Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Signature Genomic Laboratories is committed to keeping your health information private and secure. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted to protect the privacy of your health information that we create or obtain during the services we provide to you. For example, protected health information includes your personal information, indication for study, test results and billing/payment information relating to those services. We will not disclose any of your personal information unless you tell us to do so or the law authorizes/requires us to do so. You have the right to revoke this authorization at any time. However, revocation of authorization will not affect or undo any use of information that occurred before you notified us of your decision.
Examples of use and disclosures of protected information for treatment, payment, and health operations:
- Treatment:
- Your health information may be used by staff members or disclosed to other health care professionals for the purpose of performing laboratory tests ordered by your physician as part of treatment.
- Payment:
- Your health information may be used or disclosed for the purposes of receiving payment for you laboratory testing that you receive from Signature Genomic Laboratories. Private information that may be disclosed includes information that identifies you and your diagnosis.
- Health Care Operations:
- Your health information may be used or disclosed to staff members to assess quality and improve our laboratory services.
- Research:
- Your health information may be used by staff for research purposes when an Institutional Review Board (IRB) has reviewed and approved a research proposal. The IRB has established protocols to ensure the privacy of your health information.
Your Health Information Rights
The records that we create and store are property of Signature Genomic Laboratories. The health information within those records belongs to you. You have:
- The right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures. This request must come in writing to Signature Genomic Laboratories. We are not required to grant the request, but we will comply with any request granted;
- The right to receive confidential communications of protected health information as applicable;
- The right to inspect and copy protected health information;
- The right to amend protected health information;
- The right to receive an accounting of disclosures;
- The right to obtain a paper copy of the notice upon request.
Our Obligations
Signature Genomic Laboratories is required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of protected health information;
- Provide you with notice of legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your protected health information;
- Abide by the terms of this notice;
- Signature Genomic Laboratories reserves the right to change the terms of this notice and to make new provisions effective for all health information it maintains. Revised notices will be made available to you by Signature Genomic Laboratories via the website: www.signaturegenomics.com
For Help or Complaints
If you have questions, want more information or would like to report a problem regarding the handling of your protected health information, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Signature Genomic Laboratories
2820 North Astor Street
Spokane, WA 99207
509-474-6840
877-744-2447 (toll free)
You have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Signature Genomic Laboratories is not a Direct Treatment Provider.