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 Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health
information (PHI) to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations (TPO) and for other purposes
that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected
health information. “Protected Health Information” is information about you including demographic
information, which may identify you and that, relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental
health or condition related to health care services.
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Your protected health information may be used and disclosed by your physician, our office 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, to pay your health care bills, to support the operation of the physicians
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, your protected health information may be provided to a dentist to
whom you have been referred to ensure that the dentist 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 treatment may require that your relevant protected health
information be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for the treatment.
Healthcare Operations:
We may use or disclose, as-needed, your protected health information in order to support the
business activities of your dentist’s practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality
assessment activities, employee review activities, training of dental students, licensing, market and
fundraising activities, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may call
you by name in the waiting room when your dentist or hygienist 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 as required by law,
Communicable Diseases: Health Oversight: Abuse or Neglect: Food and Drug Administration
requirements: Legal Proceeding: Law Enforcement: Coroners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation:
Research: Criminal Activity: Military Activity and National Security: Worker’s Compensation: Inmates:
Required Uses and Disclosures: Under the law, we must make disclosures to you and 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 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 dentist or the
practice has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.
Your Rights
The following is a statement of your rights with respect to your protected health information.
You have the right to inspect and copy your protected health information.
Under the Federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records;
psychotherapy notes; information complied in reasonable anticipation of, or use in, a civil, criminal, or
administrative action or proceeding, and protected health information that is subject to law that prohibits
access to protected health information.
You have the right to request a restriction of your protected health information.
This means that you may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your protected health
information for the purposes of treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You may also request that
any part of your protected health information not be disclosed to family members or friends who may be
involved in your care or for notification purposes as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. Your
request must state the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply.
Your dentist is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If a dentist believes
that it is in your best interest to permit use and disclosure of your protected health information, your
protected health information will not be restricted. You then have the right to use another Healthcare
Professional.
You have the right to request confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. You have the right to obtain
a paper copy of this notice from us,
upon request,even if you have agreed to accept this notice alternatively i.e. electronically.
You may have the right to have your dentist amend your protected health information.
If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement
with us and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy of such rebuttal.
You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, or your
protected health information.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and will inform you by mail of any
changes. You then have the right to object or withdraw as provided in this notice.
Complaints
You may complain to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe that we have
violated your privacy rights. You may file a complaint with us by notifying our privacy contact of your
complaint; we will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
This was published and becomes effective on/or before April 14, 2003