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Notice of Privacy Practices
This notice details how your medical information may be used and disclosed and how
to gain access to that information. Please review carefully.
By law, every Pharmacy is required to maintain the privacy of “Protected health
Information” (“PHI”), in addition to providing the individuals with notice of those
legal duties and practices of privacy with respect to PHI. PHI is the information
that may identify an individual and relates their past, present and future health
(mental or physical) or condition and associated health care services to them. This
“Notice of Privacy Practices” (“Notice”) explains how a pharmacy may use and disclose
your PHI to carry out Health care operation, treatment or payment and for other
pre-determined purposes that are permitted or required by law. This Notice also
explains the rights of an individual with respect to the PHI about them.
Each Pharmacy is held accountable to abide by the terms of the Notice. We, the Pharmacy,
will not disclose or use your PHI without your written authorization, except as
stated in this Notice. However, we reserve the right to change our practices along
with the Notice and in turn make the Notice effective for all obtained PHI. Upon
request, we will make the revised Notice available to all interested parties.
Individual Health Information Rights
With respect to your PHI, you have the following rights:
Upon request, to obtain a paper copy of the Notice. At any point
in time, you have the right to request a copy of the Notice, even if you previously
agreed to receive an electronic version. Please contact Gary Abercrombie to acquire
a paper copy.
To request guidelines on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI. Additional restrictions
may be requested by an individual on the use and disclosure of their PHI by submitting
a written request to Gary Abercrombie. The Pharmacy is not required to agree with
those limitations.
To attain and inspect a copy of PHI. As long as the Pharmacy maintains
the PHI. Individuals have the right to access and copy their PHI contained in a
designated record set. Prescription and billing information is normally included
in a designated record set. Please send a written request to Gary Abercrombie to
inspect or copy your PHI. Fees may be applied to cover the costs of supplies, copying
and mailing necessary for fulfilling a request. In certain limited cases, requests
for copies or inspection of PHI may be denied. In such cases, review of the denial
may be requested.
To request an amendment of PHI. If an individual feels that their
PHI maintained by the Pharmacy is inaccurate in any way, they may request it be
amended. An amendment may be requested as long as the Pharmacy maintains the PHI.
Please submit a written request to Gary Abercrombie to request an amendment. Reasoning
for the request must be included to support the request. In isolated cases, the
request for an amendment may be denied. In such cases, a disagreement with the statement
may be filed and may result in a rebuttal to the statement.
To receive an accounting of disclosures of PHI. After April 14th,
2003 individuals have the right to receive an accounting of to their PHI covering
most disclosures above and beyond treatment, health care operations and payment.
Disclosures made direct to the individual or those involved with their health care,
authorized by the individual, or for the purpose of notification will be excluded.
Certain other exceptions, limitations or restrictions may apply. Please submit a
written request for PHI accounting to Gary Abercrombie. A specific time period,
of no more than six years, must be included. The initial request for an accounting,
within a 12 month frame, will be provided at no charge. Additional accountings will
have associated fees. Individuals requesting an accounting will be notified in advance
of the charges and will have the option to modify or cancel their request.
To request communications of PHI by alternative methods or at alternative locations.
An individual may request a written response about their medical details or that
it be sent to an alternative address. Please submit a written request to receive
a confidential PHI communication to Gary Abercrombie. Please include how and where
to be contacted. All reasonable requests will be accommodated.
Examples of the Use and Disclosure of PHI
The following are examples and descriptions of the uses and disclosures of PHI:
The use of PHI for treatment. An example would be the use of pharmacist
obtained information to dispense prescribed medications. Information related to
the services provided and medications dispensed would be documented in an individual’s
record.
The use of PHI for payment. An example would be contacting the
pharmacy benefit manager or insurer to confirm payment for an individual’s prescription
and the amount of the co-payment. The pharmacy bills either the individual or a
third-party payer for the prescription medication costs. An individual’s prescription
or personal identifying information may be included on or with the bill.
The use of PHI for health care operations. An example would be
the use of health record information to monitor the performance of the treatment
provided by the pharmacist. This information would be utilized to improve the health
care and services quality and effectiveness provided.
A pharmacy is likely to disclose or use PHI for the following purposes:
Business associates: Some services provided are the result of contracts
with business associates. Such examples include Health Insurance Companies or companies
that process pharmacy claims for you. To insure that these associates can perform
the duties we’ve contracted with them for and to bill the individual or the third-party
payer for serviced rendered, the pharmacy may disclose PHI about the individual.
Business associates are required to appropriately safeguard PHI to protect the individual.
Communication with individuals involved in your care or payment for your care:
Using their judgment, pharmacists and other professional health care givers may
disclose relevant PHI regarding personal care or payment related to care to those
identified by an individual, such as family members, relatives and friends.
Health-related communications: A pharmacy may contact an individual
to provide information about treatment alternatives, health care related benefits
or services of interest, or refill reminders.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): To enable the FDA to recall,
repair, or replace products, the pharmacy may disclose to the FDA, or those persons
under it’s jurisdiction, PHI associated with adverse outcomes with respect to foods,
drugs, products and product defects, supplements, or post marketing surveillance
information.
Worker’s compensation: An individual’s PHI may be disclosed by
the pharmacy if authorized or is necessary to act in accordance with any laws regulating
worker’s compensation or similar law established programs.
Public health: PHI regarding the prevention and control of disease,
injury, and disability may be disclosed to public health or legal authorities as
required by law.
Law enforcement: As required by law for law enforcement purposes,
a valid subpoena, or another legal process, a pharmacy may disclose an individual’s
PHI.
As required by law: A pharmacy may disclose an individual’s PHI
when required to do so by law.
Health oversight activities: For any law authorized activities,
the pharmacy may disclose and individual’s PHI to an oversight agency. Such activities
include inspections, investigations, and audits deemed necessary for the government
and the licensure to monitor government programs, the health care system and compliance
with civil rights laws.
Judicial and administrative proceedings: PHI may be disclosed to
an administrative or court order if an individual is involved in a lawsuit or dispute.
Should someone else involved in the dispute request PHI via a subpoena, lawful process,
or discovery request, PHI may be disclosed only if an effort has been made to notify
the individual or obtain an order requested to protect the PHI.
A pharmacy is allowed to disclose or use PHI for the following purposes:
Research: Upon approval from an institutional review board that has
established protocols ensuring the protection of PHI from a formal review of the
research proposal, researchers may request an individual’s PHI.
Coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors: A pharmacy may
release PHI to a medical examiner or coroner for the purpose of, but not limited
to, determining the identity of a deceased person or cause of death. PHI may also
be disclosed to funeral directors in fulfilling their duties in accordance with
applicable laws.
Organ or tissue procurement organization: For the purposes of tissue
donation and transplanting, PHI may be disclosed to any or organization involved
in procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs.
Fundraising: In conjunction with a fundraising endeavor, the Pharmacy
may contact an individual.
Correctional institution: PHI may be disclosed to an institution
or its agents to protect the health and safety of an individual or other inmates,
if said individual becomes or is already an inmate of a correctional institution.
To avert a serious threat to health or safety: In the case of a
serious threat to health or injury of an individual or others in general, PHI may
be disclosed as a method of prevention.
Military and veterans: PHI may be released about members of the
armed forces, as military command authorities require. Similarly, Appropriate military
authorities may receive PHI about foreign military personnel.
National security and intelligence activities: PHI may be disclosed
to federal intelligence agents, counterintelligence, and law authorized security
activities.
Protective services for the President and others: To conduct a
special investigation, or protect the President, foreign Heads of State, or authorized
persons, PHI may be disclosed to authorized federal agents.
Victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence: If abuse, neglect,
or domestic violence is suspected, PHI may be released to the appropriate government
authority, such as a protective service or social service agency. PHI will only
be disclosed to the extent required by law if the victim agrees with the disclosure,
the disclosure is allowed by law, will not be used against the victim, and is deemed
necessary by the public agent receiving the report or to avert serious harm to an
individual.
Additional PHI Uses and Disclosures
Additional purposes, beyond those previously discussed or as authorized or allowed
by law, may cause the pharmacy to request an individual’s written authorization
for PHI disclosure or use. Authorization may be revoked at any time. The Pharmacy,
after receiving a written revocation, will discontinue disclosure and use of an
individual’s PHI beyond actions already completed in association with the original
authorization.
To Report a Problem or For Additional Information
Please contact Gary Abercrombie at (360) 675-6688 with additional questions or for
more information about the Pharmacy’s privacy practices. In the case of suspected
violation of privacy rights, please file a complaint with the Secretary of Health
and Human Services. Filing a complaint will in no way result in any retaliation
efforts.
Effective Date
This Notice is effective as of April 14, 2003.
Island Drug.com Privacy Policy
Overview
Island Drug is dedicated to protecting your privacy. This statement will describe
how Island Drug collects and uses any information collected on this web site.
Collection of Information
In order for us to better serve you, it may be essential for you to provide contact
or other relevant information. We may ask for information including Name, Address,
Telephone Numbers, E-mail addresses and other essential information to respond to
inquiries or provide service to you. This web site may collect information including
your IP address, browser type, operating system, domain name, access times and referring
web site addresses for marketing or statistical purposes.
Use of Personal Information
This web site will not collect any personally identifying information from you without
your consent. It may be necessary for Island Drug to share your information with
other contractors or vendors to provide you with the best service possible. These
companies, our vendors, are contractually bound to use personal information we share
with them only to perform the services we have hired them to provide.
Island Drug will use your information to provide you with the following services:
To ensure this web site is relevant to your needs
To deliver services, such as newsletters, events, training or software that you
request or purchase
To alert you to product upgrades, special offers, updated information and other
new services, if you so request.
- To allow you access to protected content on this web site.
Island Drug may also disclose information about you under the following circumstances:
If you direct us to do so
We are required to by law
- Protect and Defend the rights of Island Drug and its' employees
Protection of your Personal Information
Island Drug maintains strict physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards
to protect your personal information from unauthorized or inappropriate access or
disclosure. Sensitive information transmitted over the internet is protected through
the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.
Protection of Children
This web site is not designed to attract children. Island Drug does not knowingly
collect personal information from children.
Use of Cookies
This web site may use "cookies". A "cookie" is a small text file that may
be used, for example, to collect information about web site activity or some information
to identify a visitor, such as a user ID. This web site does not use this technology
to access your personally identifiable information. Most browsers allow the option
of accepting or rejecting the use of cookies. Some portions of this web site may
not function if "cookies" are disabled.
Changing your information and Inquiries
This web site will provide you with the means to ensure your information is correct.
To update your information and for all other privacy related inquiries, please contact:
Island Drug
North Whidbey
230 SE Pioneer Way
Oak Harbor, WA
98277
Phone: 360-675-6688
Toll Free: 800-378-6688
Fax: 360-675-1563
E-Mail: wecare@islanddrug.com
South Whidbey
11042 State Route 525 #130
Clinton, WA 98236
Phone: 360-341-3885
E-Mail: wecare.south@islanddrug.com
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