Notice of Privacy Practices

I. Permitted uses and disclosures of health information

Treatment, payment, healthcare operations

Hometown is likely to use and disclose your health information about treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

Treatment: Your confidential healthcare information may be released to other healthcare professionals to provide you with quality healthcare. For example, a referral to a specialist.

Payment: Information may be released to your insurance provider so Hometown may receive payment for providing needed healthcare services.

Healthcare operations: Your confidential healthcare information may be disclosed in connection with our healthcare operations — quality assessment and improvement, provider performance review, and other Hometown business operations.

Authorizations

You may specifically authorize us in writing to use or disclose your health information for any purpose. You may cancel any such authorization at any time by notifying us in writing. Unless you give us written authorization, we cannot use or disclose your health information except as permitted by this notice or by law.

Disclosures to family and personal representatives

We may disclose health information to personal representatives (parent, child, spouse, etc.) you have authorized to access your records. Under certain circumstances, including emergency treatment, we may disclose your location and general condition to family members or close personal friends you identify.

Marketing

We will not use your health information for marketing communications without your written authorization. We will not sell your health information to anyone.

Uses or disclosures required by law

We may use or disclose your health information when required by law, including for public health reasons (e.g. disease reporting). In some instances we may be required to disclose your health information to authorities if we reasonably believe you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

Patient and third-party protection

Only as permitted by law, we may disclose your health information to avoid a serious threat to your health or safety, or to the health or safety of others.

Law enforcement / national security

Health information may be required to be disclosed because of subpoenas, judicial proceedings, and law enforcement inquiries as permitted by law. Disclosures may also be made to military authorities, federal officials for national security activities, or correctional institutions for inmates in lawful custody.

Appointment reminders

We may use or disclose your limited information to provide you with appointment reminders (texts, voicemail messages, postcards, or letters).

FDA, Worker’s Compensation, fundraising

We may disclose health information to the FDA related to product defects or adverse events; to Worker’s Compensation programs as authorized by law; and for fundraising purposes (you may opt out of future fundraising contacts).

Business associates

Hometown sometimes uses outside services to help with your care — contracted physician services, laboratory tests, etc. When these services are contracted, we may disclose your health information so they can perform their work and bill you or your insurance.

II. Patient rights

Access to records

Upon written request, you have the right to review or receive copies of your health information, with limited exceptions. We may charge a reasonable copying fee. You may request copies in a non-photocopy format, and we will supply records in that format if readily available. If you prefer a summary, we will prepare one for a fee.

Reproductive care

If your privacy involves reproductive health care, Hometown has further protections in place. We will not use or disclose your protected health information (PHI) for the purpose of identifying, investigating, or imposing liability on you for the act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating reproductive care.

If Hometown receives a request that could relate to reproductive health care, the requesting party must attest that the PHI will not be used in a prohibited manner. A signed attestation is required for: health oversight activities; judicial and administrative proceedings; law enforcement purposes; and disclosures to coroners and medical examiners.

Reproductive information may only be disclosed if it is legal to do so in New York, is authorized by federal law, and the care provided was lawful when it occurred.

Accounting of certain disclosures

Upon written request, you have the right to receive a list of instances in which we or our business associates disclosed your health information for purposes other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or activities you authorized — for the last six (6) years, but not before April 14, 2003. If you request this accounting more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge a reasonable fee.

Restrictions and alternative communications

You have the right to request additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. We may or may not agree, depending on circumstance; if we agree, we must honor the restrictions except in emergency treatment.

You may request that we communicate with you by other means or at another location (e.g. at your place of business rather than your home). Requests must be made in writing.

Amendments to records

If you believe our information is incomplete or incorrect, you have the right to request changes. Requests must be made in writing and must explain why the information should be changed. Contact our Health Information Manager at (518) 370-1441.

III. Protection of your information

We maintain security over your personal information through a combination of physical, electronic, and procedural means as well as contractual agreements. We limit access to patient information to only those employees and partners who must use it to properly serve your healthcare needs.

IV. How else is health information used

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways — usually contributing to the public good, such as public health and research. We must meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. Learn more from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

V. Effective date and changes to this notice

This notice is effective as of April 14, 2003 and will remain in effect until we replace it. We reserve the right to change this notice and the privacy practices described at any time in accordance with applicable law. Before making significant changes, we will revise this notice to reflect them and make the revised notice available upon request. Any changes may apply to health information created or received by us before the date of the changes.

Last revised June 6, 2024.