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Patient Confidentiality, Rights, and Responsibilities

Patient Confidentiality, Rights, and Responsibilities

Confidentiality Statement

Privacy of your health information is one of our top priorities. Other than as described below in Exceptions to Confidentiality, no one outside of the Wellness Center staff will have access to your medical or mental health information without a student’s explicit, written permission. Academy students do require the authorization of a parent or legal guardian to share information outside of the Wellness Center. If you are referred to a medical provider outside of the Wellness Center, medical information regarding the specific referral will be shared with the outside provider. Basic medical and mental health information and diagnoses will be shared with insurance companies to facilitate billing. If the student and provider deem it necessary to share medical or mental health information with someone outside of the Wellness Center, the student (or parent of an Academy student) will be asked to sign an authorization form to release the information. Voice mail and email communications to students will not include personal health information to maintain privacy.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

There are some exceptions to confidentiality. In situations in which there is evidence of a threat to oneself or another, the Wellness staff is required to take action/disclose information to protect the person at the risk of harm. When there is information about, or strong suspicions of physical or sexual abuse or neglect of a minor or elder, this must be reported to the Department of Social Services. In certain legal situations, including court order, Wellness staff may be required to disclose information. In addition, any time a student is admitted to the Emergency Room, the Wellness staff will contact the student’s parents. This is a policy of Bard Academy and Bard College at Simon’s Rock and is in the 2023–2024 Student Handbook .

If you are a Bard Academy student, the information documented in your record is available to your parents or legal guardians, if requested, due to your age (under the age of 18) and due to the fact that you are a high school student and not yet a college student. The Wellness Center will continue to maintain your confidentiality in terms of specifics discussed during a counseling session or medical appointment and will only share information with parents, as clinically appropriate and/or as specified in the exceptions.

Patient’s Rights

To be treated with dignity and respect
To know the names and professional status of people serving you
To privacy
To confidentiality
To know who has access to your medical record as listed on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
To receive accurate information about your health-related concerns
To know the effectiveness, possible side effects, and problems of all forms of treatment
To participate in choosing a form of treatment
To receive education and counseling
To consent to, or refuse, care and/or treatment
To select and/or change your health care provider
To review your medical records with a clinician
To access information about services and related costs

Patient’s Responsibilities

To seek medical attention promptly
To be honest about your medical history
To ask about anything you do not understand
To follow health advice and medical instruction
To report any significant changes in symptoms or failure to improve
To respect clinic policies
To keep appointments or cancel in advance
To seek non-emergency care during regular hours
To provide useful feedback about services and policies
To pay any charges billed to you, and to be informed of these charges before testing or treatment
When you have questions….ASK!!
When you have a problem…Speak up!!
If you are not satisfied…Let us know.
When you are satisfied…Compliment!!