HIPAA PRIVACY PRACTICE
HIPAA PRIVACY PRACTICES
Our Privacy Promise to You
The Southwest Utah Public Health Department (SWUPHD) understands that your medical and health information is personal. Protecting your health information is important. We follow strict federal and state laws that require us to maintain the confidentiality of your health information.
How We Use Your Health Information
When you receive care from SWUPHD, we may use your health information for treatment, payment, and health care operations.
Treatment – We keep records of health care and related services we provide to you, including immunization history and other care documentation.
Payment – We maintain billing records and may use your information to obtain payment from you, your insurance company, or other third parties. We may also verify coverage or obtain authorization for services.
Health Care Operations – We use health information to improve care, train staff, manage costs, conduct operations, and plan services for the community.
Other Services We Provide
We may also use your health information to:
- Recommend treatment alternatives
- Provide information about health services and products that may benefit you
- Share information with business associates who assist with health care operations and are required to protect your information
- Notify immediate family members and authorized personal representative(s) about certain health information that (in our professional judgment pertains to your best interests) is necessary for them to know and relevant to their involvement in your care (or at your option – respond to your request that we do not give such notifications)
- Send appointment reminders unless you request otherwise
- Contact you for fundraising purposes unless you opt out
More Privacy Rights Information
For more information about your privacy rights or to obtain request forms, contact the Office of the Privacy Officer using the contact information provided below.
Sharing Your Health Information
There are limited situations when we are permitted or required to disclose health information about you without your signed authorization. These situations are:
- Public health reporting (disease tracking, births, deaths, and adverse events)
- Abuse, neglect, or domestic violence reporting as required by law
- Health oversight activities such as audits and investigations
- Court orders, lawsuits, or legal proceedings
- Law enforcement requests as required by law
- Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors
- Organ and tissue donation
- Approved research under strict federal guidelines
- Threat prevention to public health and safety
- Workers’ compensation or similar programs
- Special government functions, such as national security
All other uses/disclosures, not described in this Notice, require a signed authorization from you. You may revoke (in writing) such authorization at any time (to the extent it has not been acted upon). If you would like to authorize us to act on a particular health information need that you have, please obtain/complete a copy of our release of information consent form.
Our Privacy Responsibilities
SWUPHD is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information, provide this Notice, and follow the terms currently in effect. We may update this Notice at any time, and changes will apply to all information we maintain.
Your Individual Privacy Rights
You have the right to:
- Request restrictions on how your information is used or shared
- Request confidential communication methods or locations
- Inspect and copy your health and billing records (fees may apply)
- Request corrections to your health information to ensure accuracy
- Request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information, excluding treatment, payment, and health care operations, and legally required disclosures limited to six years before your request, excluding dates before April 14, 2003, free for the first request and subject to a fee for additional requests within 12 months
- Request a paper copy of this Notice
Our Organization
This Notice applies to all SWUPHD locations, employees, and volunteers. Some affiliated providers or business associates may follow different privacy practices.
Contact Us About Your Privacy Rights
Privacy Officer
Southwest Utah Public Health Department
620 South 400 East, Suite 400
Saint George, Utah 84770
Phone: (435) 673-3528
Fax: (435) 628-6425
Complaints may also be filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. SWUPHD will not retaliate against anyone for filing a complaint.
This HIPAA Privacy Practices effective date is April 14, 2003.
Last reviewed: 4/2/2026