Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

This notice of privacy practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. PHI is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related healthcare services.

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Uses and Disclosures of PHI:

Your PHI may be used and disclosed b your organization, our office staff and others outside of our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing healthcare services to you, to pay your healthcare bills, to support the operation of the organization and any other use required by law.

 

Treatment:

We will use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate or manage your health care and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your healthcare with a third party. For example, we would disclose your PHI, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to you. Your PHI may be provided to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.

 

Payment:

Your PHI will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services. For example, obtaining approval for equipment or supplies coverage may require that your relevant PHI be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for coverage.

 

Healthcare Operations:

We may use your PHI in order to support the business activities of our organization. These activities include, but not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, accreditation activities and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may disclose your PHI to accrediting agencies as part of an accreditation survey. We may also call you byname while you are a tour facility. We may use your PHI, as necessary, to contact you to check the status of your equipment.

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We may use or disclose your PHI in the following situations without your authorization:

As Required by Law, Public Health issues as required by law, Communicable Diseases, Health Oversight, Abuse or Neglect, Food or Drug Administration requirements, Legal Proceedings, Law Enforcement, Criminal Activity, Military Activity, National Security and Worker’s Compensation. Required Uses and Disclosures: Under the law, we must make disclosures to you and when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of Section 164.500.

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Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization or opportunity to object, unless required by law.

You may revoke this authorization, at any time, in writing, except to the extent that your physician or this organization has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.

 

The following is a statement of your rights with respect to your PHI:

You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. However, under federal law, you may not inspect or copy the following records: psychotherapy notes; information compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding; and PHI that is subject to law that prohibits access to PHI. You have the right to request a restriction of your PHI. This means that you may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You may also request that any part of your PHI not be disclosed to family members or friends who may be involved in your care or for notification purposes as described in this notice of privacy practices. Your request must state the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply.

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Our organization is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If we believe it is in your best interest to permit use and disclosure of your PHI, your PHI will not be restricted. You then have the right to use another Healthcare Professional. You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternate means or at an alternative location. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us, upon request, even if you have agreed to accept this notice alternatively (e.g. electronically).You may have the right to have our organization amend your PHI. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal. You have the right to change the terms of this notice and will inform you by mail of any changes. You then have the right to object or withdraw as provided in this notice.