Privacy Policy:

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 (TPO) 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.

1.Uses and disclosures of Protected Health Information
Your PHI may be used and disclosed by your therapist, our office staff, and others outside of our office that are Involved In your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you, to pay your health care bills, to support the operation of the physician’s practice, and any other use required by law.
Treatment: We will use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your health re 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 a hospital stay may require that your relevant PHI be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for the hospital admission.

Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI In order to support the business activities of your therapist’s practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, and training of medical/mental health professional students that see patients at our offices. In addition, we may use your PHI, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment. We may use or disclose your PHI In the following situations without your authorization. These situations include: as Required by Law; Public Health Issues as required by law; Communicable Diseases; Health Oversight; Abuse or Neglect; Food and Drug Administration requirements; Legal Proceedings: Law Enforcement: Coroners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation: Research: Criminal Activity: Military Activity and National Security; Workers’ Compensation; Inmates; 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.

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 therapist or our office has taken an action In reliance on the use or disclosure_ Indicated In the authorization.

Your rights
Following Is a statement of your rights with respect to your PHI.
You have the right to Inspect and copy your protected health information, Under federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records; psychotherapy notes; Information complied In reasonable anticipation of, or use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, and protected health information that Is subject to law that prohibits access to protected health information.

You have the right to request a restriction of your PHI. This means 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 the 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.

Your therapist is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If therapist believes it is In your best Interest to permit use and disclosure of your protected health information, 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 alternative means 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 I.e. electronically.

You may have the right to have your health care provider 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 receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of your protected health information. I reserve the right to change the terms at 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.

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 contact of your complaint. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.