We protect your privacy

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

It is our policy at Salem Health to keep your protected health information confidential.

Medical providers are required by law to maintain the privacy of your medical information. We are required to notify you of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your medical information and abide by those practices described in the  Joint Notice of Privacy Practices form that you receive upon admission.

With a few exceptions, patients who are admitted to the hospital will be listed in a directory that gives their location and a one-word description of their condition (serious, stable, etc). 

Patients admitted to the hospital may request to be listed as “strictly no information” (SNI) in the hospital directory, in which case staff will not acknowledge your presence in the hospital to visitors, guests or other requestors (such as the media). Certain patients are automatically granted SNI status, for example in cases where there is a safety risk.

During the admission process, the registrar will share a four-digit code (PIN) with you. You should give this number to anyone you want additional health information shared with (such as a family member). If someone calls the hospital requesting information about you, beyond location and condition, they will have to provide the PIN before being given more detailed information. Your PIN will be provided to you on a form similar to this:

To read our full privacy policy (English or Spanish), please go to our Notice of Privacy Practices page.

If you would like to review your medical records, visit our Health Information Management page for more information.