Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHING / VIDEOTAPING PATIENTS POLICY: * It is the policy of this organization to take photographs and/or film or video tape in an effort to assist documentation, educational, treatment, research, scientific, public relations and charitable goals of the organization; and to documented certain physical conditions when it may be of benefit to the patient’s plan of care and treatment. * Photography, filming or videotaping to be used internally by the organization for educational or operational purposes (i.e., performance improvement, education) require consent of the patient or his/her authorized legal representative. * All photographs, films and/or videotape taken for external educational, research, scientific, public relations and/or charitable goals of the organization will be utilized only with the express permission and consent of the patient or his or her legally authorized representative by Agency staff, physicians, healthcare professionals and authorized members of the public for the purposed listed above. A distinct and separate consent for photography, filming or videotaping for these reasons must be documented as obtained from the patient or his/her authorized legal representative. * This organization will maintain the interrelated goals (as they relate to photographing/filming/videotaping of the patient’s healthcare process) of protection of patient privacy and informing the public to better understand healthcare, in the highest regard. PROCEDURE: * The patient or his or her legal representative shall sign an Authorization and Consent Form for Photograph (including in our Service Agreement Form that cover photo, video/film): * If conscious and mentally competent, the patient is required to give consent to be photographed, filmed or videotaped. The consent will contain a description of the circumstances of th use of the photography, film or videotape. * The patient or his/her authorized legal representative has the right to request cessation of photography, filming or videotaping at any time. * The patient or his/her authorized legal representative has the right to rescind consent for use anytime before, or at a maximum a two (2) week time period (which this organization has deemed a reasonable period of time) before the video recording or film is used. * In a situation where the patient is comatose or otherwise unable to be informed consent (lacking full mental capacity) the patient authorized legal representative(surrogate decision maker) is required to give consent for the patient to be photographed, filmed or videotaped. * In the event the patient is comatose or otherwise unable to give informed consent and no surrogate decision maker is available, approved representatives of this organization may film or videotape, or retain another to film or videotape, patient care activities. Pursuant to his organization’s policy, informed consent must be obtained from the patient or his or her legally authorized representative, before the patient’s photograph film or videotape can be used for any purpose. * In this instance, the photograph, film or videotape will remain in the physical possession of this organization and will not be released to anyone else or used for educational or other purposes until appropriate informed consent is obtained. * If consent is not given, then the image of the patient will either be obliterated from the photograph, videotape or film or the photograph, film or videotape will be destroyed. * Anyone (including employees of this organization and/or outside authorized contracted individuals) who perform photography, filming or videotaping musrt sign an appropriate Home Health Agency Policies A-159