Privacy Policy

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. "Protected health information" 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 health care services.

We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices. We may change the terms of our notice, at any time. The new notice will be effective for all protected health information that we maintain at that time. Upon your request, we will provide you with any revised Notice of Privacy Practices. You may request a revised version by accessing our website or calling the office and requesting that a revised copy be sent to you in the mail or asking for one at the time of your next appointment.

1. Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information

Your protected health information may be used and disclosed by the licensed healthcare provider treating you, our office staff and others outside of our office who are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you. Your protected health information may also be used and disclosed to pay your health care bills and to support the operation of your healthcare provider's practice.

Following are examples of the types of uses and disclosures of your protected health information that your healthcare provider's office is permitted to make. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive, but to describe the types of uses and disclosures that may be made by our office.

Treatment:

We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with another provider. For example, we would disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to you. We will also disclose protected health information to other healthcare providers who may be treating you.

Payment:

Your protected health information will be used and disclosed, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services provided by us or by another provider. This may include certain activities that your health insurance plan may undertake before it approves or pays for the health care services we recommend for you such as: making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, reviewing services provided to you for medical necessity, and undertaking utilization review activities.

Health Care Operations:

We may use or disclose, as needed, your protected health information to support the business activities of your healthcare provider's practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of medical students, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities.

We will share your protected health information with third party "business associates" that perform various activities (for example, billing or transcription services) for our practice. Whenever an arrangement between our office and a business associate involves the use or disclosure of your protected health information, we will have a written contract that contains terms that will protect the privacy of your protected health information.

Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures

We may use or disclose your protected health information in the following situations without your authorization:

• Required By Law: We may use or disclose your protected health information to the extent that the use or disclosure is required by law.
• Public Health: We may disclose your protected health information for public health activities and purposes to a public health authority that is permitted by law to collect or receive the information.
• Communicable Diseases: We may disclose your protected health information, if authorized by law, to a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease or may otherwise be at risk of contracting or spreading the disease or condition.
• Health Oversight: We may disclose protected health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law.
• Abuse or Neglect: We may disclose your protected health information to a public health authority that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.
• Legal Proceedings: We may disclose protected health information during any judicial or administrative proceeding, in response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal.
• Law Enforcement: We may also disclose protected health information, so long as applicable legal requirements are met, for law enforcement purposes.

2. Your Rights

Following is a statement of your rights with respect to your protected health information:

• Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and copy your protected health information.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction of your protected health information.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location.
• Right to Request Amendment: You may have the right to have your healthcare provider amend your protected health information.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your protected health information.
• Right to a Paper Copy: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us, upon request.

3. Complaints

You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us. You may file a complaint with us by notifying our Privacy Officer of your complaint. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

You may contact our Privacy Officer if you have any questions about our privacy practices. Thank you for trusting us with your healthcare needs. We are committed to protecting your privacy.