File a HIPAA Complaint

You have the right to make a complaint directly to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Officer of Hillsborough County concerning our compliance with any of our established HIPAA policies and procedures, uses or disclosures of your PHI, or about our compliance with HIPAA.

Things to consider

• Anyone may file a complaint, including members of the workforce
  • Hillsborough County employees can report violations of HIPAA by others in the workforce free from fear of retaliation
• You can file a complaint anonymously
  • If you choose to file anonymously, once it is filed, you will not be able to follow up on the complaint.
• You can file a complaint with our HIPAA Privacy Officer for any of the following departments/offices:
  • Aging Services
  • Children’s Services
  • Fire Rescue
  • Health Care Services

• If you have a HIPAA complaint against your doctor, hospital, dentist, or any other agency/entity other than those listed above, you will need to contact them directly. We only provide compliance investigations for those Hillsborough County Administrator's departments listed above. 

• You may also make a complaint to the federal government with the Federal HHS Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”)
• When filing with the OCR you must:
  • File it in writing, either on paper or electronically, by mail, fax, or e-mail
  • Name the covered entity involved and describe the acts or omissions you believe violated the requirements of HIPAA
  • File within 180 days of when you knew that the act or omission complained of occurred, unless OCR extends the 180-day period for "good cause"

How to

1. Gather information on the violation including:
   • Name of the department and person whom your complaint is against
   • Date you first noticed the action or violation occurred
   • Detailed description
   • Any witness information (if applicable)
2. Fill out the online form or contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer:
   • Hillsborough County HIPAA Privacy Officer
     601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
     24th Floor
     Tampa, FL 33601
     1-800-466-5400

What's next

• If you did not file anonymously, once we receive your complaint, either the department HIPAA Liaison or the County Privacy Officer will contact you for additional information

Resources

• Learn more about HIPAA and find forms and documents
• HHS.Gov - Health Information Privacy
• HIPAA Procedure for Filing Complaints About Privacy Practices - English
• HIPAA Procedure for Filing Complaints About Privacy Practices - Spanish

Get help

Information: HIPAA
Email: HIPAAPrivacyOfficer@hcfl.gov
Phone: (800) 466-5400