Privacy Act System of Records: Wellness Program Medical Records, EPA-3

[excerpted from: Federal Register: February 22, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 36)]

System Name: Wellness Program Medical Records.

System Location: Health Unit, Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460. EPA offers medical services to employees through a national agreement with the Federal Occupational Health Service of the Public Health Service. Most EPA regional offices have a similar arrangement, although a different contractor provides services in one or more regional offices. See the appendix for addresses of regional and other offices.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System: EPA employees, contract employees, and EPA visitors requiring or requesting medical attention and EPA employees participating in Stress Lab.

Categories of Records in the System: Employee health records.

Authority for Maintenance of the System (includes any revisions or amendments): 5 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.

Purpose(s): To document health treatments and related services offered by the Health Unit.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories of Users, and the Purposes of Such Uses: General routine uses F, H, and K apply to this system.

Policies and Practices For Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, and Disposing of Records in the System:

  • Storage: Hard copy files (handwritten or typed cards, forms, files, and EKG graphs); some identifying information is also maintained on a computerized index.

  • Retrievability: By name.

  • Safeguards: Computer records are maintained in a secure, password protected computer system. Paper records are maintained in lockable file cabinets. All records are maintained in secure, access-controlled areas or buildings.

  • Retention and Disposal: Records are maintained until an employee leaves EPA. Records are sealed and sent to the Personnel Office for inclusion in the official personnel folder, which is sent to a federal records center. Records may be transferred to a new federal employer.

System Manager(s) and Address: National Program Branch Chief, Safety, Health and Environmental Management Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.

Notification Procedures: Any individual who wants to know whether this system of records contains a record about him or her, who wants access to his or her record, or who wants to contest the contents of a record, should make a written request to the System Manager.

Access Procedure: Requesters will be required to provide adequate identification, such as a driver's license, employee identification card, or other identifying document. Additional identification procedures may be required in some instances.

Contesting Procedure: Requests for correction or amendment must identify the record to be changed and the corrective action sought. Complete EPA Privacy Act procedures are set out in 40 CFR Part 16. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(f)(3), records relating to psychiatric matters may be made available to a record subject through a physician.

Record Source Categories: Patients, patient's doctors, on approval of patient, accident/incidence reports, family members of patients, and past Federal employer medical records.

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