Overview
The information on this page describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can have access to this information. Please review it carefully.
This information is also available in a printable file.
Your health information: you have certain rights
- You can ask for a paper or electronic copy of the health information we have about you to review. Your request must be in writing and your identity must be verified.
- We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
- You can ask us to add additional health information to your medical record that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Your request must be in writing, your identity must be verified, and you must explain your reason for the amendment.
- We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.
- You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example using your home or office phone) or send mail to a different address.
- We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
- You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or operation services. We are not required to agree to your request, and may say “no” in certain cases.
- If you (or someone on your behalf) pays for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information with your health plan. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share the information.
- You can ask us for a list (i.e. accounting) of the times we have shared your health information for six years prior to today’s date, who we shared it with and why. We must provide you with the list within 60 days of your request.
- We will include certain disclosures in the list as required by federal law.
- We will provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within a single, 12-month period.
- You can ask us for a paper copy of this notice from any Macomb County Health Department service location, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically.
- If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
- We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
- You can file a complaint if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us. See “How to File a Complaint” on the bottom of this page.
- Individuals may file a complaint without fear of retaliation or decrease in the quality of services received from the Macomb County Health Department.
You can tell us how you want your information shared
- Share information with your family, close friends, or any other person that you identify as being involved in your care.
- Share information in a disaster relief situation
- Note: If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
- Share your information for marketing purposes
- Sell your information
How we use or share your health information
- We can use your information and share it with other professionals to help provide your care. Example: If we send a specimen to an outside laboratory for testing, we would need to share your name with the lab in order to match you to the result of the test.
- We can use and share your health information to improve how we provide care to you and the public. Example: We may review health information of multiple patients and change how we run our clinics to increase the efficiency of our programs.
- We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. Example: We may give information about you to your health insurance plan so they can pay for services you received.
How else can we share your health information?
- We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
- Preventing disease
- Helping with product recalls
- Reporting adverse reactions to medications
- Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety
- We can use or share your information for health research. Under certain circumstances, we may disclose information to researchers when their research has been approved by an institutional review board that has established rules to ensure the privacy of your health information.
- We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if they want to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.
- We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations
- We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.
- We can use or share health information about you:
- For workers’ compensation claims
- For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
- With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
- For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
- We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order or in response to a subpoena.
Additional information
Our responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of this notice.
- We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you provide a written request for us to use/share the information in a specific manner (i.e. provide written authorization).
- You can stop what you previously requested by notifying us in writing (i.e. revoke a previous authorization). Information that has already been used/shared during the time frame that a valid authorization was in place is not able to be revoked.
How to get more information
If you have any questions or requests, please contact the Macomb County Health Department Privacy Officer or HIPAA Coordinator at 586-469-5235.
For more information on your health information rights, see the following website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has additional information on health information privacy that you may find useful.
How to file a complaint
If you feel your privacy rights have been violated, you may call the Privacy Officer or HIPAA Coordinator at 586-469-5235 or write a letter to the Macomb County Health Department. If you send a letter, include your concern and describe how you feel that your patient privacy or security was violated. Be sure to include date(s) associated with the incident you are reporting.
Mailing address:
Macomb County Health Department
Attention: Privacy Officer
43525 Elizabeth Road
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
Phone: 586-469-5235
Changes to the terms of the notice
We can change the terms of this notice. The changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available online and at Macomb County Health Department service locations.
Click here to download a copy of the HIPAA Hybrid Entity Designation.
Macomb County Health Department Notice of Privacy Practices Revised Notice Effective November 1, 2017.