At Hope Integrative Psychiatry, we believe that your health information is personal. We keep records of the care and services that you receive at our facilities. We are committed to keeping your health information private, and we are also required by law to respect your confidentiality. This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
We are required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of protected health information (PHI)
- Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your health
- information
- Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
TYPICAL USES AND DISCLOSURES OF HEALTH INFORMATION
We will keep your health information confidential, using it only for the following purposes:
Treatment: We may use your health information to provide you with our professional services. We have established “minimum necessary or need to know” standards that limit various staff members’ access to your health information according to their primary job functions.
Disclosure: We may disclose and/or share your healthcare information with other health care professionals who provide treatment and/or service to you. These professionals will have a privacy and confidentiality policy like this one. Health information about you may also be disclosed to your family, friends and/or other persons you choose to involve in your care, only if you agree that we may do so.
Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to seek payment for services we provide to you. This disclosure involves our business office staff and may include insurance organizations or other businesses that may become involved in the process of mailing statements and/or collecting unpaid balances.
Emergencies: We may use or disclose your health information to notify, or assist in the notification of a family member or anyone responsible for your care, in case of any emergency involving your care, your location, your general condition or death. If at all possible we will provide you with an opportunity to object to this use or disclosure. Under emergency conditions or if you are incapacitated we will use our professional judgment to disclose only that information directly relevant to your care.
Healthcare Operations: We will use and disclose your health information to keep our practice operable. Examples of personnel who may have access to this information include, but are not limited to, our medical records staff, outside health or management reviewers and individuals performing similar activities.
Required by Law : We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law. (Court or administrative orders, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.) We will use and disclose your information when requested by national security, intelligence and other State and Federal officials and/or if you are an inmate or otherwise under the custody of law enforcement.
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, or domestic violence or the possible victim of other crimes. This information will be disclosed only to the extent necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or that of others.
Public Health Responsibilities: We will disclose your health care information to report problems with products, reactions to medications, product recalls, disease/infection exposure and to prevent and control disease, injury and/or disability. National Security: The health information of Armed Forces personnel may be disclosed to military authorities under certain circumstances. If the information is required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence or other national security activities, we may disclose it to authorized federal officials. Appointment Reminders: We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders, including, but not limited to, voicemail messages, postcards or letters.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR OWN HEALTH INFORMATION:
- You have the right to see and copy your records. You must submit a written request, and will be charged a fee to copy your records. It is possible that we will not let you see or copy your record if we think it could harm you or someone else.
- You have the right to change your records if something is wrong or missing. You must tell us in writing what you want changed and why you want it changed. We will explain our reason(s) if we decide not to change your record as you request.
- You have the right to ask for a list of people who received information about you. This list would not include people or agencies covered under the exceptions described above. The request must be submitted in writing.
- You have the right to ask us not to share information, or limit what we share, with a specific person or agency. This request must be submitted in writing. We will consider your request, but we do not have to agree. If approved, such restrictions do not apply in an emergency situation.
- You have the right to ask us to contact you regarding your treatment or health information using a specific address or phone number. This request must be submitted in writing so that we understand specifically how or where you wish to be contacted.
- You may ask for and receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
Hope Integrative Psychiatry may change this notice and make it effective for medical information we already have about you as well as new information.
ASSISTANCE OR COMPLAINTS
You may ask for help understanding your rights. If you have a complaint related to the privacy of your healthcare information, please contact Hope Integrative Psychiatry.