BloodCenter of Wisconsin Web Copyright, Linking and Privacy Policies

Plain Talk Statement
Read the entire statement to understand all of its nuances (there’s a lot of legal language).

In brief,

Copyright Policy
Linking Policy
Privacy Policy: Web Information
Privacy Policy: Medical Information Shared with BloodCenter of Wisconsin

Copyright Policy
Copyright 2004. BloodCenter of Wisconsin, 638 N. 18th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53201-2178 U.S.A. (414) 937-5000. All rights reserved.

The text, information, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics (collectively, the "Material") found on BloodCenter of Wisconsin's web site may be protected by copyright. Parties other than BloodCenter of Wisconsin may own copyright in the Material. The Material contained on the Web site of BloodCenter of Wisconsin may only be accessed for personal or educational purposes. You may not modify the Material or use the Material for any other purpose without the express written consent of BloodCenter of Wisconsin and any other copyright owner of the Material.

Without limiting the foregoing, all Material on this web site is provided "AS IS" WITHOUT A WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE, AND/OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. BloodCenter of Wisconsin assumes no responsibility, and shall not be liable for, any damages to, or viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other items of a destructive nature that may infect, your computer equipment or other property on account of your use of this web site or your downloading of any Material from the web site.

Any other questions regarding use of the Material from this website should be directed to webmaster@bcw.edu. BloodCenter of Wisconsin reserves the right to change this policy at any time.

Linking Policy
BloodCenter of Wisconsin's web site contains links to other Internet sites and resources. BloodCenter of Wisconsin makes no representations whatsoever about any other web site that you may access through this web site. BloodCenter of Wisconsin is not responsible for the availability of these outside resources or their contents, nor does it endorse, nor is it responsible for any of the contents, advertising, products or other materials on such sites.

It is up to you to take precautions to ensure that whatever you select for your use or download from such sites is free of such items as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other items of a destructive nature. If you decide to access any of the third party sites linked to this web site, you do this entirely at your own risk.

Under no circumstances shall BloodCenter of Wisconsin be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damages caused or alleged to have been caused by use of or reliance on any content, goods or services available on such sites, or as a result of use of any information you provide to such sites. Any concerns regarding any external link should be directed to its respective site administrator or webmaster.

BloodCenter of Wisconsin ordinarily does not prohibit links to its web site, provided that (1) any such link does not improperly connote an endorsement by or affiliation with BloodCenter of Wisconsin, (2) only links with our home page at www.bloodcenter.com (3) does not frame our web site or modify or alter the content or manner of display of our web site, and (4) any such link does not adversely impact BloodCenter of Wisconsin in any manner.

Our company name must appear as “BloodCenter of Wisconsin” at the first and most prominent use on any web site. Thereafter, you may refer to our company as “BloodCenter.” BloodCenter of Wisconsin may terminate the right to link to our site at any time, in its sole discretion, without liability or obligation to you of any kind. BloodCenter of Wisconsin has the right to inspect your web site from time-to-time to ensure compliance with the terms of this linking policy. In the event this right to link to our site is terminated, you will remove all references to BloodCenter of Wisconsin, including the link and any other references to BloodCenter of Wisconsin, within twenty-four (24) hours of written request by BloodCenter of Wisconsin.

Privacy Policy: Web Information
Your privacy is important to BloodCenter of Wisconsin. By using this web site you agree that this Privacy Policy is acceptable to you, and BloodCenter of Wisconsin is permitted to use your personal information as set forth below. We limit the collection and use of your personal information to what is necessary to administer our business or that are compatible with the purposes for which we originally requested it.

Any personally-identifying information collected by BloodCenter of Wisconsin is done so overtly, that is, information is specifically requested and it is the option of the web site visitor to provide or not provide that information. BloodCenter of Wisconsin does not share your personal information to unaffiliated businesses. However, to provide you with the appropriate level of service, we may share information with firms that assist us in providing our services or carrying out your account needs.

The personally identifiable information that you provide will not be willfully sold or rented, but may be used to develop content and functionality that helps us serve our customers' needs, to improve the service and products we provide, and other purposes. We reserve the right to sell or license aggregated information to third parties.

As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy other businesses or assets. In such transactions, customer information generally is one of the transferred business assets. Also, in the event that BloodCenter of Wisconsin, or substantially all of its assets is acquired, customer information will be one of the transferred assets. It is important to note that this Web site contains links to other sites that may not follow the same privacy policies. For instance, clicking on an outside link will take you to an entirely different site. These sites may collect and use data in ways BloodCenter of Wisconsin would not. BloodCenter of Wisconsin is not responsible for the privacy practices or any information or materials on these other sites. If you have any questions regarding our Privacy Policy, please contact BloodCenter of Wisconsin Customer Care at webmaster@bcw.edu or 414.933.5000.

Privacy Policy: Medical Information Shared with BloodCenter of Wisconsin
THE NOTICE BELOW DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes the type of information we gather about you, with whom that information may be shared and the safeguards we have in place to protect it. You have the right to the confidentiality of your protected health information and the right to approve or refuse the release of specific information except when the release is required by law. You also have rights in regard to access and control of your protected health information. "Protected Health Information" is information about you, including demographic information (for example, your name and address), that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.

Who Will Follow This Notice:

This notice describes BloodCenter of Wisconsin’s practices regarding the use of your protected health information and that of: 

• Any staff member authorized to enter information into your medical record.
• All departments and units of the donor locations, hospitals, or clinics you may visit.
• Any member of a volunteer group we allow to help you while you are in the donor locations, clinics, etc.
• All employees, staff and other personnel who may need access to your information.

All entities, sites and locations of BloodCenter of Wisconsin follow the terms of this notice. In addition, these entities, sites and locations may share protected health information with each other for treatment, payment or health care purposes described in this notice.

How Your PHI Will Be Used Without Your Permission. The following categories describe different ways that we may use and disclose protected health information. For each category of uses or disclosures we will try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed.

Routine Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations

Treatment. We may use protected health information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services (for example, blood donor services, therapeutic services, etc.) We may disclose protected health information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, training doctors, or other staff members who are involved in taking care of you. For example, a doctor treating you for an adverse donation reaction will need to know if you reported any medical conditions in your interview that would be helpful in treating you. In addition, the doctor may need to tell the person who will provide continuing care for you the details of your treatment for follow-up care. Different health care professionals also may share protected health information about you in order to coordinate the different things you need, such as prescriptions, lab work and x-rays. We also may disclose protected health information about you to people outside our organization who may be involved in your medical care or that provide services that are part of your care.

Payment. We may use and disclose protected health information about you so that the treatment and services you receive may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company or a third party. For example, your insurance may need to know about therapy you received so that they will pay us or reimburse you for the therapy. We may also use and disclose protected health information about you to obtain prior approval or to determine whether your insurance will cover the treatment.

Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose protected health information about you for health care purposes. This is necessary to make sure that all of our clients receive quality care. For example, we may use protected health information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, training doctors, medical students, and other personnel for review and learning purposes. We may remove information that identifies you from this set of protected health information so others may use it to study health care and health care delivery without learning who the specific patients are.

Other Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information BloodCenter of Wisconsin is Permitted or Required to Make Without Your Authorization

In general, we are required to obtain your specific written authorization to use or disclose your Protected Health Information for purposes unrelated to treatment, payment, or health care operations. However there are exceptions to this general rule under which we are permitted or required to make certain uses and disclosures of your Protected Health Information without authorization. These situations include:

As Required By Law. We will disclose protected health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law but only upon the written request of such an agency.

To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose protected health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure, however, would only be to someone able to help prevent the threat.

Appointments or Reminders. We may use and disclose protected health information to contact you for an appointment or as a reminder that you have an appointment for a blood donation, treatment or medical care.

Treatment Alternatives. We may use and disclose protected health information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you.

Health-Related Benefits and Services. We may use and disclose protected health information to tell you about health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.

Donor Referral List or Recruitment List. We may include certain limited information about you in the Donor Deferral List or Recruitment List while you are a donor or client with our organization. This information may include your name, location, your general condition, health history or deferral status.

Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. We may release protected health information about you to a friend or family member who is involved in your medical care. We may also give information to someone who helps pay for your care. We may also tell your family or friends your condition and that you are in the hospital or specific blood donor location. In addition, we may disclose protected health information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that your family can be notified about your condition, status and location.

Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose protected health information about you for research purposes. For example, a research project may involve comparing the health and recovery of all patients who received one medication to those who received another, for the same condition. All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process. This process evaluates a proposed research project and its use of protected health information, trying to balance the research needs with patients' need for privacy of their protected health information. Before we use or disclose protected health information for research, the project will have been approved through this research approval process, but we may, however, disclose protected health information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project, for example, to help them look for donors or patients with specific medical needs, so long as the protected health information they review does not leave the hospital or research laboratory. We will almost always ask for your specific permission if the researcher will have access to your name, address or other information that reveals who you are, or will be involved in your care.

Fundraising Activities. We may use protected health information about you in an effort to raise money for BloodCenter of Wisconsin and its operations. BloodCenter of Wisconsin has established a research foundation that supports Blood Center of Wisconsin research programs through fundraising activities. We only would release contact information, such as your name, address and phone number. If you do not want BloodCenter of Wisconsin to contact you for fundraising efforts, you must notify our Privacy Officer in writing at the address above.

Special Situations

Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ donor, we may release protected health information to organizations that handle organ procurement or organ, eye or tissue transplantation or to an organ donation bank, as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.

Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release protected health information about you as required by military command authorities only upon the written request of a Federal or State government agency legally authorized to receive such material.

Workers' Compensation. We may release protected health information about you for workers' compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

Public Health Risks. We may disclose protected health information about you without your informed consent to a public health authority or other government agency for public health activities only upon the written request of such an authority or agency. These activities generally include the following:

• to prevent or control disease, injury or disability;
• to report deaths;
• to report reactions to medications or problems with products;
• to notify people of recalls of products they may be using;
• to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition;
• to notify the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.

Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose protected health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law only upon the written request of such an agency. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.

Lawsuits and Disputes. We may disclose protected health information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful order from a court.

Law Enforcement. We may release protected health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official as part of law enforcement activities; in investigations of criminal conduct or of victims of crime; in response to court orders; in emergency circumstances; or when required to do so by law.

Protective Services for the President, National Security and Intelligence Activities. We may release protected health information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or conduct special investigations, or for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.

Abuse or Neglect. If you have been a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, we may disclose your Protected Health Information to the government agency authorized to receive such information.

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose Protected Health Information in response to a court or agency order, and in some cases, in response too a subpoena or other lawful process not accompanied by a court order.

Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors. We may disclose Protected Health Information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director if it is needed to carry out their duties.

Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release protected health information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official. This release would be necessary (1) for the institution to provide you with health care; (2) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others; or (3) for the safety and security of the correctional institution.

Your rights regarding protected health information we maintain about you:

Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and copy protected health information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes.

To inspect and copy protected health information that may be used to make decisions about you, you must submit your request in writing to our Privacy Officer at the address above. If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request. We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited circumstances. If you are denied access to protected health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed. Another licensed health care professional chosen by BloodCenter of Wisconsin will review your request and the denial. The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied your request. We will comply with the outcome of the review.

Right to Amend. If you feel that protected health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept.

To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to our Privacy Officer. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request. We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that: 

• Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
• Is not part of the protected health information kept by BloodCenter of Wisconsin;
• Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
• Is accurate and complete.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request an "accounting of disclosures." This is a list of the disclosures we made of protected health information about you. Disclosures that do not have to be tracked are those that are made directly to you, authorized disclosures (per your signed authorization), limited data set disclosures (where you cannot be identified), and incidental disclosures. These are all exceptions to this accounting of disclosures. To request this list or accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to our Privacy Officer. Your request must state a time period that may not be longer than six years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. Your request should indicate in what form you want the list (for example, on paper, electronically, etc.). The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free. For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list. We will notify you of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time before any costs are incurred. 

Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the protected health information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the protected health information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member or friend.

We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment. To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to our Privacy Officer at the address above. In your request, you must tell us (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply.

Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail. To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to our Privacy Officer. We will not ask you the reason for your request. We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice. To obtain a paper copy of this notice, please request one in writing from our Privacy Officer at the address above.

Other Uses of Medical Information: Other uses and disclosures of protected health information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose protected health information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your permission, thereafter we will no longer use or disclose protected health information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization. You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission, and that we are required to retain our records of the care that we provided to you.

Complaints: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with BloodCenter of Wisconsin or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with BloodCenter of Wisconsin, contact our Privacy Officer at the address and phone number below. All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

Changes To This Notice: We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for protected health information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current notice. The notice will contain on the first page, in the top right-hand corner, the effective date.

Our Pledge Regarding Protected Health Information:

We understand that protected health information about you and your health is personal. Protecting this information about you is important. We create a record of the care and services you receive. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care (or donations) generated by BloodCenter of Wisconsin, whether made by health care professionals or other personnel.

This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose protected health information about you. We also describe your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of protected health information.

We are required by law to: 

• Keep your protected health information private;
• Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information about you; and follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

If the practices described in this brochure do not present concerns for you, there is nothing you need to do. If you prefer that we not share information, we may honor your written request in certain situations described below. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact our Privacy Officer at the following address:

BloodCenter of Wisconsin

638 N. 18th Street

Milwaukee, WI 53233

(414) 933-5000