Privacy Policy

WEB SITE PRIVACY STATEMENT AND TERMS OF USE
As of December 10, 2014

The Chapter House has a strong commitment to providing excellent service to all of our friends, alumni and visitors, including respecting your concerns about privacy. We understand that you might wonder whether and how this Website collects and uses information. This statement contains numerous general and technical details about the steps we take to respect your privacy concerns.

Web Site Privacy Policy
We have created this statement to demonstrate our firm commitment to your privacy. We do not collect personally identifying information about you when you visit our site unless you give us written permission to post information on our secure and private Alumni Information Form or request a reply using one of our feedback or reply forms, we will not know your name, your e-mail address, or any other information that identifies you. Providing such information is strictly voluntary. This policy is your guide to how we will handle information we learn about you from your visit to our Web site.

Kids and Privacy
For children who visit our site, special rules apply. We do not request personal information about children, such as first and last name or street address and city. When kids send email to us, their online contact information (email address) is not used to re-contact them and is not maintained in retrievable form.

Reading or Downloading
We collect and store only the following information about you: the name of the domain from which you access the Internet (for example, aol.com, if you are connecting from an America Online account, the date and time you access our site, and the Internet address of the Web site from which you linked to our site.

We use the information we collect to measure the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, and to help us make our site more useful to visitors.

Cookies
Our website uses temporary “cookie” technology in the Virtual Tour section our site. “Cookies” are strings of text that a Website stores on a user’s computer. Cookies enable a website to keep track of a user’s preferences and activities relating to that website. Our website creates a temporary cookie – one that expires when you turn off your browser – to facilitate your visit. Because these cookies are only temporarily placed on your hard drive, they do not enable us, or anyone else, to build or maintain profiles of your activities over time and across websites.

Information Needed to Execute the Transaction You Request
When we need to collect information from you, we will ask you to voluntarily supply us with the information we need. For example, if you would like to receive information about admission to the House, you may fill out the Inquiry Form in the Admissions section which requests information about your name, address, phone number and e-mail address plus a place to check programs you wish to receive information about and a place to write your question, plus questions about how you heard about us (for evaluation of our own marketing practices). We will use your e-mail address only to provide the information you requested, or to communicate news as you requested. If at any time you decide you do not want to receive this information, you may let us know by reply e-mail or use the form to request that we no longer contact you. Providing information to us using any of our on-line forms is voluntary and the information we collect is used only for the purpose for which the information was collected and is not shared with any other companies.

Securing the Transmission and Storage of Information
When we ask you for personal data in any of our forms on-line (including our Admissions Inquiry Form, Alumni Information form, Applications for Professional in Residence Programs, Video purchases or Donations on-line), the information is transferred over a Secured Sockets Layer (SSL) line provided you are using an SSL enabled browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. This ensures that your information is encrypted as it travels over the Internet. This secure mode is enabled before any such information is transmitted from your computer. After information reaches the Chapter House it is stored on a secure server that resides behind a firewall that is designed to block access from outside the House.

Chapter House Use of Information
We treat the information that you provide to us as confidential information. It is, accordingly, subject to the House’s security procedures and strict corporate policies regarding protection and use of information. We will only disclose this information to individuals at the House on a need-to-know basis and person(s) authorized by you. Patient and Alumni information is additionally protected under the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Chapter House maintains strict compliance with each of these laws and regulations.

The laws applicable to personal information vary from country to country. The information we process and store is kept in accordance with the applicable United States legal requirements, which may not be as comprehensive as the data protection laws found in other countries, such as those in the European Union.

Online Profile Updates and Donations
If you complete the Profile update form and share your personally identifying information, this information will be used only to provide you with more targeted content. We may use your contact information to send further information about our organization or to contact you when necessary. You may always opt-out of receiving future mailings; see the “Opt Out” section below.

E-Mails and Opt-Out
Our goal is to only send e-mails that are likely to be of interest to you. All e-mail is generated from Chapter House and not from an outside third-party e-mail service provider. Chapter House does not make e-mail addresses available to any partners in the Chapter House Network or to any others for their use. You may at any time request not to receive e-mails from Chapter House by replying to any e-mail with your request to opt-out.

Opt-Out or Change Your Contact Information
Our site provides users the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us through a special online form. You may choose to receive only specific communications or none at all. You may also update your contact information previously provided to us through another online form. While you will remain in our database, you can prevent unwanted communication.

Disclosure of Information to Third Parties
Chapter House prohibits the sale or transfer of personal information to anyone outside the Chapter House; in short, we will not disclose your information to third parties.

Links to Other Sites
Other sites linked to by the Chapter House website are offered for your convenience only. The Chapter House is not responsible for the privacy policies of those sites, or for cookies those sites might use.

Creating a text link from your Web site to our site does not require permission. If you have a link you’d like us to consider adding to our Web site, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject “Link request.”

Legal Issues
This is a United States website and subject to the laws of the United States of America. Chapter House will disclose personal health information without your permission only when required by law, or in a good faith belief that such action is necessary to investigate or protect against harmful activities to Chapter House patients, staff, volunteers, alumni, property (including this site) or to others or as authorized by federal law including but not limited to medical privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Chapter House Privacy Statement Changes
In the future, we may need to change the privacy statement for www.bettyfordHouse.org. All changes will be made here so that you will always know what information we gather, how we might use that information and whether we will disclose it to anyone. Any changes made in the future will only apply to information collected after any new policy is established.

Use of Text and Images
If you would like to publish information that you find on our Web site, please send your request to [email protected]. Where text or images are posted on our site with the permission of the original copyright holder, a copyright statement appears at the bottom of the page.

Accessibility
This Web site is designed to be accessible to visitors with disabilities, and to comply with federal guidelines concerning accessibility. We welcome your comments. If you have suggestions on how to make the site more accessible, please contact us at [email protected].

How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy statement or privacy concerns, please contact Michael Smith, Privacy officer at (469) 729-9794 or send an e-mail to: [email protected]

Chapter House Use of Information

We treat the information that you provide to us as confidential information. It is, accordingly, subject to Chapter House’ security procedures and strict corporate policies regarding protection and use of information. We will only disclose this information to individuals on a need-to-know basis and person(s) authorized by you. Patient and Alumni information is additionally protected under the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Chapter House maintains strict compliance with each of these laws and regulations.

Understanding Your Medical Records

Chapter House creates a record of the care and services you receive from its various facilities. We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. Care records include demographics, diagnosis, treatment, referral, and various forms containing billing information. This type of medical information is often called “Protected Health Information” (PHI). We are committed to protecting medical information about you, whether electronically, on paper or orally. This Notice applies to all of the medical records of your care within Chapter House.

Our Legal Duty

Chapter House is bound by Federal and State privacy and confidentiality laws to maintain information about your health, healthcare, and payment services in a confidential fashion. It is our obligation to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI.

Privacy and Confidentiality Obligations

PHI is protected under the following Federal and State regulations:

Federal Confidentiality Laws:

42 CFR Part 2, Substance Abuse Confidentiality Regulations

45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and E, known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule)

Subtitle D of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009

State Confidentiality Laws:

Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, Part of the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 181

Texas House Bill 300

How We May Use (or Not Use) and Disclose Health Information about You

Methods of disclosure may include the following: mail, fax, verbal, secure/encrypted email, secure/encrypted DVD/CD as applicable for communication with designated recipients.

For Treatment: We will use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to provide you with treatment services. With your authorization, we may use and disclose your PHI as part of a referral to a specialist physician or for other treatment related services if necessary. Your authorization is not required in a medical emergency; however, the information released will be limited to only that which is necessary for the emergency services being rendered.

For Payment: With your authorization, we may use and disclose your PHI to receive payment for the treatment services provided, such as sending billing information to a health insurance plan. Should you choose to pay out-of-pocket, no information will be shared with your insurance company unless you request so in writing.

For Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for administrative purposes in order to evaluate the quality of care that you receive through audits and/or on-site inspections by licensing and accrediting entities or through our normal course of business with other entities with whom we have a Business Associate Agreement. These agreements are put in place to help protect your PHI from further disclosure and to specify that they are responsible for the security of that information.

With Authorization: In any other situation, we will ask for your written authorization before using or disclosing any PHI about you. If you choose to sign an authorization to disclose information, you can later revoke that authorization in writing to stop any future uses and disclosures.

Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Care: With your signed authorization, your PHI may be disclosed to a family member, friend or other person to help with your healthcare.

Incompetent and Deceased Patients: In such cases, authorization of a personal representative, guardian, executor of estate, or other person authorized by applicable state/federal law, will need to prove relationship and sign an authorization to have your PHI disclosed to them.

Marketing Communications: We may not use your PHI for marketing purposes. We may not sell your PHI.

Fundraising Communications: We do not engage in fundraising activities and your PHI will not be disclosed for such activities without your written consent.

Research: We do not disclose PHI for research purposes without your written consent. Information without patient identifiable date may be used for generic research.

Worker’s Compensation and Disability: With your signed authorization, PHI about you may be disclosed for worker’s compensation, disability, or similar programs.

Written Authorizations:

We may disclose your PHI when we receive a written authorization from you to do so. This authorization must be completed on a form that specifically meets State and Federal applicable requirements.

Should you decide to revoke a signed authorization, you may do so at any time, except to the extent that action has been taken in reliance on it, the authorization has already expired and/or has already been revoked. If you are currently receiving services and want to revoke an authorization, we ask that you see speak to your counselor to complete the necessary revocation process.

Uses and Disclosures WITHOUT Your Written Authorization

We may disclose your protected health information (PHI) without your written authorization only under the following circumstances.

Medical Emergencies: We may use or disclose your PHI in a medical emergency situation to medical personnel only. The information will be limited to that which is needed to provide you with the emergency services.

Consistent with Federal, State, or Local Law: We may use or disclose your PHI to the extent that the use or disclosure is required by law, made in compliance with the law, and limited to the relevant requirements of the law. You will be notified, as required by law, of any such uses or disclosures. Under the law, we must make disclosures of your PHI to you upon your request.

Secretary of Health and Human Services: We are required to disclose your PHI to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the purpose of investigating or determining our compliance with the requirements of the of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

Victim of Abuse or Neglect (Child/Elder Abuse or Neglect): We may disclose your PHI to a state or local agency that is authorized by law to receive reports of child or elder abuse or neglect; however, the information we disclose is limited to only that information which is necessary to make the initial mandated report.

Public Health Activities/Communicable Disease: We may disclose your PHI to a state or local agency that is authorized by law to receive reports of diagnosed communicable disease; however, the information we disclose is limited to only that information which is necessary to make the initial mandated report.

Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections. Oversight agencies seeking this information include government agencies and organizations that provide financial assistance to the program (such as third-party payers) and peer review organizations performing utilization and quality control.

Business Associates: We may use or disclose your PHI to our “Business Associates” (BA) who perform certain functions or activities that involve the use or disclosure of PHI on behalf of, or provides services to us. All of our BA’s are obligated to protect the privacy of your PHI and may use the information only for the purposes for which the BA was engaged.

Data Breach Notification Purposes: We may use or disclose your PHI to provide legally required notices of unauthorized access to or disclosure of your PHI. We will notify you in writing following a breach of unsecured PHI.

Deceased Patients: We may disclose PHI regarding deceased patients for the purpose of determining the cause of death or permitting inquiry into the cause of death. We may disclose PHI to coroners and medical examiners consistent with applicable law, as necessary to carry out their duties.

Criminal Activity on the Facility Premises/Against Chapter House Personnel: We may disclose your PHI to law enforcement officials if you have committed a crime on the facility premises or against Chapter House personnel.

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose your PHI in response to a court order or administrative tribunal order, a subpoena, a discovery request, or other lawful process by only when we have followed procedures required by law. We may disclose your PHI if the court issues an appropriate order and follows required procedures. Your PHI will also be released to our Corporate Attorney.

Uses and Disclosures That Require Us to Give You an Opportunity to Object and Opt

Other Categories: Other uses and disclosures of PHI not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information

Although your medical record is the physical property of Chapter House, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:

Right to Access, Inspect and Copy: You have the right to review, inspect, request and get copies of your PHI used to make decisions about you and your care for as long as we maintain the PHI as required by law. If you are a current patient, this review is usually done in the presence of the physician or your case manager. If you are an ex-patient, this review is done in our Medical Records Office. You have the right to request a copy of your medical records. If you are a current patient and wish to receive a copy of your record, you will need to do so in writing with a staff member, for example, your case manager. Your record will be forwarded to you within three weeks of discharge.

If you are an ex-client, you will make your request for copies in writing to the Health Information Manager (Medical Records Office). Records will be mailed/faxed to you within 15-business days. We may charge a reasonable cost-based fee for copies. Should we deny your request for a specific document copy for any reason, i.e. Medical Staff believes the content of the document would be harmful to your recovery, an alternate document will be made available to you in its place based on your needs for the information and the data you are seeking.

Right to an Electronic Copy of Electronic Medical Records: If your Protected Health Information (PHI) is maintained in an electronic format (known as an electronic medical record/electronic health record), you have the right to request that an electronic copy of your record be given to you. Chapter House makes this electronic exchange via its primary service location in Richardson, Texas. A request for electronic records must be made in writing and will be available on a password protected, encrypted disc, in 3-working days.

Notification of a Breach: You have the right to be notified in the event that we (or one of our “Business Associates”) discovers a breach of any of your unsecured PHI. This notification must be done in a timely fashion after the date of discovery has occurred.

Right to Amend: If you feel information in your record is incorrect or if important information is missing, you have the right to request that we amend the information. We are not required to agree to the amendment. The request for amendment needs to be in writing. Please contact the Privacy Officer for assistance with correct form completion and process guidelines.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request in writing an accounting of the disclosures we make of your PHI for reasons other than treatment, payment or healthcare operations during the last 6 years. If you request this accounting more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for responding to these additional requests.

Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request in writing a restriction or limitation on the use of your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to your request.

Right to Request Alternate Confidential Communications: You have the right to request in writing that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. We are not required to agree to your request.

Out of Pocket Payments: If you paid “out of pocket” (or in other words, you have requested that we not bill your health plan) in full for a specific item or service, you have the right to request in writing that your PHI with respect to that item or service not be disclosed to a health plan for purposes of payment or health care operations, and we will honor that request.

Right to a Copy of This Notice: You have a right to a copy of this notice.

Complaints: You have the right to file a complaint in writing to us or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if you believe we have violated your privacy rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.