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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
As a patient you have the right to adequate notice of the uses and disclosures
of your protected health information. Under the Health Insurance Portability
and Accessibility Act this service provider can use your protected health
information for treatment, payment, and health care operations.
a) Treatment -
we may use
or disclose your health information to another healthcare provider providing
treatment to you.
b) Payment - We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment
for services we provide you.
c) Health care operations - We may use and
disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations.
Healthcare
operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing
the competency or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating
provider performance, conducting training programs.
YOUR AUTHORIZATION
Most uses and disclosures that do not fall under treatment, payment, health
care operations will require your written authorization. Upon signing, you
may revoke
your authorization in writing at any time.
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
In the event of your incapacity or an emergency situation, we will disclose
health information to a person responsible for your care, using our professional
judgment.
We will disclose only health information that is directly relevant to the
person’s
involvement in your healthcare.
MARKETING
We will not use your health information for external marketing communications
without your written authorization.
REQUIRED by LAW
We may also use or disclose your health information when we are required to
do so by law.
ABUSE or NEGLECT
We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably
believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, domestic violence
or the victim of other crimes.
NATIONAL SECURITY
We may disclose your health information to military or federal authorities
as required national security activities.
APPOINTMENT REMINDERS
We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment
reminders via phone, e-mail or letter.
YOUR RIGHTS AS A PATIENT
You have the right to restrict the disclosure of your protected information
in writing.
The request for restriction may be denied if the information is
required
for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
You have the right to receive the confidential communications regarding your
protected health information.
You have the right to inspect and obtain
copies of your protected health information.
You have the right to amend your
protected health information.
You have the right to receive an account of disclosures of your protected health
information.
You have the right to a paper copy of a more complete summary
of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
You have the right to inspect, read and obtain a copy of the complete Notice
of Privacy Practices.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
This service provider is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health
information. We are required to abide by the terms of the complete notice
as it is currently stated and reserve the right to change this notice. The
policies
in any new notice will not be in effect until they are posted and available
within our office.
COMPLAINTS
If you have complaints regarding the way your protected health information
was handled, you may submit a complaint in writing to our office. You will
not be
retaliated against in any manner for a complaint.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please direct all inquiries to the Privacy Officer listed in the printed
copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
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