Privacy Practices

OUR PLEDGE TO YOU

We understand medical information is personal. And we’re committed to protecting it. We create a record of services received by our residents and guests to provide quality, person-centered care while complying with legal requirements, like:

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 
• Provide notice and current terms of our Privacy Practices
• Willingly share our legal requirements regarding use of medical information 
• Never inhibiting access to or quality of health care delivery

Our Privacy Practices are in-use by all employees, including within our senior communities, our corporate team and Ascend Rehabilitation, our rehab and therapy division.
 

HOW INFORMATION IS USED

We responsibly access, use and disclose medical information for coordination of care, treatment, payment and health care operations. Uses and disclosures not outlined here or required by law only occur with written permission (which may be revoked at any time).

Medical treatment or services 
Saint Therese care team members may share medical information about residents or guests in order to meet person-centered goals. Medical information may be disclosed to appropriate third-parties assigned to provide after-care services (i.e., family or in-home care providers). 

Payment & billing
We may disclose medical information so care and services are properly billed to our guests and residents, appropriate insurance companies or other responsible party. Sometimes, health plans also require advance notice of service to obtain approval and confirmation of coverage.

Health care operations
Information may be disclosed for operational purposes such as to complete clinical employees’ performance reviews. We may combine information from a group of residents for quality assurance and performance improvement—to confirm which services are needed, which aren’t (if any) and if any new treatments have proven effective. Findings might be disclosed to medical professionals for learning purposes but identifying information may be removed prior to doing so.

Medical emergencies
We provide relevant information to medical professionals in the event of an emergency.

Appointment reminders
We may remind residents and guests about scheduled care or services at Saint Therese.

Treatment alternatives
Our employees ensure information is appropriately used if recommending treatment options or alternatives of interest to a guest or resident.

Community directories
Limited resident information is listed in community directories. The information, save religious affiliation, may be released to individuals asking for a resident by name. Religious affiliation may be given to clergy. And, of course, our residents may request to opt out.

Responsible parties
In certain instances, medical information may be shared with friends, family or financially responsible parties involved in care plans. Information will be disclosed during disaster-relief effort to inform family of condition, status and location. Residents and guests may request to opt out.

Health-related benefits & services 
We may use and disclose medical information to inform residents and guests about relevant benefits or services that may be of interest.

Fundraising 
Saint Therese Foundation may contact guests and residents regarding fundraising efforts. Fund development employees may be granted access to contact information (i.e., name, address and phone number) as well as dates of service or residency at Saint Therese. Resident and guests may opt out by writing to the Saint Therese Foundation.

Research
Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose information for research. Saint Therese will seek resident or guest permission if researchers will have access to identifying information. To learn more about the approval process and specific policy requirements, see social services.

As required by law 
We will disclose medical information when required by federal, state or local law.

Aversion to serious threat
Medical information may be used or disclosed when necessary to prevent a serious threat to an individual’s health or well-being.

Organ & tissue donation
To support personal preferences and final wishes, we may release information to organizations handling organ or tissue procurement, transplantation or donations.

Military veterans
If required by military command authorities, we will release information about a guest or resident who is/was a member of the armed forces. We may also release information about foreign military personnel to appropriate foreign authority.

Workers’ compensation
We may release information regarding work-related injuries or illness for workers’ compensation or similar programs.

Public health
We may disclose information for public health reasons when required by law or if permission has been obtained. Examples include:

• To prevent or control of disease, injury or disability
• To report a death
• To properly report vulnerable adult concerns, abuse, neglect or domestic violence 
• To disclose reactions to medications or problems with products
• To give notification of product recalls  
• To give notification of exposure to disease or risk for contracting/spreading disease

Health oversight agencies
We may disclose medical information to a health oversight agency as required by law and necessary for government operations, including: audits, investigations, inspections and licensure.

Lawsuits, disputes & law enforcement
Medical information may be disclosed in response to a court, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, warrant or other lawful process. We may release medical information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:

• To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person
• About a crime victim if, under limited circumstances, consent is unattainable  
• About a death suspected to have resulted from criminal conduct
• About criminal conduct at Saint Therese
• To report a crime, crime scene, victims or provide relevant suspect information in emergency

If a resident or guest becomes an inmate of a correctional institution or in custody of law enforcement, we will release relevant medical information to the institution or official: 

• To protect the health and safety of the inmate and others 
• For the safety and security of the correctional institution

Coroners, medical examiners & funeral directors
Disclosure may be necessary when attempting to complete core duties, identify a deceased individual or determine cause of death.

Protective services, national security & intelligence
If authorized federal officials request information for intelligence, counter intelligence, national security or to protect the President, foreign heads of state or other authorized persons or to conduct investigations, Saint Therese will comply.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation
We may disclose health information to entities regulated by the FDA to measure quality, safety and effectiveness of products.

PERSONAL RIGHTS REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION

Right to inspect & copy
Everyone has the right to review their medical information. Care team members are happy to review a chart with our residents or answer questions. For more details, see Saint Therese social services.

Right to amend
If information on-file is deemed incorrect, a resident or guest may request an amendment if it is kept by or for Saint Therese. Saint Therese social services can provide more information.

Right to accounting of disclosures
We welcome individuals to review Saint Therese’s disclosures of their medical information. Our report will not include disclosures made for treatment, payment or health care operations, any before April 14, 2003 or others as required by law. Contact us for more information.

Right to request restrictions
Written restrictions on information we use or disclose for treatment, payment or health care operations may be submitted. In addition, residents and guests may request non-employees be allowed limited or no medical information. For more information, see Saint Therese social services.

Right to request confidential communications
Residents or guests can request specific communications methods and locations. For more information, see Saint Therese social services.

Right to paper copy of Privacy Practices
Saint Therese social services can provide a paper copy of this notice at any time.  

POLICY DISCLAIMERS

Saint Therese reserves the right update our Privacy Practices at any time, effective for information already obtained and to be obtained in the future. Saint Therese social services maintains a current copy.

Complaints
To file a complaint regarding usage of medical information, contact the Saint Therese corporate compliance officer in writing. You may also send a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The address will be provided by our employees upon request. Saint Therese never retaliates due to complaints.