Medical information privacy notice
Privacy Notice
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. This notice became effective on April 1, 2003, was revised on August 15, 2009, to include language about the Elder Service Plan (now Neighborhood PACE), was revised on April 18, 2013, and was revised on November 20, 2018.
Every time you visit the NeighborHealth or a Neighborhood PACE Day Health Center and are seen by a provider or receive other services, a record is made of that visit. This medical record usually contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment and a plan for future care or treatment. The medical records for the health center are stored on paper or on computer. As required by Massachusetts General Law, the health center maintains medical records for at least 20 years after the patient’s last treatment date.
Medical information may also be used and stored by other departments in the health center and Neighborhood PACE in the regular course of business. This information may be stored on paper or on computer. The health center, which includes Neighborhood PACE, also may receive information about your health from providers or facilities not part of NeighborHealth and store such information with your NeighborHealth medical record. All of this information is considered confidential and is subject to the protections mentioned in this privacy notice.
Your medical information is used for many purposes, including:
- Planning your care and treatment
- Communication among the health care providers who take care of you
- Proving that services billed to your insurance company were actually provided
- Helping improve the quality of care provided to health center patients
- Assisting public health officials in improving the health of the public
- Providing a legal record of the care and treatment you received
Privacy Notice in Other Languages
NeighborHealth’s Privacy Notice is available as a PDF in the following languages: