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.

This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes how we may use and disclose patient information for treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes a patient's, parent's, legal guardian's or other authorized
personal representative's rights to access and control patient information. “Patient information” is information that may identify the patient and that relates to the patient's past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related healthcare services or payment for such services.

Generally, when this Notice uses the words, “you” or “your,” it is referring to the patient who is the subject of patient information. However, when this Notice discusses rights regarding patient information, including rights to access or authorize the disclosure of patient information, “you” and “your” may refer to a minor-patient's parent(s), legal guardian or other personal representative, or, as applicable, an adult patient's personal representative.

If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact our Privacy Office at Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children's Plaza, Chicago, IL 60614 or by phone at 773.868.8922.

Who will follow this notice

This Notice describes the privacy practices of The Children's Memorial Medical Center, The Children's Memorial Hospital, The Children's Memorial Research Center, Pediatric Faculty Foundation, Inc., Children's Surgical Foundation, Inc., Pediatric Anesthesia Associates, Ltd., Children's Memorial Medical Group, LLC, and their physicians, nurses, other personnel and business associates (collectively, “we” or “us.”) It applies to services provided to you at the following locations in Chicago, Illinois: Children's Memorial Hospital and Children's Memorial Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park. It also applies to our outpatient centers in Arlington Heights, Glenview, New Lenox, Westchester and Winfield.

Any health care professional authorized to enter information into your medical record and all employees, staff and other personnel will follow the terms of this Notice. In addition, these entities, sites and locations may share patient information with each other for treatment, payment or health care operation purposes described in this Notice.

Our pledge regarding patient information

We understand that patient information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of patient information. We create records of the care and services you receive in our facility and payment for the care and services. We need these records to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This Notice applies to patient information and the records of your care and payment for your care.

This Notice tells you about the ways in which we may use and disclose patient information about you. It also describes your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of patient information.

We are required by law to:

• Assure that patient information that identifies you is
  kept confidential in accordance with law;
• Give you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy
  practices with respect to patient information; and
• Follow the terms of this Notice or, if this Notice is later revised, a future notice then in effect.

Changes to this notice

We reserve the right to change this Notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Notice effective for patient information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of our current Notice of Privacy Practices in Children's Memorial Hospital's inpatient admission and outpatient registration departments (including Outpatient Centers), and on our website. Upon your request to our Privacy Office, we will provide you a revised notice.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Upon request, Patient Relations will provide you with the correct address of the Director. To file a complaint with us, please contact Patient Relations at 773.880.4068. We will not retaliate against you or end our services to you if you file a complaint with us or the Director of the Office of Civil Rights.