical Record is sometimes known as your
treatment record.
WE MAY DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH
INFORMATION FOR PURPOSES OF
TREATMENT, PAYMENT, OR HEALTH CARE
OPERATIONS.
We may use your health information without your
consent for purposes of treatment, payment and
health care operations. Examples of such purposes
are:
Treatment – to provide, manage and coordinate
your care. Your treatment could involve disclosing
information within the Student Health Services
network or to other providers such as a referring
physician. The Student Health Services network
includes medical, mental health, nutrition, sports
medicine, and alcohol and other drug services
associated with Student Health Services.
Payment – to obtain payment and determine
health insurance eligibility. We may tell your
health plan about treatment or services that may
require their prior approval for payment.
Health Care Operations – to assess the quality of
care we provide, to improve our services, to train
our staff, to educate and train student trainees,
and to manage our operations and services.
 For judicial or administrative proceedings in
response to a valid court order, summons or
subpoena to a hearing, or warrant.
 For public health activities to prevent or control
disease such as reporting infectious diseases to
boards of health, births or deaths or reactions to
vaccines or medical devices to the FDA, or
sexually transmitted diseases.
 For federal and state health oversight activities
such as inspections, investigations, and audits.
 As authorized by and necessary to comply with
workers’ compensation law if you are injured at
work.
 To coroners, medical examiners and funeral
directors.
 To law enforcement officials for certain
potentially criminal activities such as reporting
gunshot or stab wounds or to respond to a
warrant.
 For specialized government functions such as
national security or intelligence inquiries.
 If we have reason to suspect abuse or neglect of
children, elders or disabled persons.
Implemented 4/15/2011
Student Health Services may also create or maintain
other information related to your health that is not
considered part of your Medical Record. Examples
are:

Records that you manage yourself (e.g. self
glucose monitoring),

Information received from an administrator at
Boston University that is not directly related to
the provision of health care to you at Student
Health Services,

Psychotherapy notes (notes maintained for the
Behavior Medicine therapist’s own use).
WE MAY DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH
INFORMATION IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, IF
PERMITTED OR REQUIRED BY LAW.
We may disclose your health information without
your consent in other circumstances if permitted or
required by law. Some examples:
 To avert any serious threat to health or safety to
you or to others.
 To a family member or friend involved in your
care in a medical emergency if you are
incapacitated and if, in our professional
judgment, we determine that the disclosure of
information is in your best interests.
 To your parents or guardian if your life or safety
is in jeopardy.
 To contractors and others who assist us with
treatment, payment or health care operations
and who agree to maintain confidentiality.
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION IS
GIVEN SPECIAL PROTECTION.
State and federal laws give special protection to
certain types of health information, and we will be
careful to comply with these laws if applicable.
Some examples of highly confidential information:
 HIV/AIDS testing and test results,
 Genetic testing and test results,
 Information about sexually transmitted
diseases,
 Mental health counseling information such as
sexual assault counseling records or
communications between you and a
psychiatrist, social worker, psychologist,
psychotherapist or licensed mental health nurse
clinical specialist, or psychotherapy notes,
 Alcohol and drug abuse records.
WE WILL RELEASE A COPY OF YOUR MEDICAL
RECORD TO YOU OR OTHERS AT YOUR
REQUEST.
We will generally release a copy of your Medical
Record to you or to others at your request. Student
Health Services has processes in place to document
that adequate authorization has been given. A
modest fee may be charged. Access to portions of
the record may be denied or subject to conditions
before being released (for example, information
compiled in anticipation of or use in a civil, criminal,
or administrative action or proceeding).
OTHER RIGHTS
You also have the right to:
 Request, in writing, that we limit how we use or
disclose your health information, but we may
not be able to comply with all requests.
 Revoke, in writing, any authorization you have
given to disclose your information, but we won’t
be able to take back information we have
already disclosed.
 Request how we communicate with you, and
we will try to accommodate reasonable
requests.
 Request in writing additions or corrections to
your health information. We may not agree to
your request if we did not create the
information, if the information is not kept by us
to make decisions about you, if the information
is not part of what you are allowed to inspect or
copy or if the information, in our estimation, is
complete and correct.
QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS TO US
If you have questions about this Notice, would like
to exercise your rights, or wish to file a formal
complaint regarding privacy of your health
information, you may contact the Records
Administrator at Student Health Services:
Phone:
617-353-3575
Fax:
617-353-3557
Address:
881 Commonwealth Ave. (West)
Boston, MA 02215
All complaints will be investigated and you will not
be penalized or subject to retaliation for filing a
complaint. When calling with a concern, please ask
to speak with the “Privacy Officer” and you will be
directed to the appropriate person.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Student Health Services
NOTICE OF
PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective: April 12, 2011
Implemented 4/15/2011
Updated 4/2011
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.
Patient Privacy
CHANGES TO PRIVACY PRACTICES
We reserve the right to change our privacy
practices, and this notice and to make the new
practices effective for all your information including
information we already have about you. Revised
Notices will be posted.
Student Health Services is committed to
providing high quality health care in a safe and
private environment. We are giving you this
Notice so you will know about your rights and
how we protect your health information