EAGLE VIEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL
DEPARTMENT: Rights of Patients | SUBJECT: Patient Privacy |
POLICY AND PROCEDURE: 1800.26 | Page 1 of 2 |
FUNCTIONAL AREA: Facility Wide | REFERENCES: JC, CMS |
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 10, 2018 | APPROVED BY: Quality/PI Council/ Governing Board: |
PURPOSE:
To safeguard privacy of each and every patient.
POLICY:
It shall be the policy of Eagle View that every effort be made to protect each patient’s right to confidentiality and privacy. Hospital, contract, and medical staff shall follow the procedures, as delineated below:
PROCEDURE:
- Visitors to areas being utilized by patients will be minimized. Patients who are on unit or areas to be toured will be forewarned of guests’ arrival and given opportunity to close doors or exit area being toured temporarily. Staff should be asked prior to arriving on unit.
- Patient names are not posted on bulletin board in public areas of hospital.
- Do not confirm admission of patient to hospital to persons not authorized to have that information. Per the direction of the Governing Board: Unauthorized callers (by phone) or visitors who ask to speak to a patient, shall be standardly told, “I am sorry, but state and federal privacy laws will not allow me to confirm or deny the presence of a patient in this hospital.”
- Always knock on patient’s door before entering.
- Always inform the patient of searches.
- Keep noise level to minimum to avoid disturbing other patients on unit.
- Patients are not allowed to tape or photograph activities or patients.
- The Hospital staff are not allowed to tape or photograph the patient for personal reasons, and not without express, written consent for marketing purposes as reviewed by Director of Compliance.
- Staff shall not identify patients by name when using paging systems, either local or long distance.
- In general, make every effort to communicate to each patient, your respect for him/her as a person.
- Never discuss patients or events from Eagle View with any person not authorized to acquire patient information.
- Never discuss patients in open and public areas. Such conversations shall be conducted in private areas and only with staff who have a “need to know”.
For questions please contact:
Privacy Officer, Summit BHC, 389 Nichol Mill Lane, Suite 100, Franklin, TN 37067.
You can also contact the Privacy Officer through the confidential website at summitbhc.ethicspoint.com or phone number (844) 920-1197.