Privacy Policy

Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION .

PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Introduction
Ascension research is committed to treating and using protected health information about you
responsibly. This notice of Health Information Privacy practice describes the personal information we collect and how when we use or disclose that information. It also describes your rights as they relate to your protected health information. This notice effective August 6, 2007 and applies to all protected information as defined by federal and state regulations. The practices described in this notice will be followed by anyone who represents Ascension Research.

Your Protected information
This notice applies to the protected information and records we have about you, such as your name, address, Phone number, social security number, health information, health status and health care and clinical trial services you receive at this office.

How we may use and disclose information about you

• Participation in Research Studies
  We may use information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services as part of the research studies we conduct. We may disclose information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, coordinators, office staff or other personal who help conduct our studies. Our staff may need obtain your health history and past medical records to decide which research study is best for you. The study doctor may tell another doctor about your condition to help determine the most appropriate care for you and make recommendations regarding your research participation.
• Treatment
  We may use information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services as part of a research study . Example : staff may schedule lab work, X ray MRI etc.
• Stipend Payments
  We may use and disclose information about you so that you may receive a stipend for your research study participation.
• Research Purposes
  We may use information and disclose about you to organizations that sponsor our research,
  organizations’ that monitor our research ,ethical review boards and to the FDA upon request
• In Order to Contact You
  We may contact you to remind you of an appointment at our office; to inform you about test results; to clarify information you have provided; or to tell you about research studies. Please notify us if you do not wish to be contacted for this. If you advise us in writing that you do not wish to receive such communication we will not use or disclose your information for this purpose. You may revoke your authorization at any time by giving us a written notice. Your revocation will be effective when we receive it but will not apply to any uses and disclosure that occurred before that time. If you revoke your authorization, we will not be permitted to use or disclose information for purpose of treatment, payment or office operations and we may therefore choose to discontinue your participation in our research studies and any health care treatment and services.Special Situations
  
• Health and Safety Threats
  We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious
  threat to your health and safety or others. We disclose information about you for public health
  reasons in order to prevent or control diseases, injury or disabilities, to report births, deaths,
  suspected abuse or neglect, intentional physical injuries or reactions to medications and or
  products.
• Required by Law
  We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law. We may release health information about you if you ask to do so by a law enforcement official in response to a court order, subpoena, or similar process, subject to applicable legal requirements.
• Research
  We may use and disclose health information about you for our research projects that are subject to a special approval process.
• Health Oversight Activities
  We may disclose health information to a health oversight agency such as the FDA for audits,
  investigations, or licensing purposes. These disclosures may be necessary to enable state and federal agencies to monitor the health care and government programs and to ensure compliance with civil rights laws.
• Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors
  We may release health information to a coroner or a medical examiner. This may be necessary, for example , to identify a deceased person to determine cause of death.
• Family and Friends
  We may disclose health information (except information regarding HIV status, mental disorders, and substance abuse information)about you to your family and friends if we obtain your verbal agreement to do so or if we give you an opportunity to object to such a disclosure and you do not raise an objection. We may also disclose health information to your family and friends if we can infer from the circumstances, based on our professional judgment that you would not object. EX. We may assume you agree to disclosure of your personal health information when you bring your spouse with you into the exam room during a clinic visit.For situations in which you are not capable of giving consent we may, using our professional judgment, determine that disclosure to a family member or friend is in your best interest. EX We may inform a person who accompanied you to the emergency room that you fainted during a blood draw and provide updates on your progress and prognosis.Your Information Rights
  Although your health record is the physical property of Ascension Research, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:
•  Obtain a paper copy of this “Notice of Privacy Practices” upon request
•  Inspect and copy your health record as provided for in 45 CRF 164.524
•  Amend your health record as provided in 45 CRF 164.542
•  Obtain an accounting of disclosure of your information as provided in 45 CRF 164.528
•  Require communication of your information by alternative means or at alternative locations.
•  Request a restriction on certain types uses and disclosures of your information as provided by
  45 CFR 164.522
•  Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent thet axtion
  been already taken.Ascension Research Responsibilities
  We are required to;
•  Maintain the privacy of your health information
•  Provide you with this notification as to our duties and privacy practice with respect to
  information we collect and maintain about you
•  Abide by the terms of this notice
•  Notify you if we are unable to agree to a required restriction
•  Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by
  alternative means or at alternative locationsWe reserve the right to change our practice and to make the new provision effective for all protected health information we maintain. Should our information practice change, we will post the changes. We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice.Complaints
  If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filling a complaint.