Notice of Privacy Practices

When we use the word “we” or “system”, we mean Tanner Health System, its affiliates, medical professionals and other parties who assist us in our business. 

Our Legal Duty 

Tanner Health System has a duty to protect the confidentiality of medical information about you. This is a brief summary of our Notice of Privacy Practices. We are required to provide you with notice explaining ways we may use and disclose your medical information and describing your legal rights and our obligations regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information. 

Parties Following the Notice 

The Notice will be followed by Tanner Health System and its affiliates, together with their healthcare professionals, staff and volunteers; members of the Tanner Health System medical staff and those participating in managed care networks with Tanner Health System; and other legal entities that provide services to Tanner Health System. 

How We May Use and Disclose Medical Information About You 

We may use or disclose identifiable health information about you for many reasons. including but not limited to the following: 

  • Treatment. payment and healthcare operations
  • Activities of managed care networks in which we participate
  • Activities of our affiliates
  • Appointment reminders 
  • Health oversight activities 
  • Fundraising activities (unless you opt-out) 
  • Public health purposes 
  • Organ donation 
  • Aduiting
  • To avert a serious threat to health or safety
  • National security and protective services
  • To coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors 
  • Research
  • Workers’ Compensation
  • To military command authorities
  • Lawsuits, administrative hearings and reviews, and disputes
  • As required by law
  • Law enforcement purposes
  • We may use or disclose certain limited information about you, unless you object or request a limitation of the disclosure, for: 
  • Hospital directories 
  • Individuals involved in your care or payment 
  • Health information exchanges (HIE)

In general, other uses and disclosures of your medical information not described in our full Notice of Privacy Practices; will require your written authorization. 

For example, most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes use and disclosures for marketing purposes and disclosures that constitute the sale of personal health information (PHI) require authorization. 

Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights with respect to your health information: 

  • The right to request confidential communications and alternative means of communication with you
  • The right to request restrictions on certain uses of your health information (including restriction of your information to your insurance company when you have paid in full). 
  • The right to inspect and copy certain medical information that we maintain 
  • 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 
  • Changes to the Notice 

We reserve the right to change the notice. We will post any revised notice in our facilities and on our website at tanner.org. 

Complaints 

If you believe your rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with the Tanner Health System Privacy Officer or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Copy of the Complete Notice of Privacy Practices 

Copies of our full Notice of Privacy Practices are available within our facilities at primary registration sites and on our website at tanner.org. We will be happy to provide you a copy upon your request. 

If you have any questions about this Summary Notice, please contact the Tanner Health System Privacy Officer at 770-812-9666. 

This information is effective as of May 1, 2014. 

Transparency in Coverage Rule

This link leads to the machine-readable files that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to more easily access and analyze data.

We at NGOC appreciate you entrusting your patients to our care. Please call the Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers Central Referral Line if you have any questions.