As a Via Heart Project volunteer, you may have access to confidential information related to one or more of our screening participants. To ensure the privacy of those who attend our heart screenings, and to comply with all State of California and federal privacy laws, Via Heart Project requires all volunteers to read and acknowledge the following:
1) It is illegal for you to use or disclose a screening participant’s Confidential Information (as defined below), either verbally or in written form, outside the scope of your volunteer duties at Via Heart Project.
2) All data and personal information, including but not limited to contact information, of each participant (“Confidential Information”), is to be viewed only by those volunteers who have a NEED TO KNOW such Confidential Information for the purposes of meeting the objective of the heart screening.
3) Guidelines for use of Confidential Information:
a) Access the minimum amount of information necessary to carry out your volunteer assignment.
b) You may use this Confidential Information as necessary in the contact with screening participants.
c) Do not make any copies of participant information.
d) Do not photograph participants.
e) Do not record patient names, date of birth, address, phone number, number, etc., on any forms or papers other than those provided to you by the Via Heart Project.
f) You may only access the Confidential Information of screening participants when there is a need for you to know that information.
g) Be aware of your surroundings when discussing Confidential Information. It is inappropriate to discuss information about a screening participant where others may overhear you (other than in the normal course of the screening).
h) If you have questions about the use or disclosure of Confidential Information, contact the Chief Operating Officer of Via Heart Project.
i) When disposing of any documents with screening participant information, do not put into a waste can. Instead, please give to the Chief Operating Officer of Via Heart Project for shredding.
4) All who attend the screening are entitled to their privacy. Nothing you see, hear, or observe as a volunteer can be shared with anyone for any reason, unless you are part of the screening team for that participant. This includes the fact that the individual participated in the screening.
5) Via Heart Project takes Confidential Information and participant privacy very seriously, and we require all volunteers to protect the privacy of those who are screened with the greatest care and respect.