Privacy Statement

Notice of Privacy Practices

Texas State Student Health Center

Purpose: The Texas State Student Health Center (SHC) is providing you with this notice to comply with federal and state privacy laws.  All SHC staff, including student employees, will follow the privacy practices described in this notice.

ATTENTION:  All Patients

Electronic Communications: The SHC may use electronic software, services, and equipment, including without limitation, email, video conferencing technology, cloud storage and servers, internet communication, cellular network, voicemail, facsimile, electronic health record, texting, patient portal, and related technology to share Protected Health Information (PHI) with you, third-parties or to provide healthcare, subject to the rights and restrictions contained herein.  In any event, certain unencrypted storage, forwarding, communications and transfers may not be confidential.  We will take measures to safeguard the data transmitted, as well as ensure its integrity against intentional or unintentional breach or corruption. However, in very rare circumstances security protocols could fail, causing a breach of privacy or PHI.

ATTENTION:  Texas State Students

The privacy of your health information and medical record is protected by various state laws and a federal law entitled the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).  FERPA sets out requirements to protect the privacy of your education records and gives you certain rights.  You can learn more about FERPA on the TX State website.  Some of the state laws we comply with include, but are not limited to, the Occupations Code, Title 3, Chapter 159; Texas Medical Board Rules, Chapter 165; and Health & Safety Code, Title 7, Chapter 611.  Your health information will not be disclosed without your written permission unless permitted or required by law. 

Special/Emergency Situations: 

In a health or safety emergency, we may use or disclosure your health information to notify medical and law enforcement personnel, and appropriate parties of threat of harm to self or others.  Appropriate parties may include parents, significant others, Dean of Students, and law enforcement.

ATTENTION:  Staff, Faculty, Summer Campers, TX State Program Attendees

When Can the SHC Use and Disclose My Health Information?

The SHC may be permitted or required by law to use your health information without your authorization for the following reasons.  You will have an opportunity to refuse some of these communications as indicated by. ***

• Health Care Treatment, Payment, and Operations Functions by:

SHC staff for the purpose of providing you with care during a scheduled appointment or to refer you to another medical provider; to send you a bill, if necessary, or to file an insurance claim on your behalf, including performing quality improvement studies or to make decisions about the services we provide.

SHC business associates for the purpose of performing the jobs we have asked them to do, such as, but not limited to providing accreditation review or providing student insurance claims processing.

• To Contact You for the purpose of providing you with appointment information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. ***
• For Fundraising Purposes. Only a limited amount of your PHI can be used for this purpose, indicating contact information and treatment dates. You are free to opt out of fundraising solicitation, and your decision will have no impact on your treatment or payment at the SHC.
• Family members or close friends involved in your care or payment for treatment***
• To inform you of treatment alternatives or benefits or services related to your health. ***
• Workers’ Compensation for the purpose of reporting and processing claims for your Texas State work-related injuries and illnesses.
• Public Health Activities for the purpose of preventing disease, injury or disability; reporting deaths; reporting reactions to medications or product problems; providing notification of recalls, conducting public health investigation and intervention, notifying public health authority or other appropriate government authority of suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; infectious disease control; to report findings concerning a Texas State work-related illness or injury or a Texas State workplace-related medical surveillance.
• Health Oversight Activities for the purpose of audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure.
• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings for the purpose of responding to an order of a court or administrative tribunal; subpoena, discovery request, or lawful process.
• Law Enforcement for the purpose of reporting certain types of wounds and injuries; in response to a request for information about a victim of a crime; to alert of a death that may have resulted from criminal conduct; to provide evidence of criminal conduct that occurred at the SHC; and to report crime in emergencies.
• Disaster Relief purposes
• Coroner and Medical Examiners for the purpose of identifying a deceased person, determining a cause of death, or other duties.
• Research Activities for the purpose of conducting or participating in a study.  But please note, individually identifying information about you would not be included in the report of any study.
• Comply with the law when state or federal law requires it.
• Respond to requests for donation of organ or tissue.
• Prevent Serious Threat to Health or Safety of a person, public, or to the target of the threat.
• National Security and Intelligence Activities and Protective Services to the President to authorized federal officials for the purpose of conducting security investigations and providing protective services.
• Immunizations. The SHC will disclose proof of immunization to a school where the state or other similar law requires it prior to admitting a student.

Privacy Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with the Office of Civil Rights.  There will be no retaliation taken against you for filing a complaint. If you have questions or need help filing a complaint, call toll-free (800) 368-1019; TDD (800) 537-7697.

When Must the SHC Obtain Authorization For Use and Disclosure of my Health Information?

• For Marketing purposes, unless it is specifically permitted under law, such as interacting with you in person.
• Psychotherapy notes. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization.
• As part of a sale to a third party, unless the transaction is permitted by law, such as the sale of an entire business operation.

We Must Have Your Authorization for Other Disclosures

By law, we may be allowed to or required to use or disclose your protected health information without your written consent or authorization for those purposes listed above.  In all other instances, use or disclosure of your protected health information would be made only with your written authorization, and you would be able to revoke such authorization. 

ATTENTION:  All Patients

Requirements Regarding This Notice:  The Student Health Center is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your protected health information.  We are required to follow the terms of this notice currently in effect. Notice will be provided electronically and on paper upon request.   We have the right to change this notice and to make the new changes effective for all protected health information we maintain.  A new notice will be posted on our website, in our clinic, and made available to you upon request.

Your Privacy Rights

Although your health record is the physical property of the SHC, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:

• Request a Restriction on certain uses and disclosures related to treatment, payment, or health care operations, although we are not legally required to comply. 
• Right to Request Restrictions to a Health Plan. You have the right to request restrictions on disclosure of your PHI to a health plan if you have paid out of pocket, in full, for a health care item or service.
• Request Confidential Communications of your health information by alternative means or at an alternative location, but you must tell us how or where you wish to be contacted.
• Access your health record to inspect and obtain a copy in paper or electronic format.  We may charge a fee for copying and mailing.  There may be instances when your request may be denied.  You may request review of the denial by another licensed health care professional who is designated by the SHC.  The SHC will agree to the outcome of the review.
• Request Amendment to your health record if you believe it is incomplete or inaccurate; however, we are not legally required to comply.
• Obtain an Accounting of Disclosures of your health information for purposes other than treatment, payment, or health care operations within the past six (6) years of your request, but not prior to April 14, 2003.  There may be a charge after the first request.
• A Copy of This Notice by requesting a copy of a paper notice.  You may ask for this at any time during our regular hours of operation.  You may also obtain a copy of this notice at our website, www.healthcenter.txstate.edu. 

You must submit a written request to the Privacy Officer to exercise your rights. 

Breach of Unsecured PHI

If a breach of unsecured PHI affecting you occurs, SHC is required to notify you of the breach.

Questions?

The Student Health Center wants you to understand the information we are giving you.  If you have questions, would like additional information, or would like to file a written complaint, you may contact the SHC Privacy Officer at (512) 245-2161 or healthcenter@txstate.edu. 

Revised 09/18/2023.