INCLEMENT WEATHER: PATIENT INFORMATION

In the event of inclement weather, occasionally True North will close early, or may not open at all, for the protection of patients, staff and practitioners. When this happens, patients who have appointments scheduled during this time are notified by telephone.

In the rare instance where True North loses power and phone service due to inclement weather, patients may not be able to contact the center. If you are a patient and have a medical emergency, please call 911 or go directly to the nearest emergency room. For non-emergency matters patients can reach the True North doctor on call by calling our answering service: 207.829.4985.

TRUE NORTH GENERAL POLICIES

Payment is expected at time of service by cash, check or credit card.  True North does not accept third party insurances but we will be happy to assist you in completing the necessary paperwork in order for you to receive reimbursement for covered services from your insurance company.  We offer several annual membership packages, as well.

As a non-profit organization, we are committed to giving back to the community.  We are aware that some of you may need our services but have limited financial resources, and we have developed a variety of creative solutions to help you.  Please let us know if you would like information about them.

TRUE NORTH NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

I. Introduction

This Notice describes how True North may use and disclose medical information about you and how you may access this information.  We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal, and we are committed to protecting your medical information. 

Personal medical information is usually referred to as “Protected Health Information” or “PHI”.  PHI includes individually identifiable information about your past, present or future health or condition; demographic information (such as your name, address, telephone number and family); and information about the medical services provided to you, including payment, if such information may be used to identify you.

II. Uses and Disclosures of PHI with your Written Consent

When you begin receiving care from us, we ask that you (or your legally authorized representative) sign the True North Consent for Treatment form.  This written consent  permits us to release information about you in order to provide treatment (for example, sending information about you to another practitioner to whom you have asked to be referred); obtain payment (for example, to send information about you to your insurance company in order for them to reimburse you for TN or outside laboratory services); and conduct activities necessary for the legitimate operations of our business (for example, quality assessment activities).

III. Uses and Disclosures of PHI with your Authorization

In addition to using your signature on the True North Consent to Treatment form for treatment, payment or operations, we may use PHI for other reasons in the following two circumstances:

• If we have a specific authorization signed by you or your legally authorized representative or

• If one of the situations described in Section IV., below, arises.

IV. Uses and Disclosures of PHI without your Consent or Authorization

In some circumstances, we may use or disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization.  State and federal privacy law permit or require such use or disclosure in the following instances:

• You require emergency treatment.

• We cannot obtain your consent because you are incapacitated and a True North practitioner, using his or her professional judgment, believes you would consent if you could.

• We are required to report cases of suspected abuse and/or neglect of children and incapacitated adults.

• We are required to report certain diseases to the Public Health Authorities so that they may prevent or control the spread of disease.

• We are required to report information about products you may have used to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

• We are required to inform the authorities if we believe you represent a threat to the safety of someone in the community or to yourself.

• We may be required to provide information about you in response to an investigative subpoena or court order (including to certain law enforcement officials).

• We are required to report information to the coroner or medical examiner if requested. 

• We are required to provide information to the State as needed to facilitate the process of organ donation.

• We may permit access to information about you to medical residents, medical students or other allied health students who are working with a True North practitioner.

• We may permit access to information about you to students and others who are conducting research activities, when the research protocols have been reviewed and approved by the True North Decision Circle and where the researchers have a protocol to ensure the privacy of your PHI.

• We must disclose your PHI to you upon request and to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine compliance with privacy laws.

V. Other Uses of PHI

We may send you mailings from time to time with information about True North programs and services, or for fund raising purposes. You have the right to opt out of receiving these mailings by providing written notice to our Privacy Officer (see below). 

VI. Your Rights

• You may request access to your PHI for supervised review, or to receive a copy of your records for a reasonable charge.  Please make your request in writing to our Privacy Officer.  We will respond as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days from the date of your request.

• You have the right to request that we not use or disclose any part of your PHI unless it is a use or disclosure required by law.  Please advise our Privacy Office, in writing, of the specific PHI you wish restricted and the individual(s) who should not receive the PHI.

• You may request that we amend your records.  We will comply with your written request, or respond in writing why we do not feel the amendment is appropriate. You have the right in either case to add your own addendum to the record.  A copy of this addendum, along with a record of any disagreement pertaining to this addendum, will become part of your medical record and will be released whenever we release copies of your records, if you so choose.

• We will accommodate to the extent that we can any written request that asks us to communicate with you by a specific means of communication or at a different address.

• You may request a list of recipients of your PHI released for purposes other than   treatment, payment or operations.  You are entitled to one free “accounting” per 12 month period.  A charge of $20 will be made for additional requests.  Requests should be made in writing to our Privacy Officer.

• Upon request, you may receive a copy of this notice.

• Except where our disclosure is required by law, we will do our best to honor any requests you make for us to restrict the use of your information.

• If you desire further information about your privacy rights or our privacy practices, or are concerned that we are not complying with our legal obligation to protect your PHI, you may contact our Privacy Officer.  You may also file a written complaint with the Director, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Upon request, we will provide you with the address.

VII. Duration of Notice

This notice goes into effect on April 14, 2003.  We will ask you to sign a written acknowledgment of receipt of this Notice.  We may periodically amend this Notice and you may obtain an updated Notice from our Privacy Office at any time.  If we make a significant change in our policies, we will change our Notice and post notification at our Front Desk.

VIII. Privacy Office

You may contact the Privacy Office at:

Privacy Office
True North
202 U.S. Route One
Falmouth, Maine 04105
(207) 781-4488

DISCLAIMERS

General Disclaimer
Information provided on the True North Web site is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information on this web site or the information on links from this site to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare practitioner. True North advises you to always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioner prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Web Links Disclaimer
The information on this website does not create practitioner-patient relationship and is not intended to constitute medical treatment or consultation. The information and links on this site are intended to provide general education on the topics listed, but may not include all details and references that may be relevant to any specific medical condition. Official sources of medical information should be checked before relying on the references on this website.

We try to maintain this website with accurate and timely information and links. However, changes or inaccuracies may occur within this site, or on sites or pages that are linked to this site. While we try to maintain appropriate security measures, we are not responsible for any viruses that may be transmitted through this site.

The content and links on this site may be changed at any time without notice. The links to other websites provided here are intended as a service to website users, but do not constitute an endorsement of those sites or verification of the accuracy or currency of those links. Any link on this site will be removed upon request from the linked entity.

Please email us if you find any flawed links at this Web site.