HIPPA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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 describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out treatment, and payment or health care operations (TPO) for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. "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 care services.

Use and Disclosures of Protected Health Information:

Your protected health information may be used and disclosed by your physician, our 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, pay your health care bills, to support the operations of the physician's practice, and any other use required by law.

Treatment: We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with a third party. For example, we would disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to you. For example, your health care information 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 protected health information 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 protected health information be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for the hospital admission.

Healthcare Operations: We may disclose, as needed, your protected health information in order to support the business activities of your physician's practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of medical students, licensing, marketing, and fund raising activities, and conduction or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your physician. We may also call you by name in the waiting room when your physician is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment.

We may use or disclose your protected health information in the following situations without your authorization. These situations include, as required by law: public health issues, communicable diseases, health oversight, abuse or neglect, food and drug administration requirements, legal proceedings, law enforcement, coroners, funeral directors, and organ donation. Required uses and disclosures under the law: we must make disclosure to you 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 physician or the physician's practice has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.