NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE EXPLAINS HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND GIVEN OUT.  IT ALSO EXPLAINS HOW YOU COULD GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.  PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. 

Seattle Roots Community Health respects your privacy.  We understand that your personal health information is very sensitive.  We will not give out your information to others unless you tell us to, or unless the law allows or requires us to do so. 

We are required by law to keep your protected health information (PHI) private, to give you this Notice, and follow the terms of this Notice.  We also have the right to change our practices. The current version of this Notice is available on our web site at www.seattleroots.org 

PHI is any information that includes your personal information, as well as health and billing information.  For more information about our privacy practices, or for additional copies of this Notice, please contact us using the information listed at the end of this Notice. 

USING AND RELEASING PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION

Without Your Written Permission.  We have the right to use and share your health information for the following reasons: 

Treatment: Information obtained by a nurse, physician, or other member of our health care team, recorded in your medical record, may be used to help decide your future care.  We may also share information to others providing you care.  This will help them stay informed about your care. We can use Part 2-protected records within our Part 2 program to provide you with treatment. To share Part 2-protected records with other professionals who are treating you, you must consent in writing. You may provide a single consent for all future uses or disclosures for treatment, payment and healthcare operations purposes. Records disclosed pursuant to a valid consent may be redisclosed by HIPAA covered entities and their business associates as permitted by HIPAA and applicable law. We can disclose Part 2-protected records in a bona fide medical emergency if: (1) we cannot obtain your consent or (2) our Part 2 Program is closed and unable to provide services or obtain your consent, during a temporary state of emergency declared by a state or federal authority because of a major or natural disaster. 

Payment: We request payment from your health insurance plan.  Health plans need information from us about your medical care.  Information shared with health plans may include your diagnoses, procedures performed, or future recommended care. 

Health Care Operations:  We may use and share PHI for our health care operations, such as quality improvement activities, training programs, accreditation, grants, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.  For example, we may use PHI to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff.   

Required or Permitted by Law: We may share PHI when we are required or permitted to do so by law.  For example, we may release PHI to proper authorities if we believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.  We may also share PHI necessary to stop a serious threat to the health or safety of you or others.  Other releases could include: public health activities; requests from state or federal agencies; law enforcement; court order or other lawful process; approved research; workers’ compensation claims; military or national security agencies, coroners, medical examiners, and correctional institutions. If there is PHI potentially related to reproductive health care and the request is for the purposes of health oversight activities, judicial and administrative proceedings, law enforcement purposes, or disclosures to coroners and medical examiners, we will obtain an attestation stating that the reproductive health information will not be used to conduct criminal, civil, or administrative investigation or liability. Records protected by 42 CFR Part 2 generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your written consent or as otherwise authorized by law. 

Health Information Exchange (HIE): Seattle Roots Community Health is part of an organized health care arrangement including participants in OCHIN. A current list of OCHIN participants is available at www.ochin.org. As a business associate of SRCH, OCHIN supplies information technology and related services to Seattle Roots and other participants. For example, OCHIN coordinates clinical review activities on behalf of participating organizations to establish best practice standards and assess clinical benefits that may be derived from the use of electronic health record systems. OCHIN also helps participants work collaboratively to improve the management of internal and external patient referrals. Your personal health information may be shared by Seattle Roots with other OCHIN participants or a health information exchange only when necessary for medical treatment or for the health care operations purposes of the organized health care arrangement. 

Without Your Permission, And You May Object. 

Fundraising: We may use PHI to contact you in an effort to raise money for our operations.  We may also release PHI to a foundation that is related to us so that the foundation may contact you in an effort to raise money for its operations.  Any fundraising communications with you will include a description of how you may opt out of receiving any further fundraising communications 

Family and Other Persons Involved in Your Care.  Unless you object, we may share your PHI with a family member, relative, close friend, or any other person you identify is involved in your medical care.  We may share information to notify the person of your location, general condition, or payment related to your care.   

Disaster Relief Efforts.  We may share your protected PHI to a public or private entity authorized by law or its charter to assist in disaster relief efforts for coordinating notification of family members of your location, general condition, or death.   

Text Messaging Outreach: We collect mobile phone numbers to communicate with patients via SMS and/or RCS text messages for purposes such as appointment reminders, healthcare reminders, prescription refill reminders, and care coordination. Your privacy is a priority. Your mobile number will not be sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. We will not use your number for unrelated marketing without your express written consent. 

Needs Your Written Permission 

Psychotherapy Notes. We will not disclose psychotherapy notes without your written authorization unless the use and disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.  

Minors. We will follow Washington State law when using or sharing PHI of minors. Minors who receive health care services related to sexual health services, mental health treatment, alcohol/drug testing and treatment or reproductive health may request that another person receive that information on their behalf. If the minor does not give permission in writing to anyone, we will only give that information to the minor.  

Marketing Communications: Sale of PHI. We must have your written permission before using or sharing PHI for the marketing or the sale of PHI, consistent with the related definitions and exceptions set forth in HIPAA.  

Other Uses and Release. Any requests for information besides those described in this Notice will need your written permission. For example, you will need to sign a permission form before we can send PHI to your life insurance company or to your attorney. You may revoke your permission at any time by providing us with a written request. 

YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

Right to Inspect and Copy.  You may request to see your medical records billing records in order to inspect and/or request copies of the records.  All requests to view records must be made in writing.  Under limited circumstances, we may deny access to your records.  We may charge a fee for the cost of copying and sending records you request.   

Right to Alternative Communications.  You may request in writing to receive PHI by alternative means of communication or at alternative locations.   

Right to Request Restrictions.  You have the right to limit PHI we use or share for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  You must request limitations in writing. The forms are available at the front desk. We are not required to agree to limitations you request, unless your request is to limit releasing PHI to a health plan for payment or health care operations and that PHI directly relates to a health care item or service that you or another person or entity on your behalf paid in full.  

Right to Accounting of Releases.  You may request in writing an accounting of releases of PHI made by us in the last six years, subject to certain restrictions and limitations.   

Right to Request Amendment:  You have the right to request that we amend your PHI.  Your request must be in writing, and it must explain why the information should be amended.  We may deny your request under certain circumstances. 

Right to Obtain Notice.  You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice by asking staff at the front desk at any time. 

Right to Receive Notification of a Breach.  We are required to notify you if we discover a breach of your unsecured PHI, according to requirements under federal law. 

Questions and Complaints. If you have questions about your privacy rights or are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights, please contact quality@seattleroots.org. You also have the right to complain to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint. 

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE  

This Notice is effective on September 3rd, 2026.