Disclaimer & Privacy

TO THE PATIENT AND FAMILY,

Hospice of Hope is a non-profit, community-based organization serving patients with a life-limiting illness and their families.   Our team of professionals has additional education and skills in hospice care.   They will work with your doctor to make sure you get the best care possible.  

The staff assigned to care for you may include a hospice physician, nurse, social worker, chaplain, hospice aide, and pharmacist.   We also have volunteers in each community available to supplement our care, based on your needs.   Hospice care includes:  

• Pain Management  
• Symptom Control 
• Emotional & Spritual Support
• Bereavement Counseling
• The content below is specifically designed for patients and families who use the services of Hospice of Hope.   You will find information on:
• How to reach the hospice staff twenty-four (24) hours a day
• Patient's rights and responsibilities
• Suggestions for patient care

We encourage you to take an active role in your care.   We are committed to providing the highest quality care in a safe manner.   If you have any concerns about patient care or safety that are not resolved by the staff providing your care, please contact 606-759-4050 or 1-800-928-4848.   I will work with you to resolve the concerns.   Any concerns not resolved through the organization can be reported to the Joint Commission, Office of Quality Monitoring, either by calling 1-800-994-6610 or by email to complaint@jointcommission.org.  

Sincerely,

Sarah Shepherd                                                                                                                                                    Coordinator/Compliance/Privacy Officer
Hospice of Hope, Inc.
909 Kenton Station Drive
Maysville, Kentucky 41056
Phone: 606-759-4050 or 800-928-4848

DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

This web site and the information it contains is provided as a public service by Hospice of Hope, Inc. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

RESTRICTION OF LIABILITY

Hospice of Hope, Inc. makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this website that have been published by authorized Hospice of Hope, Inc. individuals.

Hospice of Hope, Inc. makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of content illegally published by unauthorized individuals and expressly disclaims liability for this content.

In the event that erroneous or illegal content is published on the Hospice of Hope, Inc. website, the content will be removed, the parties involved will be notified, and a retraction will be posted.

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Understanding Your Health Record/Information

Each time you visit a hospital, physician, or other healthcare provider, they make a record of your visit. Typically, this record contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment, and a plan for future care or treatment. This information, your health or medical record, serves as a basis for planning your care and treatment, is a way to communicate with the many health professionals who contribute to your care, is a legal document describing the care you received, allows you or a third-party to verify that a service billed was provided, can be a tool in educating health professionals and a source of data for medical research, a source of information for public health officials charged with improving the health of a nation, a source of data for facility planning and marketing, and can be a tool to help us assess and continually improve the care we render and the outcomes we achieve.

Understanding what is in your record and how your health information is used helps you to ensure its accuracy, helps you better understand who, what, when, where and why others may access your health information, and can help you decide when to authorize disclosure to others.

Your Health Information Rights

Although your health record is the physical property of the healthcare practitioner or facility that compiled it, the information belongs to you. You have the right to request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information, receive a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon admission, inspect and obtain a copy of your health record, amend your health record as provided in 45 CFR 164.528, obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information, request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations, and revoke your authorization to use or disclose your health information except to the extent that action has already been taken. Hospice of Hope will provide you with access to an electronic form of your protected health information in a timely manner upon your request for such information.

Our Responsibilities

Hospice of Hope is required to maintain the privacy of your health information, give you a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices about information we collect and maintain about you, abide by the terms of this notice, let you know if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction, and satisfy reasonable requests you make to send health information another way or to alternate locations. Hospice of Hope is required to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information. We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will provide the new notice upon request. We will not use or share your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice.

For More Information or to Report a Problem

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with Hospice of Hope and with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. No retaliation will be made for filing a complaint.

Sarah Shepherd, Compliance/Privacy Officer
Hospice of Hope, Inc.
909 Kenton Station Drive
Maysville, Kentucky 41056
Phone: 606-759-4050 or 800-928-4848

Examples of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and Health Operations:

Hospice of Hope will use your health information for treatment. The personal and health information Hospice of Hope creates, obtains, and stores about you/your family is used to coordinate care within Hospice of Hope and with others involved in your care, such as your physician, and hospice volunteers. We may share your information with individuals outside Hospice of Hope, including family members, clergy, pharmacists, suppliers of medical equipment or other healthcare professionals who have agreed to help us with your care. Hospice of Hope may also provide your physician and other healthcare providers with copies of various reports to help them in providing your hospice care.

We will use your health information for payment. Example: A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. The information on or accompanying the bill may include information that identifies you, your diagnoses, procedures, and supplies used. We must agree to your request to restrict disclosure of protected health information to a health plan if the information pertains solely to a healthcare item or service for which you have paid Hospice of Hope in full .

We will use your health information for regular hospice operations. Example: Information may be told to others to enable them to provide business services for us, such as performing general administrative activities and processing data for us, such as patient surveys. Such information is used to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the care and services we provide. Healthcare operations also include training programs for students and other professionals; accreditation, certification, licensing activities; and auditing/legal purposes.

Safeguarding your Personal Health Information

Hospice of Hope restricts access to your personal and health information to those who need to know that information to provide services to you. We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations. When sharing your personal information with companies working for us, we require their use of appropriate safeguards.

Business Associates: Some services provided in our organization are through contracts with business associates. Examples include certain laboratory tests, dietary assistance, etc. When services are contracted, we may share your health information so the business associate can perform the job we’ve asked them to do and bill for services rendered. To protect your health information, however, we require the business associate to appropriately safeguard your information.

Hospice of Hope Care Center Rooms Locations: Hospice of Hope may disclose certain information about you including your name, general health status, your religious affiliation, and where you are in the hospital while you are in a Hospice of Hope Care Center Room. The hospital may reveal this information to people who ask for you by name.

Notification: We may use or disclose information to notify or help in notifying a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, your location, and general condition.

Communication with Family: Health professionals, using their best judgment, may disclose to a family member, other relative, a friend or any other person you identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment related to your care. Medical Records will only be released to the Executor and/or Administrator of the Estate upon patient death. 

Coroners, Medical Examiners, Funeral Directors: We may disclose health information to such persons consistent with applicable law to carry out their duties.

Organ Procurement Organizations: Consistent with applicable law, we may disclose health information to organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs for tissue donation and transplant.

Marketing: We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. However, your information will not be released to a third party that intends to market products or services to you.

Fundraising:Hospice of Hope may use information about you including your name, address, phone number, and dates you received care from Hospice of Hope to contact you or your family about fundraising activities and events. You have the right to opt out of receiving such communications. 
Hospice of Hope will not disclose your protected health information in exchange for remuneration without your authorization.

Other Disclosures:

Federal privacy rules allow Hospice of Hope to use or disclose your health information without your consent or authorizations for several reasons.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA health information about adverse events with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects, or post marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacement.

Worker’s Compensation: We may disclose health information authorized, and to the extent necessary, to comply with laws relating to workers compensation or other similar programs established by law.

Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence: We may notify authorities if Hospice of Hope believes a person is the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

Public Health: As required by law, we may disclose your health information to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.

Law Enforcement: We may disclose health information for law enforcement and/or other individuals for purposes as required by law, in response to a valid subpoena, or risk of harm..

More Information

Any uses and disclosures other than those permitted in this notice will be made only with the written authorization of you. Hospice of Hope is not required to agree to a requested restriction, however, once your request has been processed, it will remain in effect until you request a change. If you wish to exercise any of your rights about personal health information, please contact:

Sarah Shepherd, Compliance/Privacy Officer
Hospice of Hope, Inc.
909 Kenton Station Drive
Maysville, Kentucky 41056
Phone: 606-759-4050 or 800-928-4848
Effective Date of This Notice: September 4, 2013

HOSPICE PATIENT RIGHTS

Hospice of Hope complies with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is prohibited from making a distinction in the treatment of patients on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, in the use of equipment, other facilities, or in the assignment of personnel to provide services. Service recipients or other interested parties who believe that a violation of the person's rights has occurred as a result of actions by Hospice of Hope, may file a complaint with Kavin Cartmell, Executive Director at Hospice of Hope, who shall act immediately to resolve the complaint within 15 working days, in accordance with due process.

Anthony Trovato, Executive Director
Hospice of Hope
909 Kenton Station Drive
Maysville, KY 41056

606-759-4050 or 1-800-928-4848

Region IV - Kentucky Patients

Cabinet for Health & Family Services
Office of the Secretary
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621

Ombudsman: 1-800-372-2973
TTY: 1-800-627-4702
Regional Manager
DHHS Regional Offices for Civil Rights
Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsythe Street, SW
Suite 3B70
Atlanta, GA 30303-8909

404-562-7886 * TDD: 404-331-2867

Region V - Ohio Patients

Ohio Department of Health
Provider & Consumer Services Unit
246 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

1-800-342-0553
Regional Manager
DHHS Regional Offices for Civil Rights
233 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 240
Chicago, IL 60601

312-353-5693 * TDD: 312-353-5693

JOINT COMMISSION CONTACT INFORMATION

Hospice of Hope is accredited by The Joint Commission. For more information about The Joint Commission call 630-792-5000 or click the logo below to be directed to their website.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Hospice of Hope’s non-discrimination policy in intended to treat you fairly and to fully comply with Federal civil rights laws. We do not view or treat people differently based race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

If you need assistance with any of the information we provide, please let us know. We offer services that may help you such as:

• Qualified sign language aids for people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us.
• Written information in other formats (large print, audio accessible electronic formats, etc.)
• Provides free language services / interpreters to people whose primary language is not English. 

If you need any or all of these service please contact our Director of Clinical Services. If you believe that Hospice of Hope has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, please let us know. You have the right to file a grievance with our Civil Rights Coordinator using the information below:

• Civil Rights Coordinator, 909 Kenton Station Drive, Maysville, KY 41056
• By Phone: 800-928-4848 or 606-759-4050
• civilrightscoordinator@hohope.org
• Fax: 606-759-1207 

You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, we are 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 ocrportal.hhs.gov, 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 or 1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD). Complaint forms are available at www.hhs.gov