Notice of Privacy Practices
Click here to view the BHS HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices in PDF form.
BERKSHIRE HEALTH SYSTEMS
HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective 04/14/03
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.
OUR PLEDGE REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION
We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting medical information about you. We create a record of the care and services you receive in order to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements.
This notice applies to all of your health information generated or gathered by us, whether recorded in your medical record, invoices or payment forms, or in any other way. Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), its hospitals Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) and Fairview Hospital (FVH), the independent physicians of their Medical Staffs (including your physician), and other related health care providers have agreed, as permitted by law, to share your health information among themselves solely for purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations. This enables us to better address your health care needs in a clinically integrated setting.
Your personal doctor may have other policies or notices regarding the doctor's use and disclosure of your medical information created in the doctor's office or clinic.
This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose medical information about you. It also describes your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.
We are required by law to:
- ensure that medical information that identifies you is kept private;
- give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you;
- and follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.
The medical information or "protected health information" (PHI) that is referred to in this notice includes any information which makes you identifiable, including your name, address, social security number, insurance information, diagnosis, and any clinical information included in your medical record.
