NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

 

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.

PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

THE PRIVACY OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT TO US.

  

OUR LEGAL DUTY

 

We are required by applicable federal and state law to maintain the privacy of your health information. We are also required to give you this Notice about our privacy practices, our legal duties, and your rights concerning your health information. We must follow the privacy practices that are described in this Notice while it is in effect. This Notice takes effect 4/14/2003, and will remain in effect until we replace it.

 

We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable law. We reserve the right to make the changes in our privacy practices and the new terms of our Notice effective for all health information that we maintain, including health information we created or received before we made the changes. Before we make a significant change in our privacy practices, we will change this Notice and make the new Notice available upon request.

 

You may request a copy of our Notice at any time. For more information about our privacy practices, or for additional copies of this notice please contact us using the information listed at the end of this Notice.

 

 

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF HEALTH INFORMATION

 

We use and disclose health information about you for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. We will not sell your Protected Health information for money. We will endeavor to provide the minimum necessary information to achieve the following stated needs:

Treatment: We may use and disclose your health information to a physician or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you.

Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you.

Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.

Required by Law: We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law. Disclosures required by law include those made for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigations, worker compensation claims, public health authorities, correctional institutions, law enforcement purposes including abuse and neglect reports and use by Federal Health Oversight and National Security Authorities.

Appointment reminders: We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders (such as voicemail messages, postcards, or letters)

 

 

PATIENT RIGHTS

 

Access: You have the right to look at or get copies of your protected health information contained within your designated record set, with limited exceptions. We will use the format you request unless we cannot practically do so. You must make a request to our office in writing to obtain access to your health information. We will charge you a reasonable cost-based fee for expenses such as copies, staff time and or postage. If you request an alternative format, we will charge a cost-based fee for providing your health information in that format. If you prefer, we will prepare a summary or an explanation of your health information for a fee. Contact us using the information listed at the end of this Notice for a full explanation of our fee structure.

Disclosure Accounting: You have the right to receive a list of instances in which we or our business associates disclosed your health information for purposes, other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations and certain other activities, for the last 6 years, but not before April 14, 2003. If you request this accounting more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for responding to these additional requests.

Restriction: You have the right to request that we place additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information. We are not required to agree to these additional restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement (except in an emergency).

Alternative Communication: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information by alternative means or to alternative locations. (You must make this request in writing) Your request must specify the alternative means or location and provide satisfactory explanation how payments will be handled under the alternative means or location you request.

Amendment: You have the right to request that we amend your health information. We may deny your request under certain circumstances.

Notification and communication with Family and Persons Involved in your Care:

We can only disclose health information to you, as described in the patient rights section of this notice. We may disclose your health information to a family member, friend or person involved in your care only to the extent necessary to help with your healthcare treatment or payment, unless you provide to us your written objection. In the event of your incapacity or emergency circumstances, we will disclose health information based on determination using our professional judgment that is directly relevant to the person’s involvement with our healthcare. We will also use our professional judgment to make reasonable inferences of your best interest in allowing a person to pick up filled prescriptions, medical supplies, x-rays or other similar forms of health information.

Electronic  Notice: If you receive this Notice on our website or by electronic mail, you are entitled to receive this Notice in written form.

 

 

QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

 

If you want more information about our privacy practices or have questions or concerns, please contact us.

If you are concerned that we may have violated your privacy rights, or you disagree with a decision we made about access to your health information or in response to a request you made to amend or restrict the use or disclosure of your health information or to have us communicate with you my alternative means or at alternative locations, you may make a complaint using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice. You also may submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will provide you with the address to file your complaint with the department of health upon request.

We support your right to the privacy of your health information. We will not retaliate in any way if you choose to file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Contact:  HIPAA Compliance Officer

Telephone: 972-505-2210

Email: www.prestoncreekoralsurgery.com

Address: 4865 Hedgcoxe Road, Suite 300 Plano, Texas 75024