Ridgecrest Regional Hospital

Summary 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.

Uses and Disclosures: We will use and disclose elements of your protected health information (PHI) in the following ways:

For purposes of treatment, payment, and hospital operations.
When release is required by law, including: for military purposes, for law enforcement requests, for national security reasons, or for healthcare regulatory or accrediting agencies.
In emergency situations or for health and safety reasons.
To medical examiners, coroners, or funeral directors.
To organ, tissue, and other donation organizations.
To contact you about appointment reminders or to tell you about other health-related benefits and services.
For our Hospital Directory.
For Worker's Compensation requests.
For research purposes.
To people who are involved in your care.

All other uses and disclosures by Ridgecrest Regional Hospital will require us to obtain from you a written authorization.

Your Rights:

Restrictions: To ask us to limit the information we share.(The request will be considered on an individual basis.)
Confidential communications: To receive your confidential health information by alternate addresses, telephone numbers, or fax numbers.
Access: To inspect or receive copies of your medical record.
Amendments: To request changes be made to your health information. (The request will be considered on an individual basis.)
Accounting: To receive a list of our disclosures of your health information.
This notice: To ask for a copy of our full privacy notice.
Complaints: To complain to us or the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Civil Rights (to file a complaint call (415) 437-8310) if you feel your privacy rights have been violated. Please see the privacy contact information below to file a complaint with the hospital.

Our Duties: We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI. We must abide by the terms of this notice or any update of this notice.

Privacy Contact: For more information about our privacy practices, please contact:

Kathy Hopkins, Health Information Management, (760) 446-0618 Tammy Loomis, Business Office, (760) 446-0604