Hospice Care Plus, Inc.

POLICY:  Notice of Privacy Practices          APPROVED DATE:  February 28, 2008

SECTION:  XIV

POLICY:

The privacy practices of Hospice, designed to protect the privacy, use and disclosure of protected health information, are provided to employees, patients, families, associates and members of the community in accordance with Federal requirements.

PROCEDURE:

1. The Notice of Privacy Practices is given to all patients on admission.
2. Written acknowledgment of the patient’s receipt of the Notice is obtained on admission

(Consent for Participation in Hospice Program).  A written acknowledgment will be mailed with the Notice to bereavement families.  Two efforts will be made to gain acknowledgment and if no consent is returned this will be documented in the bereavement record.

1. The Notice of Privacy Practices is available to anyone who requests it.
2. The Notice of Privacy Practices will be revised as needed to reflect any changes in Hospice’s privacy practices.  Revisions to the Notice will not be implemented prior to the effective date of the revised Notice.
3. When revisions to the Notices of Privacy Practices are necessary, all current patients,  employees, and business associates will receive a revised copy with notation of the changes made.
4. The Privacy Official retains copies of the original Notice of Privacy Practices and any subsequent revisions for a period of six (6) years from the date of its creation or when it was last in effect, whichever is later.
5. Documentation is retained for six years of the patient’s written acknowledgment of receipt of the hospice’s Notice of Privacy Practices or of efforts made to obtain this written acknowledgment and the reason(s) why it was not obtained. 
6. All employees and business associates of Hospice are required to adhere to the privacy practices as detailed in the Notice of Privacy Practices, privacy policies and procedures and business associate contracts.
7. Violations of Hospice’s privacy practices will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or contracts.
8. The Notice of Privacy Practices is prominently displayed and available electronically on the Web site at http://www.hospice@hospicecp.org
9. The Notice of Privacy Practices is included in employee/volunteer orientation checklist and is reviewed with all current employees/volunteers annually (HIPPA mandatory training module).

REFERENCES:

The HIPAA Privacy Rule:  Compliance Resources for Hospices, H. Wilson, M. Michael and J. Mahoney, 2002 Weatherbee Resources.

*Approved by Chief Executive Officer, Medical Director and President of the Board