Privacy & Patient Rights

At Lucas County Health Center, we believe you should feel informed, respected, and confident in your care. Whether you’re visiting us for an emergency, receiving ongoing care, or simply looking for information, we want you to understand your rights and know where to turn with questions and concerns.

The information below explains some of the important protections and resources available to you as a patient.

 

Protecting Your Privacy

At Lucas County Health Center, protecting your privacy is one of our highest priorities. We know that when you come to us for care, you’re trusting us with some of the most personal information about you and your family. That trust matters to us.

We take steps every day to protect your health information and keep it safe. Our team members receive ongoing training on patient privacy and security, and we follow federal and state laws designed to protect your information.

Federal law known as HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) establishes standards for how healthcare organizations use, share, and protect health information.

Learn more about Your Privacy and HIPAA Rights. 

 

Emergency Care and EMTALA

If you have an emergency, you can come to LCHC for care. Federal law requires emergency departments to provide an appropriate medical screening exam for people seeking care, regardless of ability to pay. If an emergency medical condition is found, the hospital must provide stabilizing treatment within its capabilities or arrange an appropriate transfer, when necessary.

EMTALA, or the Emergency edical Treatment and Labor Act, helps protect your right to emergency medical care and prohibits hospitals from delaying an appropriate medical screening or stabilizing treatment to ask about payment or insurance.

Learn more about your Emergency Care Rights.

Your Rights & Responsibilities

Your voice matters when it comes to your care. As a patient, you have rights and responsibilities that help create a respectful, safe, and collaborative care experience.

Our Patient Rights & Responsibilities explains what you can expect from LCHC and what we ask of you and your visitors in return.

 

Nondiscrimination

LCHC is committed to providing care and services without discrimination. We do not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against anyone on the basis of protected characteristics under applicable federal and state law.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is HIPAA?
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It is a federal law that helps protect your health information and gives you certain rights over how your information is used and shared.
What information does HIPAA protect?
HIPAA protects information that can identify you and relates to your health, healthcare, or payment for healthcare. This may include your medical records, test results, insurance information, and conversations about your care.
Who can access my health information?
Only people who need your information to provide or coordinate your care, process payment, or support LCHC operations may access it, as allowed by law. Our team members receive ongoing training on protecting patient information.
Who will follow these privacy practices?

Our privacy practices apply to the LCHC team members, providers, and other healthcare professionals who provide care at our locations. They are responsible for following the privacy and security practices that help protect your health information. For a full list of the locations covered by our Notice of Privacy Practices, please see Addendum B in the notice above.

How can Lucas County Health Center use your health information?
We may use or disclose (share) identifiable health information, for the following purposes or to the following entities:

    • Treatment, payment, and healthcare operations
    • Certain fundraising activities
    • Facility directory
    • Family, friends, or others involved in your care or payment for care
    • As required by law
    • Public health activities
    • Abuse neglect or domestic violence
    • Health oversight activities
    • Legal proceedings
    • Law enforcement
    • Coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors
    • Organ donation
    • Research
    • Threats to health or safety
    • Specialized government functions
    • Workers compensation
    • Incidental uses and disclosures
    • Business Associates
    • Health Information Exchanges (HIE)


What are your privacy rights as a patient?
You have the following rights with respect to your health information:

    • The right to inspect and request your health information we maintain
    • The right to request restrictions on certain uses of your health information
    • The right to request an amendment of your health information
    • The right to an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information
    • The right to receive notice of a breach of your unsecured health information
    • The right to receive confidential communications and request different methods of communication


What if I live in a state with more protective privacy laws?
If HIPAA and another federal or state law conflict, we follow the law that is most protective of you in the state where you receive care.