Home|Griffin Hospital|Patient Rights Privacy|Notice of Privacy Practices

Notificación de prácticas de privacidad en Español

THIS INFORMATION DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

I. OUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS TO YOU:

We are required by law to:

II. HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:

The following categories describe some of the different ways that we may use or disclose your protected health information without your prior authorization. Even if not specifically listed below, we may use and disclose your protected health information as permitted or as required by law or as authorized by you.

  • FOR TREATMENT: We may use and disclose your health information to provide you with medical treatment and related services. For example, your health information may be used to refer you to other providers or to other treating health care professionals, such as your primary care physician, and arrange post-discharge services (this includes psychiatric or HIV information if needed for purposes of your diagnosis and treatment).
  • FOR HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS: We may use and share your health information as necessary to run our organization and improve your care.
  • FOR PAYMENT: We may use and share your health information so that we can bill and receive payment from plans or other entities for the treatment and related services you receive.
  • BUSINESS ASSOCIATES: There may be some services provided by our business associates that provide services to us, such as billing, legal or accounting. To protect your health information, we require business associates to enter into a written contract that requires them to safeguard your health information.
  • APPOINTMENT REMINDERS: We may use and disclose your health information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment with us.
  • PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES: We may disclose your health information to a public health authority that is authorized by law to collect or receive such information. These activities generally include the following:
  • TO AVERT A SERIOUS THREAT: We may use or disclose your health information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of you or others. Any disclosure, however, would only be to help prevent the threat.
  • WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: We may use or disclose your health information to comply with laws relating to workers’ compensation or similar programs.
  • INMATE/LAW ENFORCEMENT CUSTODY: If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of law enforcement official, we may disclose your health information to the institution or official for certain purposes, including the health and safety of you and/or others.
  • FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES: We may disclose limited information about you to the Griffin Hospital Development Fund, so that they may contact you to raise money for the hospital. If you do want the hospital to contact you for fundraising or marketing, you must notify Griffin Hospital Development Fund at (203) 732-7504.
  • LAW ENFORCEMENT: We may disclose your health information for certain law enforcement purposes if permitted or required by law, such as to:
    • Respond to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process;
    • Identify or locate a victim, suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person; or
    • Report criminal conduct.
  • HEALTH OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES: We may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency for oversight activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure, or other activities necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.
  • JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS: If you are involved in a lawsuit or dispute, we may disclose your health information in response to a court order, administrative order, subpoena or other lawful process if permitted by law.
  • CORONERS, MEDICAL EXAMINERS, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, ORGAN PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATIONS: If you are deceased, we may disclose limited health information to a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director, or if you are an organ donor, to an organization involved in the donation of organs and tissues.
  • NATIONAL SECURITY MATTERS: We may disclose your health information to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law. These activities may include protective services for the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state.
  • MILITARY ACTIVITIES: If you are a member of the Armed Forces, we may release your health information as required by military command authorities and applicable law.
  • RESEARCH: Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose your health information for research purposes, subject to a special approval process.
  • HOSPITAL DIRECTORY: If admitted as an inpatient, unless you tell us otherwise, we will list in the patient directory, your name, location in the hospital, your general condition (good, fair, etc.) and your religious affiliation, and may release all but your religious affiliation to anyone who asks about your name. Your religious affiliation may be disclosed only to clergy members, even if they do not ask for you by name.
  • INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN YOUR CARE OR PAYMENT FOR YOUR CARE: We may release your health information to a friend or family that you indicate is involved in your care or payment for your care, unless you request a restriction.
  • DISASTER RELIEF: We may release your health information to disaster relief authorities so that your family can be notified of your status, location and condition.
    AS REQUIRED BY LAW: We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
  • III. SPECIAL RULES REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT INFORMATION, HIV-RELATED INFORMATION AND MINORS

    For disclosures concerning protected health information relating to care for psychiatric conditions, substance abuse or HIV related testing and treatment, special restrictions may apply. For example, we generally may not disclose this specially protected information in response to a subpoena, warrant, or other legal process unless you sign a special authorization or a court orders the disclosure.

    IV. USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT REQUIRE YOUR PRIOR AUTHORIZATION

    Other uses and disclosures of protected health information not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written authorization. If you provide us authorization to use or disclose protected health information about you, you may revoke it, in writing, at any time. Examples of when an authorization form from you may be required include the following:

    V. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION

    You have the right to:

    VI. CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE:

    We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised or changed Notice effective for protected health information we already have about you as well as any such information we receive in the future. The new Notice will be available on our Web site at griffinhealth.org. You can receive a copy of the current notice at any time. Copies of the current notice will also be available each time you come to our facility for treatment.

    VII. COMPLAINTS:

    If you are concerned that your privacy rights have been violation, you may file a complaint with the hospital, by contacting:

    All complaints must be submitted in writing unless called in to the AlertLine. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of Civil Rights. Under no circumstances, will you be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

    VIII. QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS NOTICE

    In addition to calling one of the phone number listed above, questions concerning this Notice can be directed to:

    Griffin Hospital
    130 Division Street
    Derby, CT 06418
    Attention: Privacy Officer
    (203) 732-7502

    Effective Date: April 1, 2019