Purpose. Every patient of Ridgeline Health Partners receives our Notice of Privacy Practices at their first visit, and it is posted at every check-in desk and on our website. This policy explains what each workforce member must do so that promise is kept.
Acknowledgment. Front desk staff offer the Notice at the first visit and ask the patient to sign the acknowledgment form. If the patient declines to sign, staff record the good faith attempt and the reason in the registration record.
Requests from patients. Requests to inspect or receive a copy of records, to amend a record, to restrict a disclosure, or to receive communications at another address are forwarded to the Privacy Officer the same business day. Staff do not refuse or grant these requests on their own.
Response times. Access requests are answered within 30 days. Where copies are provided electronically, the patient may choose the format when it is reasonably available.
Questions and complaints. Any complaint about how patient information was handled is routed to the Privacy Officer. No workforce member may discourage a patient from filing a complaint or treat them differently for filing one.