Notice of Privacy

In response to growing concerns about keeping health information private, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The legislation includes a privacy rule that creates national standards to protect individuals' personal health information. Most health-care providers in the country were required to implement these standards by April 14, 2003.

UNC Health Lenoir has a long-standing, successful practice of protecting patients' privacy and maintaining confidentiality. We already have begun implementing additional methods to further protect patients' medical information in the electronic age and anticipate full compliance with HIPAA requirements. The HIPAA privacy rule will not significantly change the way UNC Health Lenoir currently protects your medical information.

Patients' privacy rights and UNC Health Lenoir's privacy practices are outlined in a document called the "Notice of Privacy Practices [PDF]." Patients are given a copy at registration on their first visit after April 14, 2003, and are asked to sign a form that acknowledges they have received the information. Once they have received the document and signed the acknowledgment form, they will not need to receive another copy - or sign another acknowledgment - unless Lenoir Memorial makes major changes in its privacy practices.

UNC Health Lenoir takes seriously its responsibility for protecting patients' medical information. Providing you with the "Notice of Privacy Practices" and having you sign the acknowledgment that you received a copy are part of UNC Health Lenoir's efforts to comply with the rules mandated by HIPAA. UNC Health Lenoir is participating in this effort along with most other health-care providers in the United States. Compliance with the HIPAA privacy rule is important to continuing our tradition of patient confidentiality.

For personal use, you may request a copy of your UNC Health Lenoir medical record by printing and completing this form. Once you have completed this form and had it notarized, you will need to submit it to the Health Information Services Department at:

UNC Health Lenoir
Health Information Services-ROI
100 Airport Rd PO Box 1678
Kinston, NC 28503-1678

If you have questions about completing this form, please call (252) 522-7185 for assistance.

To ensure you receive the best possible care, patient medical information is routinely exchanged between health care providers. This includes medical records sent to other hospitals, specialists, etc. There is no charge or patient authorization required for this process.

For personal use, you may request a copy of your UNC Health Lenoir medical record by printing and completing this form [PDF]. Once you have completed this form and had it notarized, you will need to submit it to the Health Information Services Department at:

UNC Health Lenoir
Health Information Services-ROI
100 Airport Rd PO Box 1678
Kinston, NC 28503-1678

If you have questions about completing this form [PDF], please call (252) 522-7185 for assistance.