Effective April 14, 2003
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.
Our practice is required by law to protect the privacy of the information we have about your (PHI). We collect information about you when we provide treatment and services to you. We must give you this Notice of how the law allows us to use and share your health information and what your rights are.
HOW WE MAY USE AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
Our practice uses and shares information about you in operating our practice. This information includes such information as your name, address, personal facts, medical history, and medical care given to you (IIHI).
We use this information and share it with others for the following reason:
- For treatment: We will share information with doctors, hospitals, laboratories and others in order to get you the care you need.
- For payment: We share information with your health plans in order to bill for your care.
- For health care operations: We may use information in your health records to judge the quality of care given to you. We may also use this information in audits or fraud investigations, or for planning and general administration.
SOME OTHER WAYS WE MAY SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
The law also allows us to use or give out information we have about you for the following purposes:
- To contact you about your appointment
- To inform you of treatment options
- To inform you of health related services
- To release information to your family/friends involved in your care
- For public health activities, such as reporting disease outbreaks
- For judicial and administrative proceedings, such as lawsuits
- For limited law enforcement purposes, such as to locate a missing person
- For research studies that meet all privacy law requirements
- To avoid a serious and immediate threat to health and safety
- For national security activities
- To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors
- For organ donations
- For purposes required by law
- To agencies that oversee the health care system, for audits or investigations
- In appeals of decisions about health care claims paid or denied
- To the federal government when it audits our privacy policy and procedures
- To other government agencies that provide public benefits
- To military authorities
- To create a collection of information which can no longer be traced back to you
We may give out information about you to organizations which help us in our operations, such as billing and collection of claims. If we do so, we will make sure that they protect the privacy of information we share with them.
Some state laws limit the string of information described above. For example, there are special laws, which protect informatlon about HIV status, mental health treatment, developmental disabilities, and drugl/alcohol abuse treatment. We will obey these laws.
WHEN WRITTEN PERMISSION IS NEEDED
Before our practice will use your personal health information for any reason not listed above, we will get written permission from you. If you do give us written permission to use or share your information for other reasons, you may take back your permission in writing at any time.
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW?
- You have the right to ask us not to use or share your personal health care information in the ways described above. We may not be able to agree with your request.
- You have the right to ask us to contact you only in writing or at a different address or telephone number. We will accept reasonable requests when necessary to protect your safety.
- You and your personal representative have the right to see and copy personal, medical and billing information, but not psychotherapy notes that we have about you. You will be charged a fee for the costs of copying and mailing records. We may keep you from seeing all or part of the records for reasons allowed by law. If we do, we will give you information on how to file an appeal of our decision.
- If you believe that certain information in our records about you is wrong, you have the right to ask us to amend the records. We may deny your request if the information is not created or kept by us or is already accurate and complete.
- You have the right to request a list of times when we have shared your health information after April 14, 2003. The list will tell you whom we shared information with, when, for what reasons, and what information was shared. The list will not include when we gave information to you, or with your permission, or shared it for treatment, payment or health care operations.
- You have a right to get a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices when you request it.
HOW DO YOU CONTACT US TO USE YOUR RIGHTS OR TO COMPLAIN?
If you want to use any of the privacy rights explained in this Notice, or if you believe that we have not protected your privacy and wish to complain, you may file a written complaint with our office. Please write us at:
Hai-En Peng, D.P.M.
Attn: Privacy Officer
425 Haaland Dr.
Suite 201
Thousand Oaks, CA 91361
You may also contact the Secretary of DHHS. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
CHANGES TO NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
We must obey the Notice in effect on April 14, 2003. We have the right to change our privacy practices. If we do make any changes, we will revise this Notice and post it in a visible location in our office at all times.
Hai-En Peng, D.P.M.
Podiatry
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