Omni Health Services Inc.

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Locations

Montgomery County:
595 Bethlehem Pike, Suite 106
Montgomeryville, PA 18936
Phone: 215-997-2000

Delaware County:
6800 Market Street, Suite 2A
Upper Darby, PA 19082
Phone: 484-469-4319

Notice of Privacy Practices

At OMNI Health Services Inc. we are committed to treating and using protected health information about you in a responsible manner. We are required by federal and Pennsylvania law to treat your health information confidentially.

As a sign of our respect and appreciation to you for choosing OMNI Health Services Inc., we have developed a privacy program that is directed at protecting the confidentiality of your health information. Your health information exists in many forms, including verbal, written, and electronic forms. This Notice describes the health information we collect, how and when we disclose that information, and your rights.

Understanding Your Health Record Information

Each time you have contact with OMNI Health Services Inc. either in person, by phone, or e-mail, we create a record of your contact. Typically, this record contains your symptoms, diagnosis, progress toward your recovery goals, and a plan for your future care. Your medical record is a valuable tool that serves a number of purposes, such as:

planning your care and recovery;
communicating with those who provide your care;
allowing your insurer to verify that services billed were actually provided;
assessing our own performance so that we can continue to improve our care.

Our Legal Duty

We are required by law to restrict the uses and disclosures of your protected health information. We are also required to give you this Notice about our privacy practices, our legal duties and your rights concerning your health information. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices at any time. We will follow the privacy practices that are in this Notice while it is in effect.

Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information

Much of your health information is “highly confidential” because it is specially protected under Pennsylvania law. “Highly confidential” information includes mental health treatment information; treatment information about drug or alcohol abuse or dependence; and HIV-related information. We are generally not permitted to disclose your highly confidential health information unless you authorize us to do so. State and federal law does permit us to disclose your highly confidential health under certain circumstances described below.

Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations Activities (“TPO”)

We may use or disclose your health information without the need to get your written authorization in order to provide treatment or rehabilitative services, receive payment of provided treatment, and conduct day to day operations. For example, doctors, counselors and case managers who are involved in your care will have access to your health information. In order for us to receive payment for the care we provide to you, we will need to tell your insurance company about that care. We may also use your health information for our own purposes, such as monitoring, planning and developing our care and services and educating our staff. We may also disclose or release information from your medical record for the treatment activities of another healthcare provider. For example, we may disclose the name and dosage of your medications to a hospital if you need emergency medical attention.

Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information

Other Uses and Disclosures Not Requiring Your Authorization

We may use your health information to tell you about treatment options or alternatives or health-related benefits or services that we think may be of interest to you. We may use your health information to provide you with appointment reminders, such as voicemail messages or letters. We may disclose your health information to business associates, which are individuals or organizations that perform certain key functions or processes for us. Before we disclose your health information to business associates, we require them to give us written assurances that they will safeguard and protect the privacy of your health information.

We will disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law; for health oversight activities conducted for or by government agencies; and for public health activities, such as to report suspected child abuse, communicable diseases or certain types of injuries. We may use or disclose your health information for worker’s compensation or similar programs as permitted and required by law. We may use your health information for our research purposes, but only if we are sure that your privacy will be protected.

If you are or were a member of the armed forces, we may release your health information to military command authorities as required by law. We may use or disclose your health information in order to prevent or lessen a serious threat to your health and safety or that of someone else. We may release your health information for law enforcement purposes, but only if we are permitted to do so by law. We may disclose your health information to authorize federal officials for purposes of national security.

We may disclose your health information if we are directed to do so by court order. In some circumstances, we may disclose your health information to a coroner or medical examiner.

Other Uses and Disclosures Requiring your Permission

Other uses and disclosures of your health information not covered by the Notice will be made only with your written permission. You can revoke that permission, verbally or in writing; but if you do, we are unable to take back any disclosures already made with your permission. In order to share health information with family, friends, or others involved in your care, such as your family doctor or clergyman, we must have your specific written authorization to do so. You should be aware that if you attend group therapy, other group members will hear your confidential health information. Your counselor will explain to all group members that these discussions are confidential, and information should never be shared outside the group setting.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the right to look at or get copies of your health information. This process will be kept confidential. This right is not absolute. In certain situations we can deny access. If we do, we will explain the reasons to you, and in most cases you may have the denial reviewed. To view or get copies of your health record, you must submit your request in writing to OMNI Health Services Inc. We may charge a fee to provide you with copies.

You have the right to request that we make corrections to your health information. Your request must be in writing, and it must explain the corrections to be made. We may deny your request under certain circumstances; and if we do, we will explain the reasons to you.

With certain exceptions, you have the right to know the times (after April 14, 2003) when we have disclosed your health information without your authorization. We will provide you with a listing of these disclosures if you request it. If you request the listing more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a fee for the additional requests.

You have the right to request that we restrict or limit some of our uses or disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to those restrictions.

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we contact you at work or by mail. Your request must be in writing, and you must tell us where or how to contact you. We may require you to explain how payments will be handled under the alternative means or location you requested.

For questions regarding your privacy rights, you may contact the Privacy Officer of OMNI Health Services Inc.