Notice of Privacy Practices

We access, use and disclose PHI for a variety of reasons. The following section offers more descriptions and examples of our potential access, uses, and disclosures of your PHI. Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your authorization.

Uses and disclosures relating to treatment, payment, or health care operations. Generally, we may access, use, and disclose your PHI:

For treatment. We may use and disclose your PHI with individuals involved in providing or coordinating your health care. For example, we may disclose PHI to medical doctors, therapists, or other personnel, including people outside of our office, including referring providers, who are involved in your medical care and need the information to provide you with medical care. We may also make your PHI available electronically through one or more health information exchanges or organizations (“HIOs”) to other health care providers, health plans or health care clearinghouses. Our participation in HIOs helps us care for you.

To obtain payment. We may use and disclose your PHI so that we or others may bill and receive payment from you, an insurance company, or a third party for the treatment and services you received. For example, we may release portions of your health plan information to Medicare or Medicaid, a private insurer or group health plan to get paid for services that we delivered to you. We may release your PHI to the state Medicaid agency to determine your eligibility for publicly funded services.

For health care operations. We may use and disclose your PHI for health care operations purposes. These uses, and disclosures are necessary to make sure that all our patients receive quality care and to operate and manage our organization. For example, we may use and disclose information to make sure the counseling you receive is of the highest quality. We also may share information with other entities that have a relationship with you (for example, your health plan) for their health care operation activities. Sharing your PHI through HIOs, as noted above, may also occur as part of our health care operations. Further, we may use and disclose your PHI to our auditors or attorneys for audit or legal purposes. We may also share PHI with health care provider licensing bodies like the State’s Department of Public Health.

For appointment reminders, treatment alternatives, and health related benefits and services. We may use and disclose PHI to contact and remind you of an appointment with your provider.

Uses and disclosures not requiring authorization. The law allows us to access, use, and disclose your PHI without your authorization in certain situations, including but not limited to:

When required by law. We will disclose PHI when required to do so by federal, state or local law. For example, we may disclose PHI in relation to cases of abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and certain physical injuries. We must also disclose PHI to authorities that monitor compliance with these privacy requirements.

To avert a serious threat to health or safety. We may use and disclose PHI when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Disclosures, however, will be made only to someone who may be able to help prevent the threat.

For public health activities and risks. We may disclose PHI for public health activities. These activities generally include disclosures to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; report deaths; report child abuse or neglect; report reactions to medications or problems with products; notify people of recalls of products they may be using; and to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition. We will only make this disclosure if you agree or when required or authorized by law.

Health oversight activities. We may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.

For research purposes. In certain circumstances, we may disclose PHI to assist medical research, such as comparing the health and recovery of all patients who received one treatment to those who received another. We will ask for your permission if the researcher will have access to your PHI or will be involved in your care.

Relating to decedents. We may disclose PHI relating to an individual’s death to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, and organ procurement organizations.

Data breach notification purposes. We may use or disclose your PHI to provide legally required notices of unauthorized access to or disclosure of your PHI.

Lawsuits and disputes. If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose PHI in response to a court or administrative order. We also may disclose PHI in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.

Law enforcement. We may release PHI if asked by a law enforcement official if the information is: (1) in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process (2) to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; (3) about the victim of a crime even if, under certain very limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement; (4) about a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct; (5) about criminal conduct on our premises; and (6) in an emergency to report a crime, the location of the crime or victims, or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime on our premises.

Business associates. We may disclose PHI to our business associates that perform functions on our behalf or provide us with services if the information is necessary for such functions or services. For example, we may use another company to perform informational services on our behalf. All our business associates are obligated to protect the privacy of your information and are not allowed to use or disclose any information other than as specified in our contract with the business associate

Workers’ compensation. We may release PHI for workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring You to Have an Opportunity to Object: In the following situations, we may disclose your PHI if we tell you about the disclosure in advance and you have the opportunity to agree to, prohibit, or restrict the disclosure, and you do not object to such disclosure. However, if there is an emergency and you cannot be given the opportunity to agree or object, we may disclose your PHI if it is consistent with any prior expressed wishes and the disclosure is determined to be in your best interests.

To families, friends or others involved in your care. We may share with your family, your friends or others involved in your care information directly related to their involvement in your care or payment for your care. We may also share PHI with these people to notify them about your location, general condition, or your death.

Disaster relief: In the event of a disaster, we may release your PHI to a public or private relief agency, for purposes of notifying your family and friends of your location, condition or death.