The Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities collects and maintains a record of information about individuals we serve, some of which is "protected health information" under federal law. Typically, "protected health information" may contain information about the individual’s diagnoses, testing and treatment, and a plan for future care or treatment, but also may include demographic information that may identify the individual and that relates to past, present or future physical or mental health or condition. Protected health information is essential to the care we provide for individuals we serve. It serves as a:

• Basis for planning care and treatment.
• Means of communication among the many health professionals.
• Legal document describing the care provided
• Means to verify that services billed were actually provided.
• Tool in educating professionals.
• Tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we provide and the outcomes we achieve.

Individual health records contain personal health information, the confidentiality of which is protected under both state and federal law. Understanding that we expect to use and disclose this health information helps you to:

• Ensure its accuracy,
• Better understand who, what, when, where, and why your health care providers and others may access your health information, and
• Make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.