Notice of Privacy Practices

HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES I.  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.

1. IT IS MY LEGAL DUTY TO SAFEGUARD YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI). By law I am required to ensure that your PHI is kept private.  The PHI constitutes information created or noted by me that can be used to identify you.  It contains data about your past, present, or future health or condition, the provision of health care services to you, or the payment for such health care.  I am required to provide you with this Notice about my privacy procedures. This Notice must explain when, why, and how I would use and/or disclose your PHI. Use of PHI means when I share, apply, utilize, examine, or analyze information within my practice; PHI is disclosed when I release, transfer, give, or otherwise reveal it to a third party outside my practice. With some exceptions, I may not use or disclose more of your PHI than is necessary to accomplish the purpose for which the use or disclosure is made; however, I am always legally required to follow the privacy practices described in this Notice.
2. HOW I WILL USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PHI. I will use and disclose your PHI for many several reasons. Some of the uses or disclosures will require your prior written authorization; others, however, will not. Below you will find the distinct categories of my uses and disclosures, with some examples. 
3. Uses and Disclosures Related to Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations Do Not Require Your Prior Written Consent. Nevertheless, I will provide you with it in specific instances, as described below: 1. For treatment. I may disclose your PHI to psychiatrists, psychologists. Example: If a psychiatrist is treating you, I may disclose your PHI to her/him to coordinate your care. I will inform you of such disclosures and obtain your written consent. 2. For health care operations. I may disclose your PHI to facilitate the efficient and correct operation of my practice. Example: My secretarial staff preparing client charts.  No written consent is necessary.   3. To obtain payment for treatment. I may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the treatment and services I provided you. Example: I might send your PHI to your insurance company or health plan to get payment for the health care services that I have provided to you. I could also provide your PHI to business associates, such as my secretarial staff, which process health care claims for my office.  No written consent is necessary. 4. Other disclosures.   Examples:  Your consent isn’t required if you need emergency treatment if I attempt to get your consent after treatment is rendered. In the event that I try to get your consent, but you are unable to communicate with me (for example, if you are unconscious or in severe pain) but I think that you would consent to such treatment if you could, I may disclose your PHI.
4. Certain Other Uses and Disclosures Do Not Require Your Consent. I may use and/or disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization for the following reasons: 1. When disclosure is required by federal, state, or local law; judicial, board, or administrative proceedings; or, law enforcement. Example: I may make a disclosure to the appropriate officials when a law requires me to report information to government agencies, law enforcement personnel and/or in an administrative proceeding. 2. If disclosure is compelled by a party to a proceeding before a court of an administrative agency pursuant to its lawful authority. 3. If disclosure is required by a search warrant lawfully issued to a governmental law enforcement agency. 4. If disclosure is compelled by the patient or the patient’s representative pursuant to Florida Health and Safety Codes or to corresponding federal statutes of regulations, such as the Privacy Rule that requires this Notice. 5. To avoid harm. I may provide PHI to law enforcement personnel or persons able to prevent or mitigate a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public. 6. If disclosure is compelled or permitted by the fact that you are in such mental or emotional condition as to be dangerous to yourself or the person or property of others, and if I determine that disclosure is necessary to prevent the threatened danger. 7. If disclosure is mandated by the Florida Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting law. For example, if I have a reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect. 8. If disclosure is mandated by the Florida Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse Reporting law.  For example, if I have a reasonable suspicion of elder abuse or dependent adult abuse. 9. If disclosure is compelled or permitted by the fact that you tell me of a serious/imminent threat of physical violence by you against a reasonably identifiable victim or victims. 10. For public health activities.  Example: In the event of your death, if a disclosure is permitted or compelled, I may need to give the county coroner information about you.

 III. WHAT RIGHTS YOU HAVE REGARDING YOUR PHI These are your rights with respect to your PHI: A. The Right to See and review.  I will also explain your right to have my denial reviewed.  A. The Right to Request Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI. You have the right to ask that I limit how I use and disclose your PHI. While I will consider your request, I am not legally bound to agree. If I do agree to your request, I will put those limits in writing and abide by them except in emergency situations. You do not have the right to limit the uses and disclosures that I am legally required or permitted to make.

20201. HOW TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY PRIVACY PRACTICES If, in your opinion, I may have violated your privacy rights, or if you object to a decision I made about access to your PHI, you are entitled to file a complaint with the person listed in Section VI below. You may also send a written complaint to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at 200 Independence Avenue S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201. If you file a complaint about my privacy practices, I will take no retaliatory action against you.
20202. PERSON TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS NOTICE OR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY PRIVACY PRACTICES If you have any questions about this notice or any complaints about my privacy practices, or would like to know how to file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, please contact me at:

3391 W Vine St Suite 303, Kissimmee, FL 34741

407-962-7449/ 407-483-6516

 VII. EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOIICE This notice went into effect on April 14, 2003.