NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES: Effective date 10/1/2022
The privacy of your health information is very important to us. We are committed to protecting the personal information of all our patients. A medical record is prepared and maintained by our office on all patients to fulfill legal requirements and to ensure quality of care. This notice describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
YOUR RIGHTS
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains those rights and some of our responsibilities to help you. You have the right to:
- Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record: You can ask to see or get a copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this. We will provide a copy or summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
- Ask us to correct your medical record: You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this. We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.
- Request confidential communications: You can ask us to contact you in a specific way or to send mail to another address. We will say yes to all reasonable requests. Requests may need to be in writing.
- Ask us to limit what we use or share: You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care. If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.
- Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information: You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We will provide one accounting a year for free, but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.
- Get a copy of this privacy notice: You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.
- Choose someone to act for you: If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will make sure the person has the authority and can act for you before we take any action.
- File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated: You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information below. You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint
YOUR CHOICES
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
- In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
- Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
- Share information in a disaster relief situation
- Include your information in a hospital directory
If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
- In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission:
- Marketing purposes
- Sale of your information
- Most sharing of psychotherapy notes
In the case of fundraising, we may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:
- Treatment: We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.
- Run our organization: We can use your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
- Payment: We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. Limited information can be disclosed to a collection agency if necessary to collect payment for services rendered. Workers’ compensation claims are subject to the laws set forth by the state and may require the release of protected health information for claims to be paid.
- Electronic Medical Records: We utilize a third-party software vendor to maintain and store all confidential electronic medical records (“EMR”).
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways- usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We are required to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.
- Help with public health and safety issue: We can share health information about you for certain situations such as: preventing disease, helping with product recalls, reporting adverse reactions to medications, reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, and preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.
- Research: We can use or share your information for health research.
- Comply with the law: We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we are compliant with federal privacy law.
- Respond to organ and tissue donation requests: We can share information about you with organ procurement organizations.
- Work with a medical examiner or funeral director: We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.
- Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests: We can use or share health information about you: for workers’ compensation claims, for law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official, with health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, and for special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services.
- Respond to lawsuits and legal actions: We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
- Notification: Health information may be released to notify or to help a family member, a personal representative, or another person responsible for your care regarding your location, your general condition, or your death. If you are present and able, your consent to this will be obtained and documented. In case of emergency, and if unable to give consent, only the medical information that is necessary for treatment will be disclosed subject to our professional judgment.
- Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence: We may disclose health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that a person is a possible victim of abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or other similar crimes. In such a case, the sharing of information is to prevent a serious threat or to maintain health and safety for you or another.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
- We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html
Changes to the Terms of this Notice: We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.
For complaints or additional information contact:
Lewen Cosmetic Center
Attn: HIPPA Compliance Officer
20803 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 110
Aventura, FL 33180
info@lewencosmetic.com