Confidentiality and Patient Rights

All visits to the SJSU Student Wellness Center are confidential, as the university complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Patient records are kept confidential and will not be released without written consent.

The entire SJSU Student Wellness Center team is dedicated to providing confidential services with constant attention to the following:

Patient Bill of Rights

To be treated with respect, consideration and dignity.
To be given privacy during discussion, check in, evaluation, and treatment.
To access interpretation services.
To be provided information concerning your diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and progress or if it is medically advisable, to have the information provided to a person designated by you or to a legally authorized person.
To have the opportunity to participate in decisions involving your care unless it is contraindicated for medical reasons.
To access your records. Some records related to your care are directly available via the SWC Patient Portal and you are able to request further records.
To voice any comments, feedback, or grievances through the feedback link on our contact us page.
To change providers, if other providers are available.
To be informed of the Student Wellness Center's policies regarding your rights and responsibilities and availability of service.
To refuse treatment at any time.
To refuse to participate in research.
To learn more information on consumer protections from the Medical Board of California visit www.mbc.ca.gov and/or Board of Psychology at www.psychology.ca.gov and the Board of Behavioral Sciences at www.bbs.ca.gov

Patient Responsibilities

To present accurate identifying information.
To arrive on time for appointments and to cancel appointments ahead of time so that other patients may utilize that time.
To ask for clarification whenever information or instructions are not understood.
To know the name of your health care professional.
To provide complete and accurate information to the best of your ability about your health, any medications taken, including over-the-counter products and dietary supplements, and any allergies or sensitivities.
To follow the agreed-upon treatment plan prescribed by your provider and participate in your care.
To provide, if possible, a responsible adult to transport you from the Student Wellness Center and remain with you as directed by the provider.
To pay for services received.
To behave respectfully towards all health care professionals and staff, as well as other patients and visitors and in conformity with San José State University's Student Code of Conduct [pdf]. (Behavior not consistent with the Student Code of Conduct can result in referral to other university offices.)
Safeguard your data by ensuring you are not providing others access to your One.SJSU.edu username/password, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) [Duo], which gives access to the SWC Patient Portal.
Update your contact information when it changes.
To bring a picture I.D. to every visit.

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how your client information/records information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

The San José State University Student Wellness Center (SWC) is committed to preserving the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI). California and Federal laws and regulations require the SWC to safeguard the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). PHI is any information in the medical record or that can be used to identify an individual and that was created, used, or disclosed in the course of providing a health care service.

A) How the Student Wellness Center May Use or Disclose Your Health Information
- The law permits the SWC to use or disclose your health information without your explicit consent or authorization for the following purposes:
  
  1) medical treatment
  
  2) billing/payment
  
  3) health care operations
  
  4) appointment reminders
  
  5) notification and communication with persons involved in your care
  
  6) required by law
  
  7) research
  
  8) change in ownership
B) When This Medical Practice May Not Use or Disclose Your Health Information
- Except as described in section A, the SWC will not use or disclose health information which identifies you without your written authorization. You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time. The SWC posts an administrative hold to your MySJSU account if you have any outstanding health care fees.
C) You have the following rights to your health information
- 1) right to request special privacy protections
  
  2) right to request confidential communications
  
  3) right to inspect and copy
  
  4) right to amend or supplement
  
  5) right to an accounting of disclosures
  
  6) right to a paper copy of this Notice
D) Changes to this Notice
- The San José State University Student Wellness Center reserves the right to change its privacy practices. Copies of the detailed Notice are available upon request.
E) Questions or Complaints
- If you have any questions regarding the Notice of Privacy Practices or wish to receive additional information about this medical practice's privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer:
  
  CSU HIPAA Privacy Official, Beth Ryan
  
  CSU Office of the Chancellor, Human Resources Management
  
  401 Golden Shore, Long Beach, CA 90802
  
  Phone: (565) 951-4414 or (562) 951-4411
  
  Fax: (562) 951-4695
  
  E-mail: bryan@calstate.edu

Privacy Practices and Open Payments Data

The Notice of Privacy Practices and Open Payments Database describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. This notice also includes information pertaining to the Open Payments Database.

For informational purposes only, visit the federal Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.

Limits of Confidentiality

California law places some limits on confidentiality:

If you tell your provider you were abused as a child, and you are under 18 years of age at the time you tell your provider, they must report the abuse to a county Child Protective Services agency.
If you are over 18 when you tell the provider, but there is a child currently at risk by the same abuser, then the provider may be required to make a report to a county agency.
If you tell your provider about being sexually assaulted, the provider is not required to make a report unless you are under 18 at the time you tell the provider.
If you tell your provider about elder or dependent adult abuse, the provider may be required to make a report.
If you pose a danger to yourself, the provider may be legally obligated to take whatever actions necessary to protect you from harm.
If you tell your provider that you intend to do imminent harm to a specific person(s), your provider is required by law to inform the authorities, intended victim(s) and take additional action if necessary.
If a court of law orders a provider to release information, that person is bound by law to comply with such an order.