Advocate Health Care has always supported and recognized our patients' right to expect that their medical records and other information about their care will be kept confidential. For the past two years Advocate Health Care has been preparing to implement policies and procedures to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Regulations.

What is HIPAA?

The HIPAA privacy regulations give patients more control over their health information and also set boundaries on the use and release of patient information. The regulations also establish appropriate safeguards that all health care providers must achieve to protect the privacy of health information.

What does HIPAA mean to patients?

One of the provisions of the HIPAA privacy regulations is that all health care providers distribute a "Notice of Privacy Practices" to patients. Advocate Health Care patients will begin receiving our Notice on September 1, 2010. All patients will be given a Notice when they register for patient services at any of Advocate Health Care facilities. Patients are not required to read the Notice, but are being asked to sign an acknowledgement that they received the Notice, as is required by the privacy regulations.

Notice of Privacy Practices