PRIVACY POLICY

HIPAA 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. You do not need to respond to this notice.

Our Responsibilities

Protected Health Information (PHI) is any individually identifiable health information. This information includes demographics, for example, age, address, e-mail address, and relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services. We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy of protected health information
• Provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices of your PHI
• Follow the terms of our notice that are currently in effect
• Communicate any changes in the notice to you

How We May Use and Disclose
Protected Health Information

Described as follows are the ways we may use and disclose health information that identifies you ("Protected Health Information" or "PHI"). Except for the following purposes, we will use and disclose Health Information only with your written permission. You may revoke such permission at any time by writing to our office.

Treatment/Research
We may use and disclose PHI for your treatment and to provide you with treatment/research-related health care services. For example, we may disclose PHI to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other personnel, including people outside our office, who are involved in your medical care and need the information to provide you with medical care. Before we use or disclose PHI for research, the research project will go through a special approval process. Even without special approval, we may permit interoffice researchers/research assistants to look at records to help them identify patients who may be included in their research project or for other similar purposes, as long as they do not remove or take a copy of any PHI.

Appointment Reminders, Treatment Alternatives, and Health-Related Benefits and Services
We may use and/or disclose PHI to contact you and to remind you that you have an appointment with us. We also may use and/or disclose PHI to provide you with information about treatment alternatives or health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. For example, your name and address may be used to send you a newsletter/postcard about our office and the services we offer. These may be sent to you through the USPS with our practice information on the envelope/postcard.

Health Care Operations/Individuals
Involved with Your Care
We may use and disclose PHI for health care operational purposes or to those that may be involved with your potential participation in a research study. These uses and disclosures are necessary to make sure that all of our patients receive quality care and to operate and manage our office. For example, we may use and disclose information to make sure the medical care you receive is of the highest quality. We also may share information with other entities that may have an interest or relationship with you as a result of your (potential) participation in one of our research studies. (For example, the Food and Drug Administration, Pharmaceutical Company/Sponsor, IRB/Ethics Committee and/or any other related company) for their health care operation activities.