This Notice Describes How Medical Information About You May Be Used And Disclosed And How You Can Obtain Access To This Information.

The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPPA") is a federal program that requires that all medical records and other individually identifiable health information used or disclosed by us in any form, whether electronically, on paper, or orally, are kept properly confidential.  This Act gives you, the patient, significant new rights to understand and control how your health information is used.

As required by "HIPPA", we have prepared this explanation of how we are required to maintain the privacy of your health information and how we may use and disclose your health information.

We may use and disclose your medical records for the following purposes: Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations:

-Treatment means providing, coordinating or managing health care and related services by one or more health care providers. An example of this would be our coordinating your care with that of a specialist or laboratory.

-Payment means such activities as obtaining reimbursement for services, confirming coverage, billing or collection activities and utilization review. An example of this would be our practice sending a bill for your visit to your insurance company for payment.

-Health Care Operations include the business aspects of running our practice, such as conducting quality assessment and improving activities, auditing functions, cost management analysis and customer service.  An example of this would be when our office conducts an annual internal quality assessment.

We may create and distribute "de-identified" health data which has had all individually identifiable references removed.

Additionally, we may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that we feel may be of value to you.

Any other uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke such authorization in writing.  We are required to honor and abide by such a written request with the exception of activities initiated by us when your previous authorization was still in affect.

You have the following rights with respect to your protected health information,  which you can exercise by presenting a written request to our Privacy Officer:

1. The right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of protected health information, including those related to disclosures to family members, other relatives, close personal friends, or any other person identified by you. We are however not required to agree to a requested restriction.  If we do agree to a restriction, we must abide by it until revoked by you in writing.

2. The right to make reasonable requests to receive confidential communications of protected health information from us by alternative means or at alternative locations.

3. The right to inspect and copy your protected health information.

4. The right to amend your protected health information.

5. The right to receive an accounting of our disclosures of your protected health information to others.

6. The right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us  upon request.

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information and to provide you with notice of  our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information.
 
This notice became effective April 14, 2003. We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice Of Privacy Practices and to make the new notice provisions effective for all protected health information that we maintain.  We will post, and you may request,  a written copy of a revised Notice of Privacy Practices from this office at that time                            

You have recourse if you feel that your privacy protections have been violated. You have the right to file a written complaint with our practice Privacy Officer, or with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights:

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Service Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue
SW Washington, DC 20201
(202) 619-0257   Toll Free: (877) 696-6775