Privacy policy

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

Skilled Care Home Health Services is required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information, to provide you adequate notice of your rights and our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information and to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information. We will use or disclose protected health information in a manner that is consistent with this notice.

The agency maintains a record (paper/electronic file) of the information we receive and collect about you and of the care we provide to you. This record includes physicians' orders, assessments, medication lists, clinical progress notes and billing information.

As required by law, the agency maintains policies and procedures about our work practices, including how we coordinate care and services provided to our patients. These policies and procedures include how we create, receive, access, transmit, maintain and protect the confidentiality of all health information in our workforce and with contracted business associates and/or subcontractors; security of the agency building and electronic files; and how we educate staff on privacy of patient information.

As our patient, information about you must be used and disclosed to other parties for purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations. Examples of information that must be disclosed:

• Treatment: Providing, coordinating or managing health care and related services, consultation between health care providers relating to a patient or referral of a patient for health care from one provider to another. For example, we meet on a regular basis to discuss how to coordinate care for patients and to schedule visits.

• Payment: Billing and collecting for services provided, determining plan eligibility and coverage, utilization review (UR), precertification, medical necessity review. For example, occasionally the insurance company requests a copy of the medical record be sent to them for a coverage review prior to paying the bill.

• Health Care Operations: General agency administrative and business functions, quality assurance/improvement activities; medical review; auditing functions; developing clinical guidelines; determining the competence or qualifications of health care professionals; evaluating agency performance; conducting training programs with students or new employees; licensing, survey, certification, accreditation and credentialing activities; internal auditing; and certain fundraising activities and with your authorization, marketing activities. For example, our agency periodically holds clinical record review meetings where the consulting professional of our record review committee will audit clinical records for meeting professional standards and utilization review.


NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION


Skilled Care Home Health Services complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude or treat people differently on the basis of social status, political belief, race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), age or disability with regard to admission, access to treatment or employment.
Skilled Care Home Health Services provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as qualified sign language interpreters, written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats); and free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as qualified interpreters and information written in other languages. If you need these services, please contact Skilled Care Home Health Services.

Patient & Client Rights

Patient Rights and Responsibilities


As a home care provider, we have an obligation to protect and promote the exercise of your rights. We must provide these rights and responsibilities to you and/or your legal representative in a way you can understand. Written rights must be provided during the initial evaluation visit before care begins. A verbal explanation of these rights may be provided at the same time or within a specified timeframe and ongoing as needed.

Your Rights

Right to Informed Consent

  • Patients must be fully informed about their condition, treatment options, and potential risks before any procedure or treatment.

  • Consent must be given voluntarily.

    Right to Privacy and Confidentiality

    • Personal and medical information must be kept confidential unless consent is given or required by law.

    Right to Quality Care

    • Every patient is entitled to receive safe, appropriate, and timely care without discrimination.

    Right to Be Treated with Respect and Dignity

    • All patients should be treated with kindness, respect, and cultural sensitivity.

    Right to Refuse Treatment

    • Patients can decline treatment, even if it goes against medical advice (unless in cases where public health is at risk or the patient lacks decision-making capacity).

    Right to Access Medical Records

    • Patients have the right to view and get copies of their medical records.

    Right to Participate in Decision-Making

    • Patients should be actively involved in decisions about their health care, including end-of-life choices.

    Right to Complain and Receive a Fair Response

    • Patients can file complaints about the care they received and expect an appropriate investigation and response.

    Right to Continuity of Care

  • Care shouldn’t be abruptly discontinued without proper transition or referral.