Health Information Privacy

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.

Notice of Privacy Practices (PDF)
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UC Davis Health

UC Davis Health is one of the health care components of the University of California. The University of California health care components consist of the UC medical centers, the UC medical groups, clinics and physician offices, the UC schools of medicine and other UC health professional schools. The administrative and operational units supporting the provision of care at all locations listed are also health care components of the University of California.

This notice applies to information and records regarding the health care services you receive from the UC Davis Health.

Our pledge regarding your health information

UC Davis Health is committed to protecting the privacy of your medical and health information. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information.  We will follow the legal duties and privacy practices described in this notice ("Notice").

Your rights regarding your health information

You have the following rights regarding the Health Information we maintain about you:

Right to See and Copy. You have the right to see or get a copy of your health information, with certain exceptions. If we have the information in electronic format, you have the right to obtain your health information in an electronic format if possible. If not, we will work with you to find a way for you to receive the information electronically or as a paper copy.

Your request must be made in writing and submitted through any one of the following ways:

Email: hs-roi@ucdavis.edu
Fax: (916) 734-2126

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

The form to make this request is available at UC Davis Health and can be found online at: https://health.ucdavis.edu/him.

If you request a copy of the information, there may be a reasonable, cost-based fee for these services. You may also request that a copy of your health information be released to a third party that you choose.

Right to Ask for a Correction. If you feel that your health information is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to change or add more information to complete your record.

Your request must be made in writing and submitted through either of the following ways:

Email: hs-roi@ucdavis.edu

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

The form to make this request can be found at UC Davis Health and online at: https://health.ucdavis.edu/him.

We may say "no" to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing. 

Right to Know How We Have Shared Your Health Information. You have the right to request a list (accounting) of the times UC Davis Health has shared your health information with others, such as to government agencies.  The list will not include any disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, or any disclosure you asked us to make. The request may be for a period covering up to six years before the date you ask for the list.

Your request must be made in writing and submitted to:

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

The form to make this request can be found at UC Davis Health and online at: https://health.ucdavis.edu/him.

If you request an accounting more than once during a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Right to Ask for Restrictions. You have the right to ask us to limit how we use and share certain health information for treatment, payment or health care operations.  If you pay for a service or healthcare item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for purposes of payment or our operations.

Your request must be made in writing and submitted to:

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

The form to make this request can be found at UC Davis Health and online at: https://health.ucdavis.edu/him.

Right to Ask for Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you may ask that we contact you only at home or only by mail.  You must make your request in writing to:

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

We will agree to all reasonable requests.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically.

Copies of this Notice are available throughout UC Davis Health, or you may obtain a copy at our website: https://health.ucdavis.edu/him.

Right to be Notified of a Breach. You have the right to be notified if we discover a breach that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

May use and disclose your health information

We typically use and disclose your health information in the following ways.

For Treatment.  We use your health information to provide you with treatment or services. We disclose your health information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical and health science students, or other health system personnel involved in your care. We may also share your health information with other non-UC Davis Health providers for care or treatment.  For example, we may share your health information if you are being referred to another provider at a non-UC Davis Health institution.

For Payment. We use and share your health information to bill or get payment from health plans or other entities. For example, we give information to your health plan so it will pay us for your services.

For Health Care Operations. We use and share your health information to manage this is the operations section your treatment and services, run our business and teaching institution operations, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. For example, your health information may be used to review the quality and safety of our services, or for business planning, management and administrative services. We may also share your health information with an outside company performing services for us such as accreditation, legal, or auditing services. These companies are required by law to keep your health information confidential.

Other Ways We Share Your Health Information

We are permitted or required by law to share your health information in other ways – usually in ways that help the public, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these reasons.

Hospital Directory. If you are hospitalized, we may include certain information about you in the hospital directory. This is so your family, friends, and clergy can visit you in the hospital and generally know how you are doing. You have the right to object to the release of directory information.

Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. We may share health information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.

Health Information Exchanges. UC Davis Health may participate in one or more health information exchanges (HIE), where we may share your health information, as allowed by law, to other health care providers or entities for coordination of your care. This allows health care providers at different facilities participating in your treatment to have the information needed to treat you.  

If you do not want UC Davis Health to share your information in an HIE, you can opt out by completing an opt-out form found at https://health.ucdavis.edu/him:

Email: hs-roi@ucdavis.edu
Fax: (916) 734-2126

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

UC Davis Health will agree with your opt-out request as needed to comply with the laws that apply to us. Opting out stops UC Davis Health from sharing your information with other health care providers through the HIE; it does not stop other health care providers from sharing your information with UC Davis Health, and it does not stop a health care provider that already received your information from keeping it. To stop other health care providers from sharing your information with UC Davis Health, you must contact those providers directly. If you opt out, you can choose to resume participation by submitting a written request to:

Email: hs-roi@ucdavis.edu
Fax: (916) 734-2126

Post Office Mail:
Health Information Management
2315 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817

Research. UC Davis Health is a research institution.  Researchers may contact you about your interest in participating in certain research studies and, in certain circumstances, may use or share your information for research without obtaining your authorization. This may occur when the research has gone through a special review process to protect patient confidentiality.

Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ donor, we may share your health information with organ procurement organizations.  

Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. We may share medical information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine cause of death.

Disaster Relief Efforts. We may share your health information to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that others can be notified about your condition, status, and location.

Fundraising Activities. We may use information you provided us to contact you about fundraising programs and events. You can opt-out of receiving fundraising information for UC Davis Health by:

Telephone: 916-734-9400

Post Office Mailing:
Health Sciences Development
4900 Broadway, Suite 1150 
Sacramento, CA 95820

Healthcare Information and Appointment Reminders. We may contact you to remind you that you have an appointment at UC Davis Health. We may also contact you about alternative treatment options for you or about other benefits or services we provide.

As Required By Law. We will disclose your health information when required to do so by federal or state law. For example, we may share your health information with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions. We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena. 

Military and Veterans. If you are or were a member of the armed forces, we may release your health information to military authorities as allowed or required by law.      

Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of law enforcement officials, we may release your health information to the correctional institution as authorized or required by law.

Workers' Compensation. We may use or share your health information for Workers' Compensation or similar programs as authorized or required by law. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

Public Health and Safety. We may disclose your health information for certain situations such as:  

• preventing or controlling disease (such as cancer and tuberculosis), injury, or disability;
• reporting vital events such as births and deaths;
• reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence;
• preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety;
• reporting adverse events or surveillance related to food, medications, or defects or problems with products;
• notifying people of recalls, repairs, or replacements of products they may be using; 
• notifying a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition;
• providing limited information to your employer for legally required reporting of an employee’s serious injury or death that occurs in the workplace;
• providing limited information to your employer for legally required reporting related to medical surveillance of the workplace or work-related illness or injury, including infectious disease prevention and control.

Health Oversight Activities. We may share your health information with governmental, licensing, auditing, and other agencies as authorized or required by law.

Law Enforcement. As allowed or required by law, when certain conditions are met, we may release your health information to law enforcement.

National Security and Intelligence Activities. As required by law, we may share your health information for special government functions such as national security and presidential protective services.

Marketing or Sale of Health information. Most uses and sharing of your health information for marketing purposes or any sale of your health Information are strictly limited and require your written authorization.

Other Uses and Disclosures of Health Information. Other ways we share and use your health information not covered by this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. If you authorize us to use or disclose your health information, you may cancel that authorization, in writing, at any time. However, the cancellation will not apply to information we have already used and disclosed based on the earlier authorization.

Special laws apply to certain kinds of health information considered particularly private or sensitive to a patient. This sensitive information includes psychotherapy notes, sexually transmitted diseases, drug and alcohol abuse treatment records, mental health records, and HIV/AIDS information. When required by law, we will not share this type of information without your written permission. In certain circumstances, a minor’s health information may receive additional protections.

Changes to UC Davis Health's Privacy Practices and this notice

We may change the terms of this Notice at any time, and the changes will apply to all health information we have about you. The current Notice will be available upon request at our locations, and on our website.

Organized Healthcare Arrangements. UC Davis Health participates in an Organized Healthcare Arrangement (OHCA) with other healthcare providers. Within the OHCA, member organizations may share your health information for treatment, payment or operations related to the OHCA. 

Questions or complaints

If you have any questions or concerns about this Notice, please contact the UC Davis Health Privacy Program, Compliance and Privacy Services Department at (916) 734-8808. If you feel your rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with UC Davis Health:

Compliance Hotline: (877) 384-4272

Post Office Mail:
UC Davis Health 
Compliance and Privacy Services Department
2315 Stockton Blvd
Sherman Way Bldg., Suite 3100
Sacramento, CA, 95817 

You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Effective Date:  April 1, 2023

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Notice of Privacy Practices – Other Languages

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The 1977 California Information Practices Act requires UC Davis to provide the following information to individuals asked to supply information about themselves:

UC Davis Health is requesting this information to maintain accurate donor files in the Office of Health Sciences Development. Furnishing the information is strictly voluntary. All information will be kept confidential. The information may be used by other university departments in the regular course of business but will not be disseminated to others except if required by law. You have the right to review your own data file. Inquiries should be forwarded to the Director of Health Sciences Development, UC Davis Health, 4301 X St., Sacramento, CA 95817.

Donor's consent

UC Davis Health is grateful for the support it receives from donors. One of the ways our thanks is expressed is through listing the names of donors in various publications. Should you wish that your name not appear as a donor, please notify us if you have not already done so.

Information collected

UC Davis Health's websites may collect personal information such as name, address, email address, telephone number(s), and/or educational interests. Such personal information may be requested for research, public service or teaching programs, or for administrative purposes. Additional personal information, such as credit card account information, may be requested for purchases, donations or enrollment purposes. UC Davis Health identifies your Internet Protocol (IP) address when you visit a UC Davis Health website. UC Davis Health may also collect website usage statistics by IP address.

Use of information

UC Davis Health uses website-collected personal information for the purpose of future communication back to you. Examples of this use include health system-affiliated hosting organizations that need to keep Web enrollees informed of campus programs, symposia and/or special events.

UC Davis Health may use browser IP address information and anonymous browser history for reporting aggregate website accesses and for profiling purposes. This information is generally used to improve Web presentation and utilization. The health system also may use IP addresses for troubleshooting purposes. Some UC Davis Health websites may use "cookies." Cookies are used for delivering Web content specific to users' interests and to keep track of online purchasing transactions. Sensitive personal information is not stored within cookies.

Distribution of information

UC Davis Health will not disclose personal information or IP addresses to other parties, unless required by law. UC Davis Health will not sell personal information to third-party organizations such as telemarketers or direct mailers.

Individual choice

Individuals have the option to decline any online enrollment and may submit requests to use other enrollment methods by email or U.S. mail addressed to the UC Davis Health organization seeking the personal information. Users may review, modify or delete their previously provided personal information by contacting the UC Davis Health organization to which they provided the personal information. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the website.

Our commitment to data security

UC Davis Health takes reasonable steps to protect the security, integrity and privacy of information submitted to the health system via websites. Nonetheless, Web users should be aware of the difficulty of maintaining data confidentiality over the public Internet. UC Davis Health encourages producers of its websites, when seeking personal information, to use the industry standard security protocol known as Secured Sockets Layer (SSL). We strongly recommend that you use a Web browser capable of supporting SSL. The latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome, for example, support SSL and also avoid known browser security vulnerabilities.

While using a UC Davis Health website, you may encounter hypertext links to the Web pages of organizations not directly affiliated with UC Davis. UC Davis does not control the content or information practices of external organizations. We recommend you review the privacy statements of these organizations.

Individual privacy rights and public disclosure of information

In the state of California, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records. These exceptions serve various needs including maintaining the privacy of individuals. Both state and federal laws provide such exceptions to public access rights.

UC Davis Health respects both the right of public access to information and the right of privacy of individuals. All information collected at this site becomes public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists. If any type of personal information is requested on the website or volunteered by the user, state law, including the Information Practices Act of 1977, and the California Public Records Act, and federal law, including the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, may protect it from disclosure to third parties.

In the event of a conflict between this privacy statement and the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other applicable law will control.

Health-care information privacy

UC Davis Health is committed to protecting medical information about you. We create a record of the care and services you receive at UC Davis Health for use in your care and treatment.

We are required by law to:

• make sure that your medical information is protected;
• give you a notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you; and
• follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

For more information on our privacy polices regarding health care information, please visit UC Davis Health's Compliance Program website.

Personal information

"Personal information" is information about a natural person that identifies or describes an individual, including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, and medical or employment history, readily identifiable to that specific individual. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information, however. It is considered "electronically collected personal information."

According to the California Government Code § 11015.5., "electronically collected personal information" means any information that is maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual user, including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, medical or employment history, password, electronic mail address, and information that reveals any network location or identity, but excludes any information manually submitted to a state agency by a user, whether electronically or in written form, and information on or relating to individuals who are users, serving in a business capacity, including, but not limited to, business owners, officers, or principals of that business.

Electronically collected personal information that is automatically collected by websites administered by UC Davis Health includes your domain name or Internet Protocol address, and statistical information about which Web pages you visit. If you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for specific information (e.g., completing a request for assistance, personalizing the content of the website, sending an email, or participating in a survey) more detailed data will be collected. For further information regarding this privacy statement or our websites, please contact us at the address below:

UC Davis Health
4301 X St.
Sacramento, CA 95817

HS-Webmaster@ucdavis.edu

Links within UC Davis Health websites to commercial and external websites do not represent endorsement by the University of California or its affiliates.

Copyright© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.