Privacy Policy

Notice of Privacy Practices

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.

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

Charles E. Smith Life Communities (CESLC) is comprised of Hebrew Home of Greater Washington (HHGW), a skilled nursing facility, Hirsh Health Center, and Landow House (including Cohen-Rosen House), an assisted living facility. These related entities operate as a single “Affiliated Covered Entity” under the under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This means that this Notice of Privacy Practices applies to each of those residences and services. Please note that CESLC also includes Revitz House and Ring House, both of which are independent living residences which are not a part of our Affiliated Covered Entity because they do not provide medical treatment to their residents. Accordingly, Revitz House and Ring House are not subject to the rights and obligations described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. However, any outpatient physical therapy services provided through HHGW are subject to this Notice.

We are committed to preserving the privacy and confidentiality of your health information. During your stay at one of our affiliated covered entities and in the course of medical treatment that we may provide to you, we will create, receive, transmit or maintain records that contain health information about you, including information that identifies you or that can reasonably be used to identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental condition, the provision of health care to you or the payment for that care.

CESLC is required by certain state and federal regulations to safeguard your health information. We are also required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule to inform you about the possible uses and disclosures of your health information and describe your rights and our obligations regarding that information. We reserve the right to make changes to this Notice and to make such changes effective for all PHI we may already have about you. If and when this Notice is changed, we will post this information on our website and provide you with a copy of the revised Notice upon your request.

Your Rights – A Summary

You have the right to:

  • Get a copy of this privacy notice
  • Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record
  • Ask us to limit the information we share
  • Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information
  • Choose someone to act for you
  • Correct your paper or electronic medical record
  • Request confidential communication
  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

Your Choices

You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:

  • Provide disaster relief
  • Include you in a facility directory
  • Tell family and friends about your condition
  • Market our services and sell your information
  • Raise funds

Our Uses and Disclosures

We may use and share your information as we:

  • Treat you
  • Run our organization
  • Bill for services
  • Comply with the law
  • Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
  • Help with public health and safety issues
  • Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
  • Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
  • Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement and other government requests

Your Health Information and Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

  • You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do

We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information in accordance with state and federal requirements. If you receive care at Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, our skilled nursing residence, special rules apply to your right to view or receive copies of your medical records: these records may be accessed within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) of an oral or written request. After receipt or inspection of these records, you may purchase them or any portions of them upon request and two working days advance notice. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee where permitted.

Ask us to correct your medical record

  • You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or Ask us how to do this. We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

  • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or mobile phone) or to send mail to a different address. We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and may say “no” if it would affect your care.
  • If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

  • You can ask for a list (called an accounting) of the times we’ve share your health information for up to six (6) years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
  • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, health care operations and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

  • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
  • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

  • You can complain if you feel we violated your privacy rights by contacting us using the information at the end of this notice.You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to:

200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20201, or
calling 1-877-696-6775, or
visiting https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html

  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Health Information and Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

  • Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
  • Share information in a disaster relief situation
  • Include your information in a community directory

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In the following cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

  • Non-CESLC marketing purposes
  • Most sharing of psychotherapy notes
  • Sale of your information

Your Health Information and Our Uses and Disclosures

How do we typically use or share your health information? We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

Treat you – We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks us about your overall health condition.

Run our organization – We can use and share your health information to run our organization, improve your care and contact you when necessary.

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

Bill for your services – We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.

Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues – We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:

  • Preventing disease
  • Helping with product recalls
  • Reporting adverse reactions to medications
  • Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
  • Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

Do research – We can use or share your information for health research; however we either need to receive government permission or your permission prior to such use.

Fundraising Activities – We may contact you to provide information about CESLC-sponsored activities, including fundraising programs and events to support CESLC. For this purpose we may use your: (i) demographic information relating to an individual including name, address, other contact information, age, gender and date of birth; (ii) dates of health care provided; (iii) residence/department of service information; (iv) treating physician; (v) outcome information; (vi) health insurance status; and (vii) other relevant information. We may disclose this information to a business associate to assist us in our fundraising activities. If we do contact you for fundraising activities, the communication you receive will have instructions on how you may ask for us not to contact you again for such purposes, also known as an “opt-out.”

Comply with the law – We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services, if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests – We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director – We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement and other government requests – We can use or share health information about you:

  • For workers compensation claims
  • For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
  • With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
  • For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective service

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions – We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Health Information Exchange – We have chosen to participate in the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP), a regional health information exchange serving Maryland and D.C. As permitted by law, your health information will be shared with this exchange in order to provide faster access, better coordination of care and assist providers and public health officials in making more informed decisions. You may “opt-out” and disable access to your health information available through CRISP by calling 1-877-952-7477 or completing and submitting an Opt-Out form to CRISP by mail, fax or through their website at www.crisphealth.org. Public health reporting and Controlled Dangerous Substances information, as part of the Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), will still be available to providers.

Maryland Law – If federal privacy law and Maryland law conflict, and Maryland law is more protective of your information or provides you with greater access to your information, then we will follow the applicable Maryland law.

Your Health Information and Our Responsibilities

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
  • We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

For more information see:

www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html

We can change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request and on this website.

Questions or Complaints

If you have any complaints or questions about our privacy policies, please contact:

Director, HIPAA Security, Privacy and Compliance
Charles E. Smith Life Communities
6121 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone: 301-770-8448  |  Email: privacy@ceslc.org

This Notice of Privacy Practices is available in all affiliated covered entities.

Date of implementation: April 2003
Date of prior revision: June 2018
Date of last revision: February 2020

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Discrimination is Against the Law!

We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. We do not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.

CESCL Covered Entities

  • Provide free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
    • Qualified sign language interpreters
    • Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)
  • Provide free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
    • Qualified interpreters
    • Information written in other languages
  • If you need help obtaining these services, contact CESLC’s Director, HIPAA Security, Privacy and Compliance.

If you believe that a CESLC covered entity has discriminated on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex, you can file a grievance with:

Director, HIPAA Security, Privacy and Compliance
6121 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD  20152
civilrights@ceslc.org
301-770-8448

You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax or email. If you need help filing a grievance, CESLC’s Director, HIPAA Security, Privacy and Compliance is available to help you.

You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf or by mail or phone at:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD)

Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html

 

 

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Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains why we collect particular information and how we will protect your personal privacy within our web site. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for the web site located at the URL www.smithlifecommunities.org.

Charles E. Smith Life Communities (CESLC) uses its best efforts to respect the privacy of online visitors, and to handle information that you may provide us in a safe and responsible manner.

Because we want to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy, this Privacy Policy notifies you of:

  1. The information we collect through the site;
  2. How the information is used;
  3. With whom your information may be shared;
  4. Your choices regarding collection, use and distribution of your information;
  5. How we protect information under our control from loss, misuse or alteration;
  6. How you can correct your information; and
  7. How we protect your information.

What Information We Collect and How We Use That Information:

We collect personal information when you voluntarily provide it in the course of interacting with our site. Our registration form asks for name and e-mail address, and may also ask users to give us contact information, format preference (HTML vs. Text), address, interests and similar information. We do not request or store sensitive information from our visitors, such as credit card or social security numbers.

If you provide your e-mail address and you do not want to receive e-mail from us in the future, please let us know by sending an e-mail to info@ceslc.org or calling 301-770-8329 or changing your personal profile.

If you provide your postal address to us online, you may receive periodic newsletters or mailings from us with information on new services or upcoming events. If do not wish to receive mailings from us, please let us know by sending us an e-mail to info@ceslc.org or by updating your personal profile. In order to save vital funds, we occasionally exchange donor names with carefully selected not-for-profit organizations.

You can have your name put on our do-not-share list by calling 301-770-8329 and including your exact name and mailing address.

If you provide your telephone number online, we will only call to discuss your event registration or donation.

Internet Protocol Address

We collect IP address information from visitors to our site. We may use this information to analyze traffic at our site and to deliver customized, personalized content.

Use of “Cookies”

Our site may use cookies to help you use our site more efficiently. If you choose to have your browser refuse Cookies, it is possible that some areas of our Site will not function properly when you view them.

Security

All information provided to CESLC is transmitted using TLS (Transport Layer Security) .

Tell-A-Friend

If you elect to use our referral service for informing a friend about our site, we will ask for your friend’s name and email address. CESLC will automatically send the friend a one-time email inviting them to visit the site. CESLC stores this information for the sole purpose of sending this one-time email.

Other Web Sites

Our site contains links to other web sites that we believe you will find useful. Please note that when you click on one of these links, you are entering another web site for which Charles E. Smith Life Communities has no responsibility. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on all sites as their policies may be different than ours.

Other Privacy Issues

We welcome children to learn more about our programs, and where appropriate, volunteer opportunities. We encourage this to be done only with parents’ knowledge and supervision. We protect medical and health information of our residents according to HIPAA guidelines. See our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, above.

Contacting the Web Site

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this site, you can contact:

Charles E. Smith Life Communities
6121 Montrose Road
Rockville, MD  20852

For questions about donations or event registrations made on-line, please contact us at the above address or call 301-770-8329.

Charles E. Smith Life Communities reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time simply by posting changes on this site. Any change will be effective immediately upon posting