SCOPE:
All Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (“CCBD”) employees, including temporary, part-time and full-time employees, independent contractors, clinicians, officers and directors.

PURPOSE:
To ensure that individuals are provided with the information they need to clearly understand how their health information can be used or disclosed, their rights under HIPAA with respect to their health information, and how they can gain access to their health information. In addition, this policy establishes the administrative procedures regarding the maintenance of the CCBD Notice of Privacy Practices.

POLICY:
Individuals have a right to adequate notice of the uses and disclosures of protected health information that may be made by CCBD, and of the individuals’ rights and CCBD’s legal duties with respect to protected health information. Note – A copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information (the “Notice”) is available upon request.

Provision of Notice:
• The Notice of Privacy Practices is made available as follows:
A) A written copy is given to all patients the first time they receive treatment or upon first service. It is not necessary to provide a written copy of the Notice at subsequent visits or upon subsequent delivery of services.
B) A copy of the Notice may also be posted in the waiting room or admissions area where it can easily be read and on the website if one is maintained.
C) Printed copies of the Notice are made available to any person (whether or not a patient) who requests a copy.
D) Copies of the Notice may be provided electronically as long as the patient is advised that he or she may request a written copy as well.

Acknowledgment of Receipt of Notice:
• The first time the patient receives treatment or services, the patient or the patient’s authorized representative is asked to sign an acknowledging that the Notice was provided. If the person’s signature cannot be obtained, document the good faith attempt to obtain the acknowledgment.
• After the patient signs and dates the Notice, the staff will give a copy of the Notice to the patient and will file the original copy in the medical record.

Emergencies:
• In an emergency, it is not necessary to provide the Notice or obtain acknowledgment until after the emergency has been resolved.

Revisions to Notice:
• Any changes to the CCBD Notice of Privacy Practices must be approved by the CCBD Privacy Officer/OneOncology Vice President of Compliance to assure that the Notice contains all required elements and accurately reflects federal and state law. Before CCBD may change its privacy practices in any way that is inconsistent with the current description, the Notice is revised to describe the change. The effective date of the new Notice is printed on the Notice and cannot be retroactive.
• Any time the Notice is revised, the revised copy must be posted prominently, and written copies must be made available upon request. If significant changes are made to the Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information, a written copy on the first visit or first service must be provided, and patient signature obtained as proof you provided a copy. Subsequent visits will not require a written copy be handed out unless patient requests a copy.

Retention:
• CCBD must retain copies of the Notices issued for six (6) years from the date of its creation or the date when it last was in effect, whichever is later.

Communication Format:
• CCBD has an obligation to take steps to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities, and so this Notice may be made available in alternative formats, such as Braille, Large Print, or Audio.
Contact for Questions:
• If an individual has any questions or is uncertain about the requirements of this policy, such person should contact the CCBD Privacy Officer/OneOncology Vice-President of Compliance (complianceandprivacy@oneoncology.com).

Internet Privacy Policy

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders has created this Privacy Policy to explain why we collect particular information and how we will protect your personal privacy within our web site. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for the web site located at the URL www.thecentertx.com.

In order to fully understand your rights we encourage you to read this Privacy Policy as well as our Terms of Use. The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders reserves the right at any time and without notice to change this Privacy Policy simply by posting such changes on our site. Any such change will be effective immediately upon posting.

Because we want to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy, this Privacy Policy notifies you of:

– What personally identifiable information of yours is collected through the site;

– Who collects such information;

– How such information is used;

– With whom your information may be shared;

– What choices you have regarding collection, use and distribution of your information;

– What kind of security procedures are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information under our control;

Questions regarding this statement should be directed to the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Please reference this Privacy Policy in your subject.

 What Information We Collect and How We Use That Information

Our registration forms require users to give us contact information that may include name, email addresses, format preference (HTML vs. Text), address, interests, and similar information. We do not request or store sensitive information from our visitors, such as credit card or social security numbers.

 Internet Protocol Address

We collect an IP address from all visitors to our site. An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you use the Internet. We use IP address to help diagnose problems with our server, administer our site, analyze trends, track users’ movement, gather broad demographic information for aggregate use in order for us to improve the site, and deliver customized, personalized content. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

 Use of “Cookies”

Our site may use cookies to enhance your experience while using our site. Cookies are pieces of information that some web sites transfer to the computer that is browsing that web site and are used for record-keeping purposes at many web sites. Use of cookies make web-surfing easier by performing certain functions such as saving your passwords, your personal preferences regarding your use of the particular web site and to make sure you don’t see the same ad repeatedly. Many consider the use of cookies to be an industry standard.

Your browser is probably set to accept cookies. However, if you would prefer not to receive cookies, you can alter the configuration of your browser to refuse cookies. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of our site will not function properly when you view them.

Security

All information provided to The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders is transmitted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. SSL is a proven coding system that lets your browser automatically encrypt, or scramble, data before you send it to us. We also protect account information by placing it on a secure portion of our site that is only accessible by certain qualified employees of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Unfortunately, however, no data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information.

 Other Web Sites

Our site contains links to other web sites. Please note that when you click on one of these links, you are entering another web site for which The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders has no responsibility. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on all such sites as their policies may be different than ours.

 Contacting the Web Site

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this site, you can contact:

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Business Administration Office
800 W. Magnolia Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76104
Phone: 817-759-7000