To use this website, you must agree to Palomar Health’s Terms of Use.
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By using this website, you agree to Palomar Health's Terms of Use:

Last Updated October 17, 2023

By using this website, you agree to the following Terms of Use. If you do not agree to all of these terms, please do not use this website. Palomar Health reserves the right to change, modify, add, or delete portions of these Terms of Use at any time, including to the arbitration and class waiver provisions identified below. Your continued use of this website following any changes to the Terms of Use will mean that you accept those changes. Please refer to the date listed above to determine when the last changes were made. Please read carefully below regarding your rights with respect to disputes, which includes an agreement to resolve disputes by arbitration on an individual basis.

Use of Personal Information/Privacy:

This website is owned and operated by Palomar Health, a public health district in California. By using this website, you agree that Palomar Health may monitor your use of this website and may use the results of such monitoring without limitation.

During your visit to our website, we may request information from you, such as your name, email address, physical address, telephone number and other personal information. Further, we will collect any other personal information you share with us.

Personally identifiable information may be collected from visitors to our website and provided in an aggregate form to other parties within the Palomar Health family, or external to it, for marketing, advertising or other similar uses. Third parties may monitor your use of this website.

We provide several ways to e-mail us with questions you may have as you navigate our website. Please note that any information sent through an e-mail message is unsecured and can be seen on computers which transfer data from your computer to Palomar Health. We recommend that you do not email sensitive personal health information, or any other confidential information, to Palomar Health or anyone else. Should you choose to provide information in this manner, you do so at your own risk.

For further information regarding Palomar Health’s Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms of Use by reference, please review: https://www.palomarhealth.org/privacy-information/

Cookies:

Please be aware that your browser must be enabled to accept cookies for you to use certain areas of our website. A cookie is a piece of data that a web server stores on your hard drive so that it can be retrieved later. Other than as discussed above, we do not use this information for any other purpose. All of the information Palomar obtains from you is stored in our database and may be retrieved by people who are gathering that information. A cookie containing your unique ID is all that is stored on your computer.

Copyright:

  1. Ownership: In general, information presented on this web site, unless otherwise indicated, is considered in the public domain. It may be distributed or copied as permitted by law. However, Palomar Health does make use of copyrighted data (e.g., photographs or other materials) which may require additional permissions prior to your use. Palomar Health shall have the unlimited right to use for any purpose, free of any charge, all information submitted via this site, except those submissions made under separate legal contract. Palomar Health shall be free to use, for any purpose, any ideas, concepts, or techniques contained in information provided through this site.
  2. Permission May Be Required From Other Parties: This website may include copyrighted materials owned by third-party contributors who have granted Palomar Health permission to post those materials on this website. The fact that Palomar Health has permission to post the materials does not give you the right to use those materials. To use any copyrighted material that is not owned or created by Palomar Health, you must seek permission directly from the owning or holding sources.

Trademarks:

“PalomarHealth.org,” “Palomar Health,” and all logos related to Palomar Health’s services are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Palomar Health or Palomar Health’s licensors. You may not copy or otherwise use them without Palomar Health’s prior written consent. In addition, all page headers, custom graphics, button icons, and scripts are similarly protected and you may not copy, imitate, modify or use them without our prior written consent. You may use HTML logos provided by Palomar Health for the purpose of directing web traffic to Palomar Health. You may not alter, modify or change these HTML logos in any way, use them in a manner that misrepresents Palomar Health or its services or use them in a manner that implies Palomar Health’s sponsorship or endorsement, unless so authorized in writing by Palomar Health.

You must be over 13 to use this Website:

This website is intended for use by people age 13 or older. If you are younger than 13, you should seek permission from your parent or guardian to use this website and any information submitted on your behalf to this website must be by a parent or guardian.

Content of this Website Is for Informational Purposes Only – No Medical Diagnosis or Advice is Given:

The content and materials provided in this website are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment.

PALOMAR HEALTH DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS OR COMPLETENESS OF SUCH INFORMATION AND CONTENT AND MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE USE OF SUCH INFORMATION AND CONTENT. PALOMAR HEALTH ASSUMES NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER OF ANY KIND FOR THE INFORMATION OR CONTENT CONTAINED IN THE WEBSITE, OR FOR ANY DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT MADE IN RELIANCE THEREON.

PALOMAR HEALTH DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY COMMUNICATIONS MADE THROUGH THIS WEBSITE. THE INTERNET SHOULD NOT BE USED TO TRANSMIT ANY SENSITIVE OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO PALOMAR HEALTH, AS OTHERS MAY INTERCEPT THE INFORMATION. ADDITIONALLY, INFORMATION TRANSMITTED TO PALOMAR HEALTH VIA ELECTRONIC MEANS TO THIS WEBSITE MAY NOT BE RECEIVED AT ALL, MAY NOT BE RECEIVED OR REVIEWED IN A TIMELY MANNER, OR MAY BE RECEIVED BY THE WRONG PARTY.

Linked Sites:

The Palomar Health Website contains links to external websites which may be useful to you and which may provide services. These links are provided as an information service only. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of information obtained from other websites. Linking to another website takes you away from the Palomar Health Website and subjects you to the privacy policy of the new website. Palomar is not responsible for the content of any external website. Palomar Health will not be liable in any way for any external website, including, without limitation, for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of your use of the such sites. You agree that you must evaluate, and bear all risks associated with the use of any external website, including, without limitation, any reliance on the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of the material contained therein.

Third Party Advertising:

Third parties may offer goods and services to you through marketing that is made available at or through this website. Unless otherwise expressly stated, Palomar Health makes no endorsement regarding such parties, nor does Palomar Health make any representation, recommendation or warranty with respect to these third parties’ goods, services or advertising. You agree to hold Palomar Health harmless in connection with the selection of third party advertisers, as well as their acts and omissions.

Disclaimer of Warranties:

All materials on this website are provided “as is” and Palomar Health expressly disclaims any and all warranties of the material provided herein, expressly stated or by implication, including any: (i) implied warranties of design, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose or title, (ii) warranties arising from a course of dealing, usage or trade practice, and (iii) warranties of non-infringement.

No oral or written information or advice given by Palomar Health in connection with this website will create any warranty.

Palomar Health does not warrant or promise that the functions contained in any of the services or products provided on this website will meet your requirements, or that the operation of any such services or products will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that defects in any such services or products will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or other harmful components. Furthermore, Palomar Health does not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of any such services or products in terms of its correctness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability or otherwise.

(State Limitations)

Some states do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so some of the above exclusions may not apply to you. You should check your local laws for any restrictions or limitations regarding implied warranties.

(User Information, Data, and Content)

PALOMAR HEALTH ASSUMES NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INFORMATION, DATA OR CONTENTS GENERATED BY YOU IN CONNECTION WITH THIS WEBSITE OR SERVICES. PALOMAR HEALTH EXERCISES NO AUTHORITY OVER SUCH INFORMATION, DATA AND CONTENTS, DOES NOT REVIEW OR MONITOR SUCH INFORMATION, DATA AND CONTENTS, AND WILL NOT BE LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, APPLICATION OR CORRECT USE THEREOF.

Limitations on Damages

BY USING THIS WEBSITE YOU AGREE THAT PALOMAR HEALTH SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THIS WEBSITE.

Arbitration

  1. Affects your and our rights and will impact how claims between you and us are resolved;
  2. Includes a Prohibition of Class and Representative Actions and Non-Individualized Relief pursuant to which you agree to waive your right to participate in a class action lawsuit against us;
  3. Requires you to follow the Opt-Out Procedure to opt-out of these arbitration provisions by mailing us a written notice that must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the date you accept these Terms of Use for the first time.

If a dispute arises between you and Palomar Health, our goal is to learn about and address your concerns. If we are unable to do so to your satisfaction, we aim to provide you with a neutral and cost-effective means of resolving the dispute quickly. Disputes between you and Palomar Health should be reported to Palomar Health according to the provisions of the Government Claims Act, California Government Code section 810, et seq. All notices under the Government Claims Act, section 910 et seq. should be directed to:

Attn: Government Claims Act
Secretary of the Board of Directors of Palomar Health
2125 Citracado Pkwy, Suite 300
Escondido, CA 92029

In the event that resolution under the presentation requirements of the Government Claims Act is not successful in resolving your claim, you agree to abide by the following:

  1. Arbitration Agreement: To the maximum extent permitted by law, you and Palomar Health each agree that any and all disputes or claims that have arisen or may arise between you and Palomar Health, including without limitation federal and state statutory claims, common law claims, and those based in contract, tort, fraud, misrepresentation or any other legal theory, will be resolved exclusively through final and binding arbitration. This agreement to arbitrate is intended to be broadly interpreted. The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this agreement to arbitrate.
  2. Arbitration Venue: Following the procedures set forth in the Government Claims Act, either you or Palomar Health may initiate arbitration. You and Palomar Health each agree to use JAMS (https://www.jamsadr.com/) and to submit any demand for arbitration through JAMS’ process. You and Palomar Health agree to the jurisdiction of the JAMS arbitrator over any dispute between you and Palomar Health, unless you and Palomar Health agree otherwise in writing. If JAMS is not available to administer the dispute, you and Palomar Health agree to use an arbitrator from the American Arbitration Association (https://www.adr.org/).
  3. No Class Actions: To the maximum extent permitted by law, you and Palomar Health agree that each of us may bring claims against the other only on an individual basis and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative action or proceeding. Unless both you and Palomar Health agree otherwise, the arbitrator(s) may not consolidate or join more than one person’s or party’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a consolidated, representative or class proceeding. Also, the arbitrator(s) may award relief (including monetary, injunctive and declaratory relief) only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief necessitated by that party’s individual claim(s) and in keeping with the damages limitations in the Limitations on Damages section above.
  4. Arbitration Procedures: Arbitration is more informal than a lawsuit in court. Arbitration uses a neutral arbitrator or arbitrators instead of a judge or jury, and court review of an arbitration award is very limited. However, the arbitrator can award the same damages and relief on an individual basis that a court can award to an individual. All issues are for the arbitrator to decide, except that a court of competent jurisdiction may decide issues relating to arbitrability, the scope or enforceability of this agreement to arbitrate, or issues that these Terms of Use indicate that a court can resolve.

Any arbitration will be administered by JAMS, a well-respected arbitration and mediation service. For all claims in which the value of the relief sought is $10,000 or less, JAMS’ Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, as modified by these Terms of Use, will apply without exception unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both you and Palomar Health. For all other claims, JAMS’ Comprehensive Rules, as modified by these Terms of Use, apply. All of JAMS’ rules are available on their website at https://www.jamsadr.com/adr-rules-procedures/.

The arbitrator must decide the substance of all claims in accordance with applicable law, including recognized principles of equity, and will honor all claims of privilege recognized by law. No court or arbitrator is bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving different users of Palomar Health’s website, except that a court or arbitrator will be bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving the same Palomar Health website user, to the extent required by applicable law. The award of the arbitrator shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

  1. Arbitration Costs: Payment of all JAMS or arbitrator fees will be governed by JAMS’ rules, unless otherwise stated in these Terms of Use. If you are able to demonstrate that the costs of accessing arbitration will be prohibitive as compared to the costs of accessing a court for purposes of pursuing litigation on an individual basis, Palomar Health will pay as much of the JAMS or arbitrator fees as the arbitrator deems necessary to prevent the cost of accessing the arbitration from being prohibitive. Any request for payment of fees by Palomar Health must be submitted by mail to JAMS along with your Demand for Arbitration. In the event the arbitrator determines that either the substance of your or Palomar Health’s claim or the relief sought was frivolous or brought for an improper purpose, then you or Palomar Health may seek to recover from you or Palomar Health any fees paid, including attorneys’ fees, to the extent permitted by JAMS’ rules and applicable law.
  2. Severability: You and Palomar Health agree that all of the terms in these Terms of Use are severable. You and Palomar Health agree that, if a court decides that any part of these Terms of Use is invalid or unenforceable, the other parts of these Terms of Use still apply. You further agree that, if any disputes are determined by a court not to be subject to arbitration, then those disputes must be severed from any other disputes and may be litigated in court, with the remaining claims heard in arbitration.
  3. Choice of Law: You agree that, except to the extent inconsistent with or preempted by federal law and except as otherwise stated in these Terms of Use, the laws of the State of California, without regard to principles of conflict of laws, will govern these Terms of Use and any claim or dispute that has arisen or may arise between you and Palomar Health.

Opt-Out Procedure: You can choose to reject the arbitration provisions of these Terms of Use by mailing us a written opt-out notice. The opt-out notice must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the date you accept these Terms of Use for the first time. You must mail the opt-out notice to:

Attn: Opt-Out Notice
Secretary of the Board of Directors of Palomar Health
2125 Citracado Pkwy, Suite 300
Escondido, CA 92029

Your opt-out notice must contain the following information: Your name, your address, and the first date after August 11, 2023, on which you first accessed Palomar Health’s website. PLEASE NOTE: You must sign the opt-out notice for it to be effective. This procedure is the only way you can opt out of the arbitration provisions of these Terms of Use. Please note that even if you opt out of the arbitration provisions of these Terms of Use, all other parts of the Terms of Use continue to apply.



    Palomar Health Medical Group (“PHMG”) phones, faxes, and portal are currently non-functional. For more information, click here. Please note that Palomar Health Healthcare District, including Palomar Medical Center Poway and Palomar Medical Center Escondido, have NOT been impacted by this event.

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    Privacy Information

    Privacy Information

    NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

    Effective April 14, 2003
    Revised September 10, 2013; March 23, 2015

     

    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.

    If you have any questions about this notice, please contact our Service Excellence Department.
    This notice describes Palomar Health’s practices and that of:

    • Any health care professional authorized to enter information into your health record.
    • All departments and units of the hospital.
    • Any member of a volunteer group we allow to help you while you are in our care.
    • All employees, staff and other hospital personnel.
    • Palomar Medical Center Escondido
    • Palomar Medical Center Poway
    • Palomar Medical Center Downtown Escondido
    • Affiliated Physicians
    • Palomar Health Pharmacy Services (Affiliated Entity)

    All these entities, sites and locations follow the terms of this notice. In addition, these entities, sites and locations may share medical information with each other for treatment, payment or health care operations purposes described in this notice. The providers participating in this notice (referred to as “we”) understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting medical information about you. We create a record of the care and services you receive during your visit with us. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by any of the Palomar Health sites or affiliated entities listed on this notice, whether made by Palomar Health personnel or your personal doctor.

    Your personal doctor may have different policies or notices regarding the doctor’s use and disclosure of your medical information created in the doctor’s office or clinic. This notice tells you about the ways we may use and disclose your medical information. This notice also describes your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.

    We are required by law to make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private (with certain exceptions), to notify you of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you, to notify you if a breach of your medical information occurs, and to follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices currently in effect.

    HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
    For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

    DISCLOSURE AT YOUR REQUEST
    We may disclose information when requested by you. This disclosure at your request may require a written authorization by you.

    For Treatment – We may use medical information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, health care students, or other Palomar Health personnel and workforce members who are involved in providing for your well-being during your visit with us. For example, a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you have diabetes because diabetes may slow the healing process. Additionally, the doctor may need to tell the dietitian if you have diabetes so we can arrange for appropriate meals. Different departments within Palomar Health also may share medical information about you in order to coordinate the different things you need, such as prescriptions, lab work and X-rays. We also may disclose medical information about you to people outside of Palomar Health who may be involved in your medical care after you leave us, such as skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and physicians or other practitioners, including, without limitation, your primary care provider, so they can provide care or coordinate continuing care.

    For Payment – We may use and disclose your medical information so that the treatment and services you receive at our facilities or from us may be billed and payment collected from you, an insurance company, a third party or a collection agency. For example, we may need to give information about surgery you received at the hospital to your health plan so it will pay us or reimburse you for the surgery. We may also tell your health plan about a proposed treatment to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment. We may also provide basic information about you and your health plan, insurance company or other source of payment to practitioners outside the hospital who are involved in your care, to assist them in obtaining payment for services they provide to you.

    For Health Care Operations – We may use and disclose medical information about you for health care and business operations, a variety of activities necessary to run our health care facilities and ensure all of our patients receive quality care. For example, we may use medical information to review the quality and safety of our treatment and services, to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you, or for business planning, management and administrative services. We may also use and disclose your medical information to an outside company that performs services for us such as accreditation, legal, computer or auditing services. These outside companies are called business associates and are required by law to keep your medical information confidential. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, and other hospital personnel for review and learning purposes. We may remove information that identifies you from this set of medical information so others may use it to study health care and health care delivery without learning who the specific patients are.

    Fundraising Activities – We may use information about you, or disclose such information to a foundation related to Palomar Health, to contact you in efforts to raise money for our health care organization and its operations. You have the right to opt out of receiving fundraising communications. If you receive a fundraising communication, it will tell you how to opt out.

    Hospital Directory – We may include certain limited information about you in the hospital directory while you are a patient at the hospital. This information may include your name, location in the hospital, your general condition (e.g., good, fair, etc.) and your religious affiliation. Unless there is a specific written request from you to the contrary, this directory information, except for your religious affiliation, may also be released to people who ask for you by name. Your religious affiliation may be given to a member of the clergy, such as a priest or rabbi, even if they don’t ask for you by name. This information is released so your family, friends and clergy can visit you in the hospital and generally know how you are doing.

    Marketing and Sale – Most uses and disclosures of medical information for marketing purposes, and disclosures that constitute a sale of medical information, require your authorization.

    To Individuals Involved in your Care or Payment for your Care – We may release medical information about you to a friend or family member who is involved in your medical care. We may also give information to someone who helps pay for your care. Unless there is a specific written request from you to the contrary, we may also tell your family or friends your condition and that you are in the hospital. In addition, we may disclose medical information about you to an organization assisting in a disaster relief effort so your family can be notified about your condition, status, and location. If you arrive at the emergency department either unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, we are required to attempt to contact someone we believe can make health care decisions for you (e.g., a family member or agent under a health care power of attorney.)

    For 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, for the same condition. All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process. This process evaluates a proposed research project and its use of medical information, trying to balance the research needs with patients’ need for privacy of their medical information. Before we use or disclose medical information for research, the project will have been approved through this research approval process, but we may, however, disclose medical information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project, for example, to help them look for patients with specific medical needs, as long as the medical information does not leave our facilities or offices.

    As Required by Law – We will disclose medical information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.

    To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety – We may use and disclose medical information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure, however, would only be to someone able to help prevent the threat.

    Psychotherapy Notes – Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your authorization.

    Organ and Tissue Donation – We may release medical information to organizations that handle organ procurement or organ, eye or tissue transplantation or to an organ donation bank, as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation

    Military and Veterans – If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release medical information about you 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 release medical information about you for workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

    Public Health Activities – We may disclose medical information about you for public health activities. These activities generally include the following:

    To prevent or control disease, injury or disability;
    To report births and deaths;
    To report regarding the abuse or neglect of children, elders and dependent adults;
    To report reactions to medications or problems with products;
    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 or condition;
    To notify the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. We will only make this disclosure if you agree or when required or authorized by law;
    To notify emergency response employees regarding possible exposure to HIV/AIDS, to the extent necessary to comply with state and federal laws.

    Health Oversight Activities – We may disclose medical information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.

    Lawsuits and Disputes – If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose medical information about you in response to a court or administrative order.

    We may also disclose medical information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request (which may include written notice to you) or to allow you to obtain an order protecting the information requested.

    Law Enforcement – We may release medical information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:

    • In response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process;
    • To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person;
    • About the victim of a crime if, under certain limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement;
    • About a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct;
    • About criminal conduct at our facility(ies); and
    • In emergency circumstances to report a crime; the location of the crime or victims; or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime.

    Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors –
    We may release medical information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death. We may also release medical information about patients of the hospital to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.

    National Security and Intelligence Activities – We may release medical information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence and other national security activities authorized by law.

    Protective Services for the President and Others – We may disclose medical information about you to authorized federal officials so they may conduct investigations or provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state.

    Inmates – If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may disclose medical information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official as authorized or required by law. This disclosure would be necessary 1) for the institution to provide you with health care; 2) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others; or 3) for the safety and security of the correctional institution.

    Special Categories Of Information – In some circumstances, your health information may be subject to restrictions that may limit or preclude some uses or disclosures described in this notice. For example, there are special restrictions on the use or disclosure of certain categories of information — e.g., tests for HIV or treatment for mental health conditions or alcohol and drug abuse.

    Health Information Exchange (HIE) – We may share your health information electronically with other organizations where you receive health care. Sharing information electronically is a faster way to get your health information to the health care providers treating you. HIE participants are required to meet rules that protect the privacy and security of your health and personal information.

    Secure Patient Portal – We have established a web-based system, called a Patient Portal, which allows us to securely communicate and transfer health care information to you. With your written consent, you will receive a user ID and password to access the Patient Portal. If your user ID or password to your Patient Portal is obtained by another person, your medical information is subject to improper disclosure. Please notify us immediately if you feel your Patient Portal is being improperly accessed.

    YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION WE MAINTAIN ABOUT YOU

    You have rights regarding the medical information we maintain about you. To exercise your rights regarding medical information we maintain about you, you must submit a written request to Palomar Health, Privacy Officer, 120 Craven Rd., Suite 224, San Marcos, CA 92078.

    RIGHT TO INSPECT AND COPY
    You have the right to inspect and/or obtain a copy of your medical information, including lab test results. You can ask for an electronic or paper copy of your medical information. We may deny your request to inspect and obtain a copy in very limited circumstances. If you are denied access to medical information, you may request that the denial be reviewed.

    RIGHT TO AMEND
    If you feel that medical information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for Palomar Health. Your request must be made in writing, and you must provide a reason that supports your request. We may deny your request as authorized by law.
    Even if we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement.

    RIGHT TO AN ACCOUNTING OF DISCLOSURES
    You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures. This is a list of the disclosures we made of medical information about you other than our own uses for treatment, payment and health care operations, and with other exceptions pursuant to law. Your request must state a time period which may not be longer than six years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free. For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list.

    RIGHT TO REQUEST RESTRICTIONS
    You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health care operations; for use in a facility directory; or to family members and others involved in your care.
    We are not required to agree to your request, except to the extent that you request us to restrict disclosure to a health plan or insurer for payment or health care operations purposes if you, or someone else on your behalf (other than the health plan or insurer), has paid for the item or service out of pocket in full.

    RIGHT TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS
    You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location.
    We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.

    RIGHT TO A PAPER COPY OF THIS NOTICE
    You have the right to a paper copy of this notice upon request. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice. You may obtain a copy of this notice at our website: www.palomarhealth.org.

    Changes to this Notice: We reserve the right to change this notice at any time, and to make the new notice effective for all medical information we maintain, including medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future.
    We will post a copy of the current notice in the hospital, hospital sites, outpatient pharmacy, and on our website.

    Complaints: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with us, contact the Palomar Health Privacy Officer. You can reach the Privacy Officer by telephone at 1-800-850-2551. All complaints must be submitted in writing to Palomar Health, Privacy Officer, 120 Craven Rd., Suite 224, San Marcos, CA 92078. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

    Other Uses of Medical Information: Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose medical information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your permission, this will stop any further use or disclosure of your medical information for the purposes covered by your written authorization, except if we have already acted in reliance on your permission. You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission, and that we are required to retain our records of the care that we provided to you.

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