Privacy Policy

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES AND POLICIES (Effective 08/01/2021) 

 

AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LEGISLATION, THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.  

PLEASE REVIEW CAREFULLY 

Your health record contains personal information about you and your health. The information about you that may identify you and relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services is referred to as Protected Health Information (“PHI”). This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your PHI in accordance with applicable law including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), regulations promulgated under HIPAA including the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. It also describes your rights regarding how you may gain access to and control your PHI. 

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices. We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. Any new Notice of Privacy Practices will be effective for all PHI that we maintain at that time. We will provide you with a copy of the revised Notice of Privacy Practices by posting a copy on our website, sending a copy to you in the mail or email upon request, or providing one to you at your next appointment.  

 HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU 

For Treatment: This refers to providing, coordinating or managing health care and related services by one or more healthcare providers.  An example of this is a primary care doctor referring you to a specialist doctor. 

For Payment: This refers to activities such as obtaining reimbursement for services, confirming coverage, billing or collection activities and utilization review. Examples of payment-related services include: making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, processing claims with your insurance company, reviewing services provided to you to determine medical necessity, or undertaking utilization review activities. If it becomes necessary to use collection processes due to lack of payment for services, we will only disclose the minimum amount of PHI necessary for purposes of collection. 

For Health Care Operations: This refers to the business aspect and activities of running our practice, including, but not limited to, quality assessment activities, auditing functions, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may use your PHI with third parties that perform various business activities (e.g., billing or typing services) provided we have a written contract with e business that requires it to safeguard the privacy of your PHI.  

 

Required by Law Enforcement: Under the law, we must disclose your PHI upon request.  

We may also create and distribute de-identified health information by removing all reference to individually identifiable information. 

We may contact you, by phone or in writing, to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services. 

With Authorization: The following use and disclosure of PHI will only be made pursuant to use receiving a written authorization from you: 

  • Most uses and disclosure of psychotherapy notes 

  • Uses and disclosure of your PHI for marketing purposes, including subsidized treatment and healthcare operations 

  • Disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI under HIPAA 

  • Other uses and disclosure not described in this notice 

 

You may revoke authorization in writing and we are required to honor and abide by that written request, except to the extent that we have already taken actions relying on your prior authorization. 

 

Without Authorization: The following is a list of the categories of uses and disclosures permitted by HIPAA without an authorization. Applicable law and ethical standards permit us to disclose information about you without your authorization online in a limited number of situations. 

 

  • Child or Elder Abuse or Neglect 

  • Judicial and Administrative Proceedings 

  • Deceased Patients 

  • Medical Emergencies 

  • Family Involvement in Care 

  • Health Oversight 

  • Law Enforcement 

  • Specialized Government Functions 

  • Public Health 

  • Public Safety 

  • Research 

  • Verbal Permission 

  • With Authorization 

 

 

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI 

You have the following rights regarding PHI we maintain about you. To exercise any of these rights, please submit your request in writing, to Kim Baron.  

  • Right of Access to Inspect and Copy 

  • Right to Amend 

  • Right to an Accounting of Disclosures 

  • Right to Request Restrictions 

  • Right to Request Confidential Communication 

  • Breach Notification 

  • Right to a Copy of this Notice 

COMPLAINTS  

If you believe we have violated your privacy rights, you have the right to file a complaint, in writing, with Kim Baron or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services at 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. 20201 or by calling 202.619.0257. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICE 

I am required to provide you with a copy of this NOtice and document your receipt. Please fill out an Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Privacy after receiving this Notice You may contact me with any questions or comments by telephone at 610.860.6800. 

 

 

 

 

The effective date of this Notice is August 1, 2021