Privacy Office

You have the right to view and obtain copies of your medical records and billing information.

You may also obtain immediate access to your information, such as most clinical notes and lab results, as soon as they are completed through our MyChart Application.

If you think something in your records is wrong or incomplete, you can ask for an amendment. Please contact us at [email protected].

You have the right to ask us to restrict or limit the information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We will consider your request, but we are not required to agree to it unless the request relates to a disclosure of information to your insurance provider and, prior to receiving the medical services to which the information relates, you paid for the services in full, out of pocket. Uses and disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations purposes are often necessary for providing quality patient care and ensuring efficient payment for health care. If you’d like to request a restriction on the use and disclosure of your information, please complete this form and return it to our office for consideration.

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information via alternative means (e.g., by email versus phone) or to alternative locations (e.g., to a PO Box versus a home address) to protect your privacy. If you’d like to make a request to receive communications from us via alternative means, please contact us to discuss at [email protected].

You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your medical information (“Accounting of Disclosures”). An Accounting of Disclosures is a record of certain times we may have shared your health information with others, without your authorization as permitted by law. You have the right to request this list to see when your information was disclosed, to whom, and for what purpose, excluding certain disclosures we are not required to log, such as those for treatment, payment, or operations. An Accounting of Disclosures is not an audit of access to your medical record. If you would like to request an Accounting of Disclosures or an access audit, please contact us at [email protected].

You have the right to opt out of marketing or fundraising communications from us. If you would like to opt out of these communications, please contact us at [email protected].

You have the right to notice of our privacy practices and how we use and disclose your information. You may request a copy of our Joint Notice of Privacy Practices from any of our locations. You may also access our Notice on this website. If you have any questions about the content of the Notice, please contact us at [email protected].

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. You can contact our department via the following methods:

By phone: 203-688-8416

By email: [email protected]

*Through our hotline: 1-888-688-7744 or through a web report

*As part of our commitment to compliance, this site is maintained by a third-party company for the purpose of gathering information regarding compliance and ethics concerns.

You also have a right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) permits patients to designate a ‘Patient Spokesperson’. A Patient Spokesperson is an adult family member or friend who is authorized by the patient to discuss their medical information with the patient’s healthcare team for the purposes of coordination of care or payment for care. For example, a patient may want their spouse or adult child to assist in billing questions, to book appointments on their behalf or to be apprised of their health status.

Completing and signing the Designation of Patient Spokesperson form does not give the spokesperson authority to make healthcare decisions for the patient or consent to services. Healthcare decisions may only be made by individuals who are legally authorized to do so under state law.

A Patient Spokesperson is often a family member or friend who is providing support to the patient or assisting in their care but cannot act on behalf of the patient. The Patient Spokesperson will often be present during discussions of treatment plans and may use that information to assist the patient with their care at home or with providing emotional support.

If you would like to designate a Patient Spokesperson you may do so by completing this form and returning it to our privacy office at [email protected].

While having a Patient Spokesperson on file is helpful, you do not need to name a Patient Spokesperson.

Regardless of whether you designate a Patient Spokesperson, we may still share information with family members or close personal friends involved in your care or payment for your care in limited circumstances. This may occur when you have given us permission to do so, when you are present and do not object (e.g., you bring a friend or family member into an exam room with you), or when you are not present or are unable to make a decision and we determine that sharing information is in your best interest (e.g., emergency situations).

If you would like to give someone access to your MyChart account to view your information do not share your log on credentials or password with them. These individuals can be provided ‘proxy’ access to your MyChart account. This permits the individual to use their own credentials when logging in. Once they have logged in under their own credentials, they will be able to access your account from their profile.

To add a family member or friend as a proxy to your MyChart account, please find helpful information on our MyChart Support Page.

We take all reported privacy concerns seriously. When you report a concern, a member of our privacy office will review the information and may contact you to gather additional details. We will conduct a thorough investigation, which may include review of relevant records, interviewing those involved, and working with various departments within the organization, such as Human Resources. If the concern is substantiated, appropriate corrective action will be taken in accordance with our policies and procedures.

At Yale New Haven Health, we are committed to protecting the privacy of your information. Our staff receives regular education on privacy, security, and their responsibilities in safeguarding our patients’ information. We proactively monitor access to patient medical records to help ensure information is only viewed by authorized individuals. If you have a concern and would like to have access to your medical record audited, you may place a request with the Office of Privacy and Corporate Compliance at [email protected]. A team member will follow up with you to obtain additional information about your concern and will work with you to review access for a reasonable timeframe.

If you have concerns about the privacy of your medical information, you can contact us to discuss what additional options may be available to you. One option is “Break the Glass”, which places an extra layer of security onto your medical record. When this option is applied, staff members must provide a specific reason before they can access your medical record, as well as enter their credentials. This access may be subject to additional auditing and monitoring. Because each patient’s privacy needs and preferences are unique, this additional safeguard is only placed upon request.

To opt out of being included in research studies, you may choose one of three ways.

1. Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
2. Call: 1-877-978-8343, option #3

3. Write: Office of Research Services
   Attn: Opt-Out Recruitment
   Yale School of Medicine
   PO Box 208054
   New Haven, CT 06520-8054

If you have concerns about the privacy of your information due to receiving these services, we encourage you to contact our privacy office. Our team is trained to review sensitive concerns and answer any questions you may have related to the privacy of this information.