Patient Privacy
Notice of Health Information 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.
(Effective: April 14, 2003)
Who Will Follow This Notice
This notice describes the practices of Woman’s Hospital and that of:
- All healthcare professionals authorized to enter information into your medical record;
- All departments, clinics, and units of the hospital, including all hospital-owned physician practices;
- All employees, staff, volunteers, contractors and other hospital personnel;
- Members of volunteer groups who assist you while you are in the hospital;
- Physicians who are members of Woman’s Hospital medical staff and any allied health professional involved in your care;
- Any hospital personnel who provide healthcare services for you at any satellite locations.
In addition, satellite locations may share your medical information with each other as needed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, as described in this notice.
This notice applies to all records of your care generated by the hospital, whether made by hospital personnel or your personal physician, including billing-related information. Your personal physician may have different policies or notices regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information created in his or her office or clinic.
Notice of Organized Health Care Arrangement
In addition to the uses and disclosures described below, there may be instances where the hospital will share your health information with members of our Organized Health Care Arrangement (OHCA). This means that the Hospital may share your health information with other healthcare providers who are part of the OHCA when it is necessary for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. Sharing information in this way helps us coordinate your care and improve the services you receive. Members of the OHCA agree to follow the privacy practices described in this Notice and may use or disclose your information as permitted by HIPAA and applicable state law.
Our Pledge Regarding Your Medical Information:
We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal, and we are committed to protecting it. This Notice explains how we may use and disclose your medical information and describes your rights under federal and state law.
Although your medical record is the physical property of the healthcare practitioner or facility that compiled it, the information belongs to you. As provided by federal and state law, you have the right to:
- request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information. You may ask the hospital to limit how we use or disclose your medical information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. In some cases, it may not be feasible or possible for us to agree to the requested restrictions. The hospital will agree to restrict disclosure of your health information to a health plan if the disclosure is for payment or healthcare operations, and the information relates only to a service that you, or another person on your behalf has paid the hospital for in full.
- obtain a paper copy of the Notice of Health Information Practices by request from the hospital’s Health Information Management Department, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
- inspect and obtain a copy of your health record as also provided for in Louisiana law (R.S. 40:1299.96). You may request an electronic copy if your records are maintained electronically. Reasonable fees may apply as allowed by law.
- request an amendment to your health record. You have the right to ask us to change your health information related to treatment or billing if you think that there is a mistake or that information is missing.
- obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information.
- request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.
- revoke, in writing, your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken.
- be notified, in the event that we (or one of our business associates or business associate subcontractors) discovers a breach of unsecured, protected health information involving your medical information.
Woman’s Hospital is required to:
- maintain the privacy and security of your health information;
- provide you with this Notice, describing our legal duties and privacy practices;
- follow the terms of this Notice;
- notify you promptly if a breach occurs that compromises the privacy or security of your unsecured health information;
- Inform you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction or amendment;
- accommodate any reasonable request to communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location.
Woman’s Hospital will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as required by law or as described in this Notice.
Federal Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information, 45 CFR 164 is effective on or after April 14, 2003. Woman’s Hospital reserves the right to change our practices and to make new provisions effective for all individually identifiable health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will make the new version of this Privacy Practices Notice available to you upon request.
Requests for restrictions, or to inspect, copy, or amend medical information must be made in writing and submitted to the Director of Health Information Management, 100 Woman’s Way, Baton Rouge, LA 70817. Requests for an accounting of disclosures must also be submitted to the Director of Health Information Management. If you have questions and would like additional information, you may contact the Woman’s Hospital Patient Relations Coordinator at (225)231-5555. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a formal complaint with the Patient Relations Coordinator or with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose your health information. For each category, we explain the purpose of the use or disclosure and provide examples to help illustrate how your information may be shared. We have not listed every use or release of information within the categories, but all permitted uses will fall within one of the categories.
Pursuant to State and Federal Law, Woman’s will use Your Health Information for:
Treatment. We may use your medical information to provide you with appropriate medical treatment or services. This includes sharing information about you with physicians, nurses, technicians, medical students, or other hospital personnel who are involved in your care. For example, if you are scheduled for surgery or admitted for delivery, your care team may need to know if you have diabetes so they can plan for the right medications, monitoring, or meals. Different hospital departments may also share information with one another to coordinate services such as prescriptions, laboratory testing, imaging, and other aspects of your treatment. We may also participate in various secure health information exchanges that allow your healthcare providers to access your health information when needed to support your care.
Payment. We may use or disclose your health information to obtain payment for the healthcare services you receive. This may include sharing information with your health plan to confirm coverage, obtain prior authorization, or determine whether a service, treatment, or prescription will be paid for by your plan. If payment is not made, we may disclose limited information to collection agencies, attorneys, credit reporting agencies, or other authorized organizations as needed to collect payment for services provided.
Healthcare Operations. We may use and disclose your health information for activities that support the hospital’s operations and help us provide safe, high-quality care. These activities include reviewing the care you receive, evaluating outcomes, and working to improve the quality and effectiveness of our services. We may also use your information for staff training, accreditation, licensing, auditing, and other administrative functions that allow the hospital to operate efficiently and meet regulatory requirements.
Business Associates. Some services we use to support hospital operations are provided by outside companies or individuals known as business associates. These may include consultants, record storage providers, accreditation organizations, claims processing administrators, and vendors who maintain our software or equipment. We may disclose your health information to our contracted business associates so that they can perform the services we’ve contracted them to provide. Each business associate is required, by law and by contract, to protect your information and to use it only as permitted to carry out their duties.
Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose medical information about you for research purposes. For example, a research project may involve comparing the health and recovery of all patients who received one medication to those who received another medication, for the same health condition. All research projects must go through a formal review and approval process to ensure that patient privacy and safety are protected. We may also disclose limited medical information to researchers who are preparing a study, as long as the information they review is necessary for developing the research project.
Coroners and Funeral Directors. We may release medical information to a coroner or medical examiner when necessary, such as to identify a deceased person or to determine the cause of death. We may also share relevant information with funeral directors to help them carry out their authorized duties.
Contacting You. We may contact you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. We may also reach out to invite you to special events, programs, or celebrations offered by the hospital.
Appointment Reminders. We may contact you to remind you of an upcoming appointment for treatment or medical care at the hospital. We may also reach out when it is time to schedule a follow-up visit.
Fundraising. We may use limited information (name, address, telephone number or e-mail information, age, date of birth, gender, health insurance status, dates of service, hospital service information, treating physician information or outcome information) to contact you as part of a fundraising effort. We may also share this information with a foundation associated with Woman’s Hospital to work on our behalf. Each fundraising communication will give you the option to opt out of receiving future fundraising messages.
Public Health. As authorized by law, we may disclose medical information about you for public health activities. For example, we may disclose your health information in certain circumstances: to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; to report births and deaths; to report child or elder abuse or neglect; to report reactions to medications or problems with products to the FDA; to notify people of recalls of products they may be using; to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease; and to notify the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. We will make these disclosures only when required or authorized by law, or when you agree.
Correctional Institution. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose your health information to the facility or its authorized agents when necessary for your own health and safety, or for the health and safety of others.
Legal Proceeding. We may disclose your health information in response to a court order, valid subpoena, or other lawful process. We may also share information with our attorneys when needed to defend the hospital or respond to a complaint or claim related to the services we provide.
Law Enforcement. We may disclose your health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law. Federal law also allows us to release health information to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority, or attorney if a workforce member or business associate believes in good faith that the hospital has engaged in unlawful conduct, violated professional or clinical standards, or may be placing one or more patients at risk.
As Required by Law. We will disclose medical information about you when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
To Prevent a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use or disclose your medical information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health or safety, or the health and safety of another person or the public. Any disclosure would be made only to someone who is able to help reduce or prevent the threat.
Organ and Tissue Donation. We may disclose medical information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation.
Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may disclose your medical information as required by military command authorities. We may also release medical information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority.
Workers’ Compensation. We may disclose your medical information as required to comply with workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses.
Patient Directory. We may include certain limited information about you in the patient directory. This information may include your name, your location in the hospital, your general condition, and your privacy status. The directory information may also be released to people who ask for you by name. If you are unable to express your preference about being included in the directory due to an emergency or your medical condition, you will be provided the opportunity to object when it is feasible to do so.
Notification. We may use or disclose your information to notify, or help notify, a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care of your location and general condition. We may also share information with organizations assisting in disaster relief efforts so your family can be informed of your condition, status, and location.
Communication with Family. Health professionals using their best judgment may disclose to a family member, other relative, close personal friend, or any other person you identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment related to your care. If you do not want hospital personnel to communicate with your family or others involved in your care, you may let us know at any time.
Uses and disclosures of your health information for marketing or for disclosures that involve the sale of protected health information require your written authorization.
Any other use or disclosure of your medical information not described in this notice, or not permitted or required by law, will be made only with your written authorization. If you authorize us to use or disclose your medical information, you may revoke hat authorization at any time by written request. Once you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your information for the purposes covered by the authorization; however, we cannot undo any disclosures that were made before your revocation, and we must continue to maintain records of the care we provided.
Additional privacy protections apply to substance use disorder records (“Part 2 records”) created by a Woman’s Hospital Substance Use Disorder clinic (“Part 2 Program”).
This section supplements the rest of this Notice and describes:
- How your Part 2 records may be used and disclosed;
- Your rights regarding your Part 2 records; and
- How to file a complaint if you believe your privacy or security rights related to your Part 2 records have been violated.
These protections are required by federal law and are designed to give you greater control over the confidentiality of your substance use disorder treatment information.
Uses and Disclosures of Part 2 Records
Woman’s Hospital may use and disclose your Part 2 records only as described in this section or with your written consent.
Permitted Uses and Disclosure of Part 2 Records Without Consent
We may use or disclose your Part 2 records without your written consent in the following situations, as allowed by federal law:
- Within the Part 2 Program. To staff members who need the information to provide diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment.
- To qualified service organizations. To organizations that provide services on our behalf and that agree in writing to protect your information as required by Part 2.
- Crimes on Program Premises or Against Program Personnel. To law enforcement agencies or officials if you commit, or threaten to commit, a crime on our premises or against our staff.
- Child Abuse or Neglect Reporting. To report suspected child abuse or neglect, consistent with state law.
- Medical Emergencies. To medical personnel in a medical emergency, when necessary, to treat a condition that poses and immediate threat to your health.
- Research. For research approved by an Institutional Review Board or other applicable oversight body.
- Audit and Evaluation. To qualified personnel conducting audits or program evaluations, who agree to protect the information.
- Public Health. To a public health authority, but only if the information has been deidentified in accordance with federal standards.
Permitted Uses and Disclosures that Require Consent
Your written consent is required for most other uses and disclosures for your Part 2 Records including:
- Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations. Woman’s Hospital will ask you to sign a single consent allowing future uses and disclosures of your Part 2 records for treatment, payment, and health care operations. This consent helps ensure coordinated, high-quality care. Once your Part 2 records are disclosed to a HIPAA covered entity (such as another health care provider or your health plan) or to a business associate, the recipient may redisclose your information consistent with HIPAA and this Notice of Privacy Practices.
Even with a general consent, you must sign a separate, specific consent before your Part 2 records may be used in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you.
Revoking Consent
You may revoke your consent at any time by submitting a written request to your provider. After you revoke your consent, Woman’s Hospital will no longer use or disclose your Part 2 records, except to the extent we have already relied on your prior authorization.
Using or Disclosing Part 2 Records in Legal Proceedings
Your Part 2 records or testimony relaying the content of such records may not be used or disclosed in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you unless you provide specific written consent or a court issues an order permitting the disclosure. A court may issue such an order only after you and/or Woman’s Hospital have received notice and an opportunity to be heard. Any court order must be accompanied by a subpoena or similar legal mandate before the records may be used or disclosed.
Your Rights Regarding Part 2 Records
As a patient in a Woman’s Hospital Part 2 Program, you have the rights listed in this Notice, along with the right to a list of disclosures by an intermediary for Part 2 Records. If you consent to share your Part 2 records through an intermediary, such as a research organization, you may request a list of any disclosures that intermediary has made during the past 3 years. Requests for this list must be submitted directly to the intermediary.
How to File a Complaint About Your Part 2 Privacy Rights
If you believe your rights related to your Part 2 records have been violated, you may file a formal complaint with the Woman’s Hospital Patient Relations Coordinator at (225)231-5555, or with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Revised: 2/12/2026