Notice of Privacy Practices

In keeping with age-old Midwifery traditions and supported by Federal law, we respect each client's right to confidentiality. Our purpose in gathering your previous or ongoing health information and recording the details of your present pregnancy, birth and postpartum is to provide you with high quality care. The entire team at WomanSong Midwifery Service who work to provide your health care, whether contracted or volunteer, including office and billing persons have been instructed in policy specific to maintaining your privacy. Federal law also has guidelines that protect your health information.

Summary of Patient Rights

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to that information. Please review it carefully.

  1. Availability of WomanSong Midwifery's Notice of Privacy Practices Summary of Patient Rights.

    You have the right to receive a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices Notice at your first visit and upon request. This notice informs you how we protect your health information and the ways we may use and disclose your health record. Further details of office policy are available by asking your midwife.

  2. How we use your record. Placing restrictions on certain uses and disclosures.

    We may use and disclose your health record for purposes of treatment, payment, and office operations. We may disclose to others providers who are involved in your health care or to whom you are referred. To facilitate quality consultation, collaboration and 24/7 coverage, this practice participates in the Westside Midwifery Associates. All three participating independent practices share the same electronic medical record program. Just as interns and residents must document observed and learned skills in hospital settings in order to complete their education, de-identified information from your chart may be used to verify documentation for the education and certifying process of midwifery students who participate in your care.

    You have the right to ask for restrictions on how your health information is used or to whom the information is disclosed, even if the restriction affects your treatment, our payment or health care operation activities. You may request that we not inform your health insurer about services that you elect to pay for out of pocket. You have the right to request special protections on information relative to HIV/AIDS, mental health diagnosis and treatment, drug and alcohol treatment or referral, and genetic testing. You may want to limit the health information that is provided to family or friends who are involved in your care or payment of your medical bills. You may also want to limit the health information provided to authorities involved with disaster relief efforts. However, we are not required to agree in all circumstances to your requested restriction. You can opt out of receiving information about any fundraising activities.

  3. Alternative communications.

    You have the right to ask that we limit the way we communicate your health information to you to specific methods or places. For example, you may wish to receive lab results through a written letter sent to a private address rather than by a phone call. We will accommodate requests that are reasonable in terms of administrative burden and we may not require you to give a reason for the request.

  4. Access, inspection and copying of protected health information.

    With a few exceptions, you have the right to inspect and obtain a paper or digital copy of your health information. For example, this right does not apply to psychotherapy notes or information gathered for judicial proceedings. We may charge you a reasonable fee for copies of your health information.

  5. Requesting amendments or corrections to protected health information.

    If you believe your health information is incomplete or incorrect, you may ask us to correct the information. We may ask you to make such requests in writing and to give a reason as to why your health information should be changed. This helps us to understand and accurately facilitate your request. If we did not create the health information that you believe is incorrect, or if we disagree with you and believe your health information is correct, we may deny the request.

  6. Receiving an accounting of disclosures of protected Health information.

    Our practice has never sold personal health information and we will not ever sell your information without your explicit authorization. If your personal health record accidentally goes public, we will notify you about the breach. In some limited instances, you have the right to ask for a list of any disclosures of your health information that we have made during the previous six years (sections removed here). Disclosures of this nature are very rare in private midwifery practice and are more common in large institutions which conduct major studies and participate in more information sharing.

    We will not include in the list disclosures made to you or disclosures for the purposes of treatment, payment, health care operations, national security, law enforcement/corrections and certain health oversight activities.

  7. Complaints.

    You have the right to file a complaint with your midwife if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. We will not retaliate against you for filing such a complaint. To file a complaint you should contact your midwife who will provide you with the necessary assistance and/or paperwork. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to file a complaint with the Department of Human Services.

Office Policy

  1. Should the law regarding patient privacy rights under HIPAA change, we will update our organization's policies and procedures regarding those rights, if applicable. If you are still in our care for a current pregnancy you will receive notice of those changes.

  2. All personnel of WomanSong Midwifery, whether contracted or volunteer, are given a copy of our Notice of Privacy Policies, receive office training on our privacy policy and procedures, and sign a confidentiality contract.