Privacy Policy

CONFIDENTIALITY, HIPAA, AND PRIVACY PRACTICE NOTICE: 

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG RELATED INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

General Information:

Information regarding your health care, including payment for health care, is protected by two federal laws: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) 42 USC 1320d et seq., 45 CFR parts 160 & 164 and the Confidentiality Law, 42 USC 290dd-2, 42CFR Part 2.

The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse client records maintained by this program is protected by federal laws and regulations. Generally, the program and client may not say to a person outside the program that a client attends the program nor disclose any information identifying a client as an alcohol or drug abuser and/or identifying a client's health status unless:

• A client consents in writing.
• The disclosure is allowed by a court order.
• The disclosure is made to medical personnel in a medical emergency or to qualified personnel for research, audit, or program evaluation.

Treatment, payment and health care operations:

The Facility uses and discloses your protected health information for treatment, payment, and health care operations. Some examples of when our office may use or disclose your health care information for these purposes include:

• Sharing test results with other health care providers for confirmation of a diagnosis;
• Providing your diagnosis or other information about your health to your insurance provider or our billing service to obtain payment for the health care services we provide;
• Reviewing information as part of our quality improvement program.

Other uses and disclosures:

The Facility may also use or disclose your protected health information, in compliance with guidelines outlined by law, for the following purposes:

• Providing you with information related to your health;
• Contacting you regarding appointments, information about treatment alternatives, or other health related services;
• Incidental uses or disclosures (e.g., listing your name on a sign-in sheet, etc.);
• Compliance with all laws (including reports of suspected abuse, neglect or violence);
• Providing certain specified information to law enforcement or correctional institutions;
• Providing information to a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director or organ procurement organization;
• Public health activities when requested by a public health authority or the FDA. Responding to health oversight agencies;
• Responding to court or administrative tribunal orders, subpoenas, discovery requests or other lawful process;
• Research activities;
• When necessary to avert a serious threat to health, safety, or when Client is a danger to themselves;
• Military affairs, veterans affairs, national security, intelligence, Department of State, or presidential protective service activities;
• Providing information to public or private disaster relief agencies; or Information to a family member, other relative, or close personal friend when: notification of your location, general condition or death; to assist in your health care (e.g. pick-up prescriptions or other documents, note follow-up care instructions, etc.)

Authorization for other uses:

The Facility will make other uses and disclosure of your protected health information only after obtaining your written authorization. If you authorize a use not contained in this notice, you may revoke your authorization at any time, by notifying us in writing that you wish to revoke your authorization.

Your rights regarding the privacy of your health information:

Subject to limitations outlined by law, you have certain rights related to use and disclosure of your protected health information, including the right to:

• Request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures. However, the facility is not obligated to agree to requested restrictions;
• Receive confidential communications or protected health information;
• Inspect and copy your protected health information with some limited exceptions;
• Amend your health information;
• Receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information;
• Obtain a copy of this notice.

The Facility's duties regarding the privacy of your health information:

• Subject to limitations outlined by law, the Facility has certain duties related to your protected health information, including:
• The Facility is required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information and to provide individuals with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information.
• The Facility is required to abide by the terms of the privacy notice that is currently in effect.
• The Facility reserves the right to change a privacy practice described in this notice and to make such change effective for all protected health information. A Revised notice will be posted in our office and available upon request.

Concerns:

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No individual will be retaliated against for filing a complaint.