Privacy Policy
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
This notice is provided in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), and applicable regulations and amendments. It explains how your medical information may be used or disclosed and how you may access that information. Please review this notice carefully. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Three Lakes MD Weight Loss & Wellness, 631 Bypass 123, Seneca, SC 29678.
ABOUT THIS NOTICE
We understand that your health information is private and personal, and we are committed to protecting it. Three Lakes MD Weight Loss & Wellness maintains records relating to the medical care and services you receive. These records may be necessary to provide treatment, process payment, support health care operations, and meet legal and regulatory requirements. This Notice explains how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI), describes your rights regarding your information, and outlines certain responsibilities we have concerning the privacy and security of your health information. We are required by law to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
WHAT IS PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)?
Protected Health Information, or PHI, is health information that can reasonably be used to identify you. It may include information we create, receive, or maintain about you from you or from another health care provider, health plan, employer, or health care clearinghouse, and may relate to:
– Your past, present, or future physical or mental health or medical condition.
– The health care, treatment, or services provided to you.
– The past, present, or future payment for your health care.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PHI
We may use or disclose your protected health information in the circumstances described below:
– Treatment. We may use or disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your medical treatment and services. For example, we may share relevant information with another physician, specialist, laboratory, or other health care professional involved in your care when that information is needed to evaluate, diagnose, or treat you.
– Payment. We may use or disclose your PHI to bill for health care services and to receive payment from you, an insurance plan, or another responsible party. This may include activities related to determining eligibility, verifying coverage, obtaining payment authorization, reviewing medical necessity, or completing other payment-related activities.
– Health Care Operations. We may use or disclose PHI as necessary for our health care operations. These activities may include evaluating the quality of care we provide, reviewing the performance of our staff, improving our services, and carrying out administrative functions. PHI may also be shared with authorized physicians, nurses, medical personnel, students, or other individuals when permitted for appropriate educational or operational purposes.
– Appointment Reminders, Treatment Options, and Health-Related Services. We may use and disclose PHI to contact you regarding scheduled appointments, possible treatment options or alternatives, or health-related services and benefits that may be relevant to you.
– As Required by Law. We may disclose your PHI when disclosure is required by applicable federal, state, local, or other law.
– To Prevent a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use or disclose your PHI when necessary to help prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of another person. Any disclosure will be limited to individuals or organizations that may be able to help address or prevent the threat.
– Business Associates. We may share PHI with third-party business associates that perform services or functions on our behalf when access to the information is necessary for those services. Examples may include billing, consulting, transcription, technology, or administrative support. Business associates are required to protect the privacy and security of your PHI under applicable agreements and requirements.
– Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ or tissue donor, we may disclose PHI to organizations involved in organ procurement, donation, or transplantation when necessary to facilitate those activities.
– Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may disclose your PHI when required by military command authorities. We may also disclose applicable information to authorized foreign military authorities when permitted or required by law.
– Workers’ Compensation. We may use or disclose PHI when permitted or required for workers’ compensation programs or similar programs that provide benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses.
– Public Health Activities. We may disclose PHI for permitted public health purposes, including activities involving the safety, quality, or effectiveness of products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, prevention or control of disease, injury, or disability, reporting certain births and deaths, reporting abuse or neglect, reporting medication or product-related problems, facilitating product recalls, and notifying individuals who may have been exposed to a communicable disease or may otherwise be at risk.
– Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence. We may disclose PHI to an appropriate government authority when permitted or required by law if we reasonably believe that a patient is the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
– Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose PHI to authorized government agencies for activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, and other oversight functions permitted by law.
– Data Breach Notification. We may use or disclose PHI as necessary to provide legally required notices regarding unauthorized access to or disclosure of protected health information.
– Lawsuits and Disputes. If you are involved in a legal proceeding, we may disclose PHI in response to a court or administrative order and, when legally permitted, in response to subpoenas, discovery requests, or other legal processes. We may also use or disclose PHI when necessary to protect or defend our legal interests.
– Law Enforcement. We may disclose PHI for law enforcement purposes when applicable legal requirements are satisfied.
– Military Activities and National Security. We may disclose PHI to authorized officials when required or permitted for military activities, national security, intelligence activities, or situations involving individuals in lawful custody.
– Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors. We may disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors as necessary for them to perform their legally authorized duties.
USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT OR OPT OUT
– Individuals Involved in Your Care. Unless you object, we may disclose relevant PHI to a family member, relative, close friend, or another person you identify when that information directly relates to that individual’s involvement in your health care or payment for your care. If you are unable to agree or object, we may make a disclosure when, in our professional judgment, it is in your best interest.
– Payment for Your Care. Where permitted by law, you may request that we not disclose information about services to your health plan when you have paid for those services in full out of pocket and have requested that the claim not be submitted to your health plan.
– Disaster Relief. We may disclose PHI to disaster relief organizations when necessary to coordinate care or notify family members and other appropriate individuals about your condition or location. When practical, we will provide you with an opportunity to agree to or object to such a disclosure.
– Psychotherapy Notes. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
– Marketing. Certain uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes require your written authorization.
– Sale of PHI. Disclosures that constitute a sale of your PHI generally require your written authorization, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
Any other use or disclosure of PHI that is not described in this Notice or otherwise permitted or required by applicable law will generally require your written authorization. If you provide an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect disclosures that were already made in reliance on the authorization before it was revoked.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI
Subject to certain limitations and applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your protected health information:
– Inspect and Obtain Copies. You have the right to inspect and obtain copies of PHI that may be used to make decisions about your care or payment for your care. We generally have up to 30 days to respond to your request, subject to applicable law. Reasonable fees may apply for copying, mailing, or other permitted costs. We may deny access in limited circumstances as allowed by law. If a request is denied and applicable law provides a right of review, you may request that the denial be reviewed by an appropriately qualified health care professional who was not involved in the original denial.
– Summary or Explanation. When permitted, you may request a summary of your PHI instead of the complete record or request an explanation of information that has been provided to you. Any applicable costs will be communicated to you in accordance with applicable law.
– Electronic Copies. If your PHI is maintained electronically, you may request an electronic copy of your information or request that it be transmitted to another individual or organization, subject to applicable requirements. If the requested format cannot reasonably be produced, we may provide the information in another permitted readable format.
– Receive Notice of a Breach. You have the right to receive notice when a breach involving your unsecured PHI occurs when notification is required by law.
– Request an Amendment. If you believe information we maintain about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that we amend the information for as long as the information is maintained by or for us.
– Accounting of Disclosures. You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us. Requests should be submitted in writing to the Privacy Officer. The first accounting requested within a 12-month period is generally provided without charge, subject to applicable law.
– Request Restrictions. You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to every requested restriction. Any agreed restriction may not apply when information is needed for emergency treatment or as otherwise permitted by law. Restriction requests should be submitted in writing and should clearly identify the information and disclosures you want limited.
– Request Confidential Communications. You may request that we communicate with you in a specific manner or at a particular location to help protect your privacy. For example, you may request that we contact you by mail at a specific address or use a particular telephone number. Requests should be made in writing and should specify how or where you would like us to communicate with you.
– Changes to This Notice. We reserve the right to revise this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any revised Notice may apply to PHI we already maintain as well as information we receive or create in the future, to the extent permitted by law. The current version of this Notice will be made available at our office and on our website.
– Complaints. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer using the contact information listed in this Notice. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.
To submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, you may contact the Office for Civil Rights using the current contact information published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional information is available through the Office for Civil Rights website.
By using this website, you acknowledge the availability of this Notice of Privacy Practices. This website notice does not replace any rights or protections provided to you under applicable federal or state privacy laws.