Agnesian

Agnesian HealthCare can use your health information for the following purposes:

1. As required or permitted by law. In certain circumstances, Agnesian HealthCare may have to report some of your health information to legal entities, such as law enforcement officials, court officials or government agencies. Examples of such circumstances may be to report abuse, neglect, domestic violence or certain physical injuries, or to respond to a court order.
2. For public health activities. Agnesian HealthCare may be required to report your health information to authorities to help prevent or control disease, injury or disability. This may include using your medical record to report certain diseases, injuries, birth or death information, information related to the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration, or information related to child abuse or neglect. Agnesian HealthCare may also have to report certain work-related illnesses and injuries to your employer so that workplace medical surveillance activities can be conducted.
3. For health oversight activities. Agnesian HealthCare may disclose your health information to authorities for audit, investigation, inspection, licensure, disciplinary or other purposes related to oversight of the healthcare system or government benefit programs.
4. For activities related to death. Agnesian HealthCare may disclose your health information to coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors so they can carry out their duties related to your death, such as identifying the body, determining the cause of death, or in the case of funeral directors, to carry out funeral preparation activities.
5. For organ, eye or tissue donation. Agnesian HealthCare may disclose your health information to entities involved in obtaining, banking or transplanting organs, eyes or tissue of cadavers for donation or transplantation purposes.
6. For research. Under certain circumstances, and only after a special approval process, Agnesian HealthCare may use and disclose your health information to help conduct research. Such research might involve studies related to evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment.
7. To avoid a serious threat to health or safety. As required by law and standards of ethical conduct, Agnesian HealthCare may use or disclose your health information to the necessary authorities if Agnesian HealthCare believes, in good faith, that such use or disclosure is necessary to prevent or minimize a serious and imminent threat to your or the public's health or safety.
8. For military, national security, or incarceration/law enforcement custody. If you are involved with the military, national security or intelligence activities, or you are in the custody of law enforcement officials or an inmate in a correctional institution, Agnesian HealthCare may disclose your health information to the proper authorities so they may carry out their duties under the law.
9. For workers' compensation. Agnesian HealthCare may disclose your health information to the appropriate persons in order to comply with the laws related to workers' compensation or other similar programs. These programs may provide benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses.
10. Agnesian HealthCare directory. Unless you object, Agnesian HealthCare may use your health information, such as your name, location in which Agnesian HealthCare facility, your general health condition (e.g., "fair," "good," "serious," "critical," or "treated and released"), and your religious affiliation for an Agnesian HealthCare directory. The information about you contained in the Agnesian HealthCare directory will be disclosed to people or media representatives who ask for you by name. However, the information about your religious affiliation will only be disclosed to clergy. Agnesian HealthCare may allow you to object or agree orally regarding the use of your health information for directory purposes.
11. To those involved with your care or payment of your care. If people such as family members, relatives, or close personal friends are helping care for you or helping you pay your medical bills, Agnesian HealthCare may disclose health information about you to those people. The information disclosed to these people may include your location within which Agnesian HealthCare facility, your general condition, or death. You have the right to object to such disclosure, unless you are incapacitated or there is an emergency. In addition, Agnesian HealthCare may disclose your health information to organizations authorized to handle disaster relief efforts so those who care for you can receive information about your location or health status. Agnesian HealthCare may allow you to object or agree orally to such disclosure, unless there is an emergency.