Our Core Policy Regarding the Protection of Personal Information
As a regional flagship hospital providing emergency medical services, the Center works hard every day to deliver a high standard of medical care and top-quality medical services. As part of this effort, we have, in accord with the applicable laws and regulations, implemented a “
Policy for the Protection of Personal Information Held by the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center” for the proper and prudent treatment of the personal information provided to us by those who use our services.
1. We comply with all laws and regulations
We at the Center are working to protect your privacy, taking the utmost care to ensure that the personal information we hold is handled with the care it deserves, in strict adherence with all laws and regulations regarding the protection of personal information, including those of the Japanese Red Cross Society.
2. We collect only the information we need
The Center collects personal information within the limits needed for the provision of care and the administration of operations.
3. We tell you why we collect the information we do
The reasons the Center collects personal information can be viewed in advance in the hospital and on the Center’s website.
4. We forbid other uses of personal information
The Center will not use the personal information it holds for any purpose beyond its previously-stated goals unless:
a. it has received the permission of the person concerned,
b. the information is in a form that conceals the identities of the persons concerned,
c. it is required to do so in order to comply with laws or regulations,
d. the information is needed to protect life, limb, or property and the consent of the persons concerned cannot be obtained,
e. the information is particularly needed for the improvement of public health or to promote the healthy rearing of children and the consent of the persons concerned cannot be obtained, or
f. the information is needed for legally-prescribed duties carried out by a national authority or regional public body or workers commissioned by the same, and there is a risk that obtaining the consent of the person concerned would interfere with such duties being carried out.
5. We manage and store personal information appropriately
The Center makes every effort to ensure that personal information is not lost, revealed, destroyed, or tampered with. Outside companies or other entities to contracted to perform any portion of the Center’s work are bound to contracts committing them to protect personal information and not handle it inappropriately.
6. We do not share personal information with third parties
Unless so required by law, the Center will not share personal information with third parties without the permission of the persons concerned.
7. We respond appropriately to complaints and to requests to disclose or revise personal information
The Center will respond, appropriately and in accord with regulations, to privacy-related questions, requests, and complaints, including those pertaining to the disclosure or revision of personal information. Questions, requests, and complaints can be directed to the Medical Affairs Division.
Request to Revise, Make Additions to or Deletions from, or Cease Use of Personal Information Held by the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center
For information on the procedure for obtaining medical records and the like, see “
Obtaining Medical and Other Records”.
How the Center Uses Personal Information
Provision of Care
• The Center may make use of personal information when providing medical services.
• The Center may make use of personal information when coordinating with other hospitals, clinics, birthing centers, pharmacies, geriatric and home-nursing services, and other service providers.
• The Center may make use of personal information when responding to inquiries from other medical institutions or the like.
• The Center may make use of personal information when requesting opinions or advice from outside doctors or other health-care professionals.
• The Center may make use of personal information when requesting lab tests or the like.
• The Center may make use of personal information when briefing family members on a patient’s condition.
• Patients’ names may be displayed on the door of their hospital rooms, called in the outpatient waiting room, or used when paging patients on the hospital PA system.
• The Center may make use of personal information when providing other medical care.
Billing
• The Center may make use of personal information when performing or contracting clerical work pertaining to the provision of medical or nursing care, workers’ compensation, or publicly-funded health care.
• The Center may make use of personal information when providing statements of medical expenses to billing and payment bodies.
• The Center may make use of personal information when responding to inquiries from insurers or billing and payment bodies.
• The Center may make use of personal information when providing statements of medical expenses to, or responding to inquiries from, government agencies and the like concerned with publicly-funded health care.
• The Center may make use of personal information for billing related to all other forms of medical or nursing care, workers’ compensation, or publicly-funded health care.
Administration and Operation
• The Center may make use of personal information for accounting purposes.
• The Center may make use of personal information when reporting medical accidents and other incidents.
• The Center may make use of a patient’s personal information to improve the patient’s care.
• The Center may make use of personal information for admission and discharge and other ward business.
• The Center may make use of personal information as required for all other aspects of hospital administration and operation.
Reporting the Results of Medical Examinations Requested by Businesses and Other Outside Organizations to the Requesting Organization
Reporting to or Otherwise Consulting with Professional Medical Bodies, Insurers, and Other Organizations Engaged in the Provision of Liability Insurance for Medical Professionals
Providing Basic Data for the Maintenance and Improvement of Medical and Nursing Care
Assisting in the Provision of In-House Medical Training at the Center
Performing Case Studies at the Center with the Goal of Improving the Quality of Medical Care
Providing Information to External Oversight Bodies
Providing Information to the Japanese Red Cross Society
Information Provided to National and Metropolitan Cancer Registries
• The provision of medical data to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Cancer Research Institute from medical organizations for inclusion in regional or hospital cancer registries is in principle exempt from the consent requirements of the “Restrictions by the Purpose of Utilization” and “Restrictions on Provision to Third Parties” set forth in the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and elsewhere (Notice from the Director of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Health Service Bureau, January 2004).
• Because the provision of information to regional and hospital cancer registries comes under the category of exceptions essential for the improvement of public health, it similarly does not require consent under the provisions of the “Guidelines for the Appropriate Handling of Personal Information by Medical and Nursing Care Professionals” (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, December 2004).
• As a Designated Cancer Care Hospital, the Center participates in the cancer registry by providing the information it collects to the national and Tokyo metropolitan governments every year. The Center conducts survival surveys based on the data in the registry in order to determine survival rates. If the Center is unable to gather the necessary information via the survey, it may contract the National Cancer Center Japan to examine residency records. Patients who do not wish to consent to examination of their residency records are requested to contact the Cancer Counseling and Support Center on the first floor. Patients who do not protest are deemed to have given consent.
Medical and Academic Research with the Goal of Improving the Quality of Medical Care (Only for Research Conducted Through the Center’s Clinical Research Ethnics Committee) *
Application for Medical Specialist or Other Certification *
Applying to View Medical Records as a Former Employee
U
se in Lectures, Writing, or Other Works That Contribute to the Spread of Medical Knowledge *
Addenda
1. Please let us know if you are not comfortable giving your consent to anything in the above provisions.
2. Patients who do not protest are deemed to have given consent.
3. Protests can be withdrawn or modified at any time.
* All identifying information is removed.
Handling Anonymized Data