StudentHandbook

Clinical Programs and Policies University Eye Center and Satellite Clinics TheUniversity EyeCenter, the patient care facility of the SUNY Collegeof Optometry and anArticle 28

diagnosticandtreatment center, hasbeenavital resource totheNewYorkCity region fordecades, providing cutting-edge eyeandvisioncare toanexpandingpatientbasewithinour communityandbeyond. Your clinic responsibilitiesbeginwhen youarriveat theCollege. It is thepolicy of SUNYOptometry that all patients mustbetreatedwiththeutmostdignityand respect. Listedbelow,areexcerptsof several keypolicies. Students, facultyandstaff arerequiredtocomplywithall portions of the entireUniversity Eye Center Policy and ProcedureManual, which is available in each service manager’sandchief’soffices andonline.

AmoredetailedStudentClinicManual isdistributedduringstudent’s third-yearorientationtotheclinics.

Confidentiality It is thepolicy of theUniversity EyeCenter and the SUNY Collegeof Optometry, tomaintain patient

confidentiality.Assuch,theCollegeiscompliantwiththeFederalHealthInsurancePortabilityand AccountabilityAct of 1996 (HIPPA) Federal regulationswhich include trainingof staff, students and faculty providers.Thenewprivacyrules adoptedaspartofHIPPAaswellastheHITECHActestablishingstandards forthereleaseofmedicalinformation. Procedure  Results of clinical findings are given to patients by clinicians in the privacy of an examination room or consultation room.  The content of a medical record should only be discussed with the patient by individual providing the service or the provider’s supervisor.  All conversations concerning information of a clinical nature or matter of patient privacy are conducted in an office, consultation or examination room.  Requests for medical records to be sent to outside agencies, physicians, optometrist’s offices or to the patient, are handled through the Medical Records Department only. An authorization signed by the patients is needed.  Medical records are maintained securely in the University Eye Center’s Medical Records Department and in the electronic medical record.  Release of HIV-related information is in compliance with state regulation, effective February 1, 1989.  All clinical and support staff who handle patient records are required to sign a “Statement of Confidentiality” form. Examinations of Family Members  Students may not schedule family members or friends for themselves when they are not assigned to a  Service without permission.  The student must obtain a prior commitment from the service chief and from a faculty member who must supervise and sign the medical record and the encounter form.  The student must arrange for a room assignment through the chief or manager of the respective service.  All patients (even family members) must be registered and given a medical record number in the University Eye Center scheduled with an appointment. This can be done via the front desk in the clinic.

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