Privacy Act Information

Federal laws protect an individual's right to privacy, and Federal Agencies must in turn maintain these legal protections by guarding the personal privacy of individuals and ensuring the security of their information. Privacy concerns impact the acquisition, use, and disclosure of personal information. Each Federal Agency has a Privacy Officer who is familiar with the law, regulations, and policies regarding privacy.

Privacy Office

The Privacy Office is responsible for the management and oversight of the Privacy Act of 1974 as it pertains to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It is located within the Office of Communications and Knowledge Transfer.

For questions, contact the AHRQ Privacy Act Officer:

Nancy Comfort
540 Gaither Road, Room 2222
John Eisenberg Building
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (301) 427-1866
E-mail: https://info.ahrq.gov

AHRQ Privacy Policy and Notices

• AHRQ Web Site Privacy Policy
  Go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/news/privacy.htm
• AHRQ Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs)
  Go to: http://www.hhs.gov/pia/ahrq/html/ahrq1.html
• Notification of Breach Routine Use Language
  Go to:http://www.ahrq.gov/news/privacyact/breachnot.htm
• AHRQ Privacy Act System of Records Notices (SORNs)
  Go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/news/privacyact/sysrec.htm
  Agency Management Information System/Grants and Contracts
  Go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/news/privacyact/sorn/giant.htm
  Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
  Go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/news/privacyact/sorn/meps.htm

Resources

• The Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a (as amended)
  Go to: http://www.justice.gov/opcl/privacyact1974.htm
• HHS Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)—Policy for Social Media Technologies. Establises policy for the use of social media technologies as part of any general support or application system and to incorporate by reference related Federal-government-wide guidelines and HHS policies.
  Go to: http://www.hhs.gov/ocio/policy/policy_2010-0003_-_ocio.html
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Circular No. A-130: Management of Federal Information Resources. OMB has overall responsibility for the privacy of information and provides guidance to Federal agencies on requirements.
  Go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a130/a130trans4.html
• OMB Instructions for Complying with the President's Memorandum of May 14, 1998, "Privacy and Personal Information in Federal Records"
  Go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/memoranda/m99-05-b.html
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Privacy Act Regulations
  Go to: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_99/45cfr5b_99.html
• HHS Office for Civil Rights—Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 2003. Medical privacy information and national standards to protect the privacy of personal health information.
  Go to: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
• HIPAA Privacy Rule. Information for researchers and patients on the use of personal health data in research projects.
  Go to: http://privacyruleandresearch.nih.gov/
• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at AHRQ. AHRQ FOIA provides information on the submission of FOIA requests, appeals, fees, exemptions, and policies.
  Go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/foia/
• Your Right to Federal Records
  Questions and answers on the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act.
  Go to: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/fed_prog/foia/foia.htm

Current as of August 2010

Internet Citation:

Privacy Act Information. Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/privacyact/privinfo.htm