All site content © 2013 Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Inc (“FMOLHS”). Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from FMOLHS is prohibited.
DISCLAIMER
Information presented through the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Inc. (“FMOLHS”) web site and the web sites of it sponsored organizations and subsidiaries are provided and intended for general information only, and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, or instruction. FMOLHS sponsored organizations include, but are not limited to: Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Inc.; Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Inc.; St. Francis Medical Center, Inc., St. Elizabeth Hospital, Inc. and Calais Health, LLC.
The term "FMOLHS web sites" refers to the FMOLHS web site and the web sites of all of the aforementioned sponsored organizations and their subsidiaries and any other sponsored organizations, whether named or unnamed.
Please read the following information carefully. By choosing to use FMOLHS web sites, you acknowledge and agree to the terms of this Disclaimer and our Legal Notices. Continuing to use FMOLHS web sites indicates your acceptance of all terms and conditions of this Disclaimer and our Legal Notices. If you do not accept and agree to these terms and conditions, exit the web site immediately.
FMOLHS reserves the right to revise these terms and notices, and therefore encourages you to review them regularly, because using the web sites will indicate your acceptance of, and agreement with, all terms and notices.
This website does NOT provide Medical Advice. You should not rely upon the FMOLHS and sponsored organizations' web sites if emergency health care treatment or services may be needed. If emergency health care services are needed, call 911. For diagnosis of specific illnesses and disorders, you should consult the appropriate healthcare professionals. FMOLHS is in no way responsible for how the information obtained from FMOLHS web sites is used. For advice about your own situation, ask your doctor!
Responses to your communication to FMOLHS or any of its sponsored organization through electronic mail (e-mail), online forms, surveys or other communication tools, is not guaranteed. FMOLHS and its sponsored organizations urge that you NOT send confidential or proprietary information through our web sites. Any information, content or material sent to FMOLHS or its sponsored organizations will be held as not confidential, and may be used in any way by FMOLHS and its sponsored organizations.
You assume full responsibility for using the information on any FMOLHS web site, and you understand and agree that FMOLHS and its sponsored organizations are not responsible or liable for any claim, loss, or damage resulting from its use by you or any user. Although significant efforts are made to keep the information on FMOLHS web sites updated and accurate, we disclaim any warranty regarding its currency or accuracy.
NO WARRANTIES
INFORMATION SUPPLIED ON THE FMOLHS websites IS "AS IS" AND NEITHER FMOLHS NOR ANY OF OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS OF THIS SITE OR THIRD PARTY SITES LINKED TO THIS SITE AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, COMPLETENESS, TIMELINESS, CORRECTNESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR USE, APPLICATION OR PURPOSE. YOU AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS AND WAIVE VOLUNTARILY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY ANY LIABILITY OF FMOLHS AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS, INCLUDING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, FOR ANY DAMAGES, CLAIMS, DEMANDS OR CAUSES OF ACTION, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE, AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF THIS Web site OR ANY INFORMATION YOU OBTAIN ON IT OR THAT RESULT FROM MISTAKES, OMISSIONS, INTERRUPTIONS OR DELETIONS OF FILES, ERRORS OR DEFECTS IN THE FMOLHS websites' CONTENT, OR FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE. If you are dissatisfied with any FMOLHS website content, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using such content.
LEGAL NOTICES
Privacy Policy
Please read the following information carefully. By choosing to use FMOLHS web sites, you acknowledge and agree to the terms of our Legal Notices and our Disclaimer. Continuing to use FMOLHS web sites indicates your acceptance of all terms and conditions of our Legal Notices and our Disclaimer. If you do not accept and agree to these terms and conditions, exit the web site immediately.
FMOLHS reserves the right to revise these terms and notices, and therefore encourages you to review them regularly, because using the web sites will indicate your acceptance of, and agreement with, all terms and notices.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
www.fmolhs.org
www.ololrmc.com
www.ololphysiciangroup.com
www.stfran.com
www.steh.com
www.lourdes.net
are the trademarks and servicemarks of FMOLHS and its affiliates. All other trademarks, service marks and logos used in these web sites are the trademarks, service marks or logos of their respective owners.
FMOLHS and its sponsored organizations do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or instruction through its web sites. If you need emergency treatment or services, call 911. FMOLHS is not responsible for how the information in its web sites is used.
Content and information on FMOLHS web sites are protected by copyright law, and may not be reproduced, modified, distributed, in entirety or part, without the prior written consent of FMOLHS. The sole exception is that, unless otherwise stated, users may print or download information from FMOLHS web sites for personal, non-commercial use only, provided they identify the source of the material and include a statement that the materials are protected by copyright law. Permission to reprint or otherwise reproduce any document in whole or in part is prohibited, unless prior written consent is obtained from the copyright owner.
1. Limitation of Liability
FMOLHS and its affiliates, suppliers, and other third parties mentioned on this site are neither responsible nor liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, punitive, or other damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, those resulting from lost profits, lost data, or business interruption) arising out of or relating in any way to the site, site-related services and products, content or information contained within the site, and/or any hyperlinked web site, whether based on warranty, contract, tort, or any other legal theory and whether or not advised of the possibility of such damages. Your sole remedy for dissatisfaction with the site, site-related services, and/or hyperlinked web sites is to stop using the site and/or those services. Applicable law may not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.
2. Accuracy and Integrity of Information
Although FMOLHS attempts to ensure the integrity and accurateness of its websites, it makes no guarantees whatsoever as to the correctness or accuracy of the Site. It is possible that the Site could include typographical errors, inaccuracies or other errors, and that unauthorized additions, deletions and alterations could be made to the Site by third parties. In the event that an inaccuracy arises, please inform FMOLHS so that it can be corrected. Information contained on the Site may be changed or updated without notice.
3. Visitor Chat Rooms and Other Interactive Areas
FMOLHS may, but is not obligated to, monitor or review any areas of the Site where visitors transmit or post Communications or communicate solely with each other, including, but not limited to, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and other user forums, and the content or any such Communications. FMOLHS, however, will have no liability related to the content of any such Communications, whether or not arising under the laws of copyright, libel, privacy, obscenity, or otherwise. FMOLHS retains the right to remove, in its sole discretion, Communications that include any material deemed abusive, defamatory, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.
4. Links or Pointers to Other Sites
FMOLHS makes no representations whatsoever about any other Web site that you may access through this Site. When you access a non-FMOLHS site, please understand that it is independent from FMOLHS, and that FMOLHS has no control over the content on that Web site. In addition, a hyperlink to a non-FMOLHS Web site does not mean that FMOLHS endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content, or the use, of the linked site. It is up to you to take precautions to ensure that whatever you select for your use or download is free of such items as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other items of a destructive nature. If you decide to access any of the third party sites linked to this Site, you do this entirely at your own risk.
Persons or organizations who have other web sites are permitted to link any complete page on FMOLHS web sites. Linking to specific elements on these web sites, such as logos, trademarks, photographs, illustrations, online forms or surveys, is not permitted. Copying onto any other web site or server of information, content, or material, including logos, trademarks, photographs, illustrations, online forms or surveys, in its entirety or part, is not permitted.
Terms and conditions stated in our Disclaimer and Legal Notices are entered into in the State of Louisiana and will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana, exclusive of its choice of law rules. Each party to these terms and conditions submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and waives any jurisdictional, venue, or inconvenient forum objections to such courts. In any action to enforce these terms and conditions, the prevailing party will be entitled to costs and attorneys fees. In the event that any of the terms and conditions are held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable, such provisions shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these terms and conditions shall otherwise remain in full force and effect.
FMOLHS Website Privacy Policy (also see: Health Information Privacy Policy)
All staff of FMOLHS recognize that an individual’s health is a private matter. This privacy policy tells you how we handle the information we learn from you when you visit the websites of FMOLHS and its sponsored organizations (Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Medical Center, St. Elizabeth Hospital and Calais Health), herein referred to as FMOLHS websites. The information we receive depends on what you do during your visit to our websites.
By using FMOLHS websites, you agree to accept this privacy policy. This policy may be changed, as needed, so please read this policy regularly and carefully.
We respect your privacy and, accordingly, you may use FMOLHS websites without disclosing personally identifiable information. We will not gather such information about you unless you choose to submit it to us.
Web Server
Our web server collects and stores the following general information about you:
- the originating name of the domain from which you access the Internet (for example, cox.net, if you are connecting from a Cox Communications account);
- the date and time you access our service;
- the pages you visit;
- the internet address of the website from which you linked directly to us (for example abc6.com, if you use one of their links to our sites);
- the name and version of web browser software you are using.
This information is collected automatically and is not linked to your personal identity. It is used to help us improve our websites by tabulating the number of visitors to our websites in terms of new users, the popularity of pages, amount of use, and types of errors, and to make the websites more useful to you. Occasionally we may provide data to third parties concerning the number of visitors to our websites. This data will not contain individual information.
We may, or may not, use “cookies,” which are small files stored on your computer’s hard drive that are used to store and track personal information.
Online Forms & E-mail Communication
If you choose to identify yourself by sending an e-mail, using a form, or subscribing to a service or product such as an e-newsletter, some FMOLHS staff may see the material you submit. The information you send may be entered into our electronic database, to share with our health care professionals, researchers, or our internet services staff. Your information will NOT be sold to any organization.
If you subscribe to one of an e-newsletter, you may un-subscribe at any time by clicking on the “Un-subscribe” button at the bottom of the e-newsletter.
Please be aware that e-mail and other internet communications channels may not be secure against interception, and we cannot guarantee the security or confidentiality. While we take precautions, such as encrypting communications where appropriate, if your communication is very personal or sensitive, or includes information like your diagnosis or medical history, you may prefer to send it by postal mail instead.
We will not disclose personal information about individual medical conditions or interests to a third party, except, in limited circumstances, when we believe that the law requires it.
Information may be kept for different lengths of time. From time to time, this website may provide links to other helpful websites that are not affiliated with, or owned or controlled by FMOLHS. We are not responsible for, and cannot vouch for, the privacy practices of these other websites.
Health Information Privacy Policy
Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group
St. Elizabeth Physicians
Baton Rouge Clinic
Capital Area Shared Services Organization
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Capital Area Shared Services Organization (“CASSO”) is a joint venture between the Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC, Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, L.L.C. and Our Lady of the Lake Ascension, L.L.C. d/b/a St. Elizabeth Physicians (sometimes collectively referred to hereinafter as “Organization” or “Organizations”) to own and operate a unified electronic medical record system to support the efficient care and services provided by each of the three independent entities as health care providers, i.e., Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC, Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, L.L.C. and Our Lady of the Lake Ascension, L.L.C. d/b/a St. Elizabeth Physicians. Your medical record will be maintained in electronic form as a single unified medical record and may be shared by the three participating entities solely for treatment, payment and healthcare operations purposes. Any request for your medical record will encompass the entire unified record unless otherwise specified by you in a written authorization.
WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE
This notice describes each Organization’s practices and that of:
• All team members, staff, volunteers, contractors and other personnel.
• Any member of a volunteer group we allow to help you while you are in our care.
• Any physician or allied health professional who is involved in your care.
• All entities, sites and locations will follow the terms of this notice. When this notice refers to “we” or “us,” it is referring to the following entities, sites and locations. In addition, these entities may share medical information with each other for treatment, payment or health care operations purposes described in this notice.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTH RECORD/ INFORMATION
Each time you visit the Baton Rouge Clinic, AMC, Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, L.L.C. or Our Lady of the Lake Ascension, L.L.C. d/b/a St. Elizabeth Physicians a record of your visit is made. This information, often referred to as your health or medical record, serves as a;
• Documentation of your symptoms, examinations and test results, diagnoses and treatment
• Means of communication among the many health care providers who contribute to your care,
•Means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided,
• A source for information for public health officials charged with improving the health of the state and the nation,
•A tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we render and the outcomes we achieve.
Understanding what is in your record and how your health information is used helps you to: ensure it is correct, better understand who, what, when, where and why others may access your health information, and make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT OF THIS NOTICE
You will be asked to provide a signed acknowledgement of receipt of this Notice. Our intent is to make you aware of the possible uses and disclosures of your protected health information and your privacy rights. The delivery of health care services will in no way be conditioned upon your signed acknowledgement. If you decline to provide a signed acknowledgement, we will continue to provide your treatment, and will use and disclose your protected health information for treatment, payment and healthcare operations when necessary.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
In some circumstances we are permitted or required to use or disclose your health information without obtaining your prior authorization and without offering you the opportunity to object. The following categories describe these different circumstances. For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and list an example. 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.
• 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, medical students, or other Organization personnel who are involved in taking care of you at the Organization. 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. In addition, the doctor may need to tell the dietitian if you have diabetes so that we can arrange for appropriate meals. Different departments of the Organization also may share medical information about you in order to coordinate the different things you need, such as medications, lab work and x-rays.
• For Payment. We may use and disclose medical information about you so that the treatment and services you receive at the Organization may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company or a third party. For example, we may inform your health insurance company of your diagnosis and treatment in order to assist the insurer in processing our claim for the health care services provided to you.
• For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose health information about you for our day-to-day operations and functions. For example, we may compile your health information, along with that of other patients, in order to allow a team of our health care professionals to review that information and make suggestions concerning how to improve the quality of care provided at our Organization. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, and other Organization personnel for review and learning purposes.
• Health-Related Benefits and Services. We may contact you about health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.
• Communications. We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
• Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose health information about you for research purposes. 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. 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. We may also disclose health information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project, for example, to help them look for patients with specific medical needs, so long as the information they review does not leave the Organization.
• As Required By Law. We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
• To Avert a Serious Threat Of Health or Safety. We may use and disclose health 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.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
• Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ donor, we may release health 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 health information about you as required by military command authorities. We may also release health information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority.
• Workers' Compensation. We may release health information about you for workers' compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
• Public Health Risks. We may disclose health 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 to state and federal tumor registries;
• to report child abuse or neglect;
• 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;
• Victims of Abuse, Neglect or Domestic Violence. We may 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.
• Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose health 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.
• 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 the Organization; 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.
• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding in response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal to the extent expressly authorized by such order; or in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
• Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. We may release health information to a coroner or medical examiner and funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.
We may also use or disclose your health information in the following circumstances. However, except in emergency situations, we will inform you of our intended action prior to making any such uses and disclosures and will, at that time, offer you the opportunity to object.
• 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. We may also tell your family or friends your condition and that you are in the Organization. In addition, we may disclose health information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that your family can be notified about your condition, status and location.
Except as described above, disclosures of your health information will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke your authorization at any time, in writing, unless we have taken action in reliance upon your prior authorization, or if you signed the authorization as a condition of obtaining insurance coverage.
YOUR RIGHTS:
You have the following rights regarding health information we maintain about you:
• Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the health information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member or friend. For example, you could ask that we not use or disclose information about a surgery you had.
We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment.
To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to the Privacy Officer. In your request, you must tell us (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, disclosures to your spouse.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail.
To request communications, you must make your request in writing to the Privacy Officer. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted. We will not ask you the reason for your request. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
• Right to Inspect and Copy Health Information. You have the right to inspect and copy health information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes, information compiled in anticipation of or for use in civil, criminal or administrative proceedings, or certain information that is governed by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act.
Despite your general right to access your Protected Health Information, access may be denied in limited circumstances. For example, access may be denied if you are an inmate at a correctional institution or if you are a participant in a research program that is still in progress. Access may be denied if the federal Privacy Act applies. Access to information that was obtained from someone other than a health care provider under a promise of confidentiality can be denied if allowing you access would reasonable be likely to reveal the source of the information. The decision to deny access under these circumstances is final and not subject to review.
To inspect and copy medical information that may be used to make decisions about you, you must submit your request in writing to the Privacy Officer. If you request a copy of the information, in accordance with LA state law, you will be charged a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request.
• Right to request Amendment. If you feel that health 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 the Organization.
We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
• Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
• Is not part of the medical information kept by or for the Organization;
• Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
• Is accurate and complete.
To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to the Privacy Officer. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request an "accounting of disclosures" made during the six-year period preceding the date of your request. Note that certain restrictions apply to the accounting. The accounting will include the date of each disclosure, the name of the entity or person who received the information and that person’s address (if known) and a brief description of the information disclosed and the purpose of the disclosure.
To request this list or accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing. Your request must state a time period. Your request should indicate in what form you want the list (for example, on paper, electronically). The first list you request within a 12 month period will be free. For additional lists, we will charge you for the costs of providing the list. We will notify you of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time before any costs are incurred.
• Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice.
You may obtain a copy of this notice at our website, https://mychart.casso.us.com/
To obtain a paper copy of this notice, contact your Primary Care Physician’s Office.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
• We are required by law to make sure that health information that identifies you is kept private;
• We are required to provide you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices; and
• We are required to follow the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make those changes applicable to all health information that we maintain. Any changes to this Notice will be posted on our website and at our facility, and will be available from us upon request.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REPORT A CONCERN
If you have questions and would like additional information, you may contact the Privacy Officer at delete Our Lady of the Lake Ascension, L.L.C. d/b/a St. Elizabeth Physicians at (225)743-2463.
This notice was published and became effective on June 5, 2012.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the Organization’s Privacy Officer, or with the Office of Civil Rights. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint with either the Privacy Officer or the Office of Civil Rights. The address for the Office of Civil Rights is; Office of Civil Rights, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 509F HHH Building, Washington, DC 20201
