Polices
Freedom of Information Act
The following are instructions on how to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Chatham Fire Department and/or the Chatham Fire Protection District:
1. Please make your request for records in writing. The Chatham Fire Department and/or Chatham Fire Protection District does not require the completion of a standard form for this purpose. You may submit your written request by mail, fax, or e-mail. Please direct your request to :
FOIA Officer
Assistant Chief Bruce Osborne
Chatham Fire Department
#1 Fireman Square
Chatham, IL. 62629-1378
Phone#: (217) 483-2121
Fax#: (217) 483-4411
E-mail: bruce.osborne@cfd-il.com
2. Please be as specific as possible when describing the records you are seeking. Please be date specific and remember that released records are subject to HIPPA rules regarding non-disclosure of protected health information by redaction. Remember, the Freedom of Information Act is designed to allow you to inspect or receive copies of records. It is not designed to require a public body to answer questions. To the extent that you wish to ask questions of a FOIA Officer, you may call the office of the Chatham Fire Department and/or Chatham Fire Protection District at (217) 483-2121.
3. Please tell us whether you would like copies of the requested records, or whether you wish to examine the records in person. You have the right to either option.
4. There is no fee for up to 50 pages of standard paper copies. For pages beyond 50, there is a .15-cent-per-page charge.
5. You are permitted to ask for a waiver of copying fees. To do so, please include the following statement (or similar statement) in your written FOIA request: “I request a waiver of all fees with this request.” In addition, you must include a specific explanation as to why your request for information is in the public interest-not simply your personal interest-and merits a fee waiver.
6. Please include your name, preferred telephone number(s), mailing address, and, if you wish, your electronic mail address.
Privacy Policy
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully. Chatham Fire Department is required by law to maintain the privacy of certain confidential health care information or PHI, and to provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI. Chatham Fire Department is also required to abide by the terms of version of this notice currently in effect.
Uses and Disclosures of PHI:
Chatham Fire Department may use PHI for the purpose of treatment, payment and heath care options, in most cases without your written permission. Examples of our use of your PHI:
For Treatment
This includes such things as obtaining verbal and written information about medical conditions and treatment from you as well as from others, such as doctors and nurses who give orders to allow us to provide treatment to you. We may give your PHI via radio or telephone to the hospital or dispatch center.
For Payment
This includes any activities we must undertake in order to get reimbursement for the services we provide to you, including such things as submitting bills to insurance companies, making medical necessity determinations and collecting outstanding accounts.
For Health Care Operations
This includes quality assurance activities, licensing, and training programs to ensure that our personnel meet our standards of care and follow established policies and procedures, as well as certain other management functions.
Reminders for Scheduled
Transports and Information on
Other Services
We may also contact you to provide you with a reminder for non-emergency ambulance and medical transportation, or to provide information about other services we provide.
Uses and Disclosure of PHI Without
Your Authorization
Chatham Fire Dept is permitted to use PHI without your written authorization or opportunity to object, in certain situations, and unless prohibited by a more stringent state law, including:
● For the treatment, payment, or health care provider who treats you;
● For health care and legal compliance activities;
● To a family member, other relative, close personal friend, or other individual involved in your care if we obtain your verbal agreement to do so or if we give you opportunity to object to such discloser, and you do not raise objection, and in certain other circumstances where we are unable to obtain your agreement and believe the disclosure is in your best interest,
● To a public health authority in certain situations as required by law (such as to report abuse, neglect, or domestic violence);
● For health oversight activities including audits of government Investigations, inspections, disciplinary proceedings and other administrative or judicial actions undertaken by the government (or their contractors) by law to oversee the health care system;
● For judicial and administrative proceedings as required by a court or administrative order, or in some cases in response to a subpoena or other legal process;
● For law enforcement activities In limited situations, such as when responding to a warrant; For military, national defense and security, and other special government functions;
● To avert a serious threat to health and safety of a person or public at large;
● For worker’s compensation purposes, and in compliance with worker’s compensation laws;
● To coroners, and medical examiners, and funeral directors for identifying cause of death or carrying on their duties as authorized by law,
● 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 donations and transplantation,
● For research projects, but this will be subject to strict oversight and approvals.
● We may also use or disclose health Information about you in a way that does not personally identify you or reveal who you are. Any other use or disclosure of PHI other than listed above will only be made with your written authorization. You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that we have already used or disclosed medical information in reliance on that authorization.
Patient Rights: As a patient, you have a number of rights with respect to your PHI including:The right to access, copy, or inspect your PHI. This means you may inspect and copy most of the medical information about you that we maintain. We will normally provide you with access to this information within 30 days of your request. We may also charge you a reasonable fee for you to copy any medical information that you have the right to access. In limited circumstances, we may deny you access to your medical information, and you may appeal certain types of denials. We have available forms to request access to your PHI and we will provide a written response if we deny you access and let you know your appeal rights. You also have the right to receive confidential communications of your PHI. If you wish to inspect and copy your medical information, you should contact your privacy officer.
The Right to Amend your PHI: You have the right to ask us to amend written medical information that we may have about you. We will generally amend your information within 60 days of your request and will notify you when we have amended the information. We are permitted by law to deny your request to amend your medical information only in certain circumstances, like when we believe the information you asked us to amend is correct. If you wish to request that we amend the medical information, then contact our privacy officer.
The Right to Request an Accounting:
You may request an accounting from us of certain disclosure of your medical information that we have made in the 6 years prior to the date of your request. We are not required to give you an accounting of the information we have used or disclosed for purpose of treatment, payment, or health care operations, or when we share your health information with our business associates, like our billing company or a medical facility from/to which we have transported you. We are also not required to give you an accounting of our uses of protected health information for which you have already given us authorization. If you wish to request an accounting, contact, in writing, our privacy officer.
The Right to Request that we Restrict the Uses and Disclosures of your PHI:
You have the right to request that we restrict how we use and disclose information that we may have about you. The Chatham Fire Dept is not required to agree to any restrictions you request. But any restrictions and to by the Chatham Fire Dept in writing are binding.
Internet, E-Mail, and Right to Obtain a Copy of Paper Notice on Request:
If we maintain a website, we will prominently post a copy of this notice on our website. If you allow us, we will forward you this notice by e-mail instead of on paper and you may request a paper copy of this notice.
Revisions of the Notice:
The Chatham Fire Dept reserves the right to change the terms of this notice at any time, and the changes will be effective immediately and will apply to all protected health information that we maintain. Any material change to the notice will be promptly posted in our facilities and posted on our website. You can get a copy of the latest version of this notice by contacting in writing, our privacy officer.
Your Legal Rights and Complaints:
You also have the right to complain to us, or to The Secretary of United States Department of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You will not be retaliated against in any way for filing a complaint with us or to the government. Should your have any questions, comments, or complaints you may direct all inquires, in writing to our privacy officer.
Chatham Fire Dept
#1 Fireman Square
Chatham, IL 62629
Telephone Number (217) 483-2121
Effective date of this notice: 7/13/05