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Dear Heartland Blood Centers’ Donor,
In our continuing efforts to meet and exceed your
customer service expectations, Heartland Blood Centers takes your
right to privacy very seriously. Recently, the Department of Health
and Human Services Office of Civil Rights passed the final rule
for HIPAA, or the Health Information and Accountability Act. The
intention of HIPAA legislation is to protect each and every citizen’s
right to privacy, specifically related to protected health information.
And although Heartland Blood Centers does not render health care,
we do collect, record and at times report, protected health information.
You, our faithful donor, can expect that the
following safeguards are in place to protect your right to privacy:
- All Heartland Blood Centers’ staff members have been educated
in the provision of respectful, privacy protective service.
- You will be screened in a manner that protects your right to
privacy.
- Your Donation Record (DR) will be handled only by staff members
who have a “need to know” the information therein contained.
- Your personal information such as name, address, birth date,
social security number and telephone number will not be distributed
for marketing purposes outside of Heartland Blood Centers’ donor
recruitment activities.
- Information related to blood test results or blood typing, may
be obtained by the individual donor or designee upon Heartland
Blood Centers’ confirmation and receipt of donor authorization.
The exceptions to this are those blood test results that require
mandatory reporting to county, state or federal authorities.
- Patient testing reports will be transmitted by fax, courier
or electronically to hospitals and physicians in keeping with
this privacy rule, as part of the continuity of patient care.
- You have a right to restrict the disclosure of your protected
health information.
- You have a right to amend your protected health information.
- You have a right to receive an accounting of any disclosures
of your protected health information.
- You have a right to question and/or make complaint about our privacy
practices. Please contact Cathy India, Director of Organizational
Development at 630-723-2007. If you still feel your question or
complaint has not been thoroughly addressed, please contact:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C.20201
OCR Hotlines-Voice: 1-800-368-1019
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