Privacy Policy
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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! With your consent, the practice is permitted by federal privacy laws to make uses and disclosures of your health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations. Protected health information is the information we create and obtain in providing our services to you. Such information may include documenting your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment, and applying for future care or treatment. It also includes billing documents for those services. Example of uses of your health information for treatment purposes A nurse obtains treatment information about you and records it in a health record. During the course of your treatment, the doctor determines a need to consult with another specialist in the area. The doctor will share the information with such specialist for input. Example of use of your health information for payment purposes We submit a request for payment to your health insurance company. The health insurance company requests information from us regarding medical care given. We will provide information to them about you and the care given. Example of Use of Your Information for Health Care Operations We obtain services from our insurers or other business associates such as quality assessment, quality improvement, outcome evaluation, protocol and clinical guidelines development, training programs, credentialing, medical review, legal services, and insurance. We will share information about you with such insurers or other business associates as necessary to obtain these services. Your Health Information Rights The health record we maintain and billing records are the physical property of the practice. The information in it, however, belongs to you. You have a right to:
Our Responsibilities The practice is required to:
If you have questions, would like additional information, or want to report a problem regarding the handling of your information, you may contact our office. Additionally, if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint at our office. You may also file a complaint by mailing it or e-mailing it to the Secretary of Health and Human Services whose street address is: Federal Office Building, 50 United Nations Plaza - Room 322, San Francisco, CA 94102. We cannot, and will not, require you to waive the right to file a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a condition of receiving treatment from the practice. We cannot, and will not, retaliate against you for filing a complaint with the Secretary. Other Disclosures and Uses Notification Unless you object, we may use or disclose your protected health information to notify, or assist in notifying, a family member, personal representative, or other person responsible for your care, about your location, and about your general condition, or your death. Communication with Family Using our best judgment, we may disclose to a family member, other relative, close personal friend, or any other person you identify, health information relevant to that person's involvement in your care or in payment for such care if you do not object or in an emergency Food and Drug Administration (FDA) We may disclose to the FDA your protected health information relating to adverse events with respect to products and product defects, or post-marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacements. Workers Compensation If you are seeking compensation through Workers Compensation, we may disclose your protected health information to the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to Workers Compensation. Public Health As required by law, we may disclose your protected health information to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability. Abuse & Neglect We may disclose your protected health information to public authorities as allowed by law to report abuse or neglect. Correctional Institutions If you are an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose to the institution, or its agents, your protected health information necessary for your health and the health and safety of other individuals. Law Enforcement We may disclose your protected health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law, such as when required by a court order, or in cases involving felony prosecutions, or to the extent an individual is in the custody of law enforcement. Research We may disclose information to researchers when their research has been approved by an institutional review board that has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your protected health information. Disaster Relief We may use and disclose your protected health information to assist in disaster relief efforts. Organ Procurement Organizations Consistent with applicable law, we may disclose your protected health information to organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs for the purpose of tissue donation and transplant. For Specialized Governmental Functions We may disclose your protected health information for specialized government functions as authorized by law, such as to Armed Forces personnel, for national security purposes, or to public assistance program personnel. Health Oversight Federal law allows us to release your protected health information to appropriate health oversight agencies or for health oversight activities. Judicial/Administrative Proceedings We may disclose your protected health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding as allowed or required by law, with your consent, or as directed by a proper court order. Other Uses Other uses and disclosures besides those identified in this Notice will be made only as otherwise authorized by law or with your written authorization and you may revoke the authorization as previously provided. Website If we maintain a website that provides information about our entity, this Notice will be on the website. Effective Date: January 15, 2003 |