Whitney Sleep Center’s 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. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by the practice, whether made by the practice or an associated facility.
Whitney Sleep Center uses your health information to treat you, to facilitate payment for services, to inform you of helpful services, and to meet government requirements. We have a duty to protect the privacy of your health information and to give you this Notice.
“Health information” means information about your past or present health status, condition, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, or payment for health care.
Restrictions on Use or Disclosure: This Notice describes some restrictions on how we can use and disclose your health information. You may ask us for extra limits on how we use or to whom we disclose the information. You need to make such a request in writing. We are not required to agree to your request.
If we do agree, we will follow the restriction except:
- if there is an emergency where the information is needed for your treatment
- if you give us written permission to use or disclose your information
- if you decide or we decide to end the restriction, or
- as otherwise required by law.
If you restrict us from providing information to your insurer, you also need to explain how you will pay for your treatments.
Patient Access: You have the right to inspect and copy health information that may be used to make decisions about your care, initially in the presence of a medical professional who is able to answer any questions. Usually this includes health and billing records. To request to look at or get copies of your health information you need to make your request in writing. If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies and services associated with your request.
Amendment: You may ask us to change certain health information if you feel that it is incorrect or incomplete. You need to make your request in writing. You must explain why the information should be changed. If your request is denied, we will send the denial in writing. This denial will include the reason and describe any steps you may take in response.
Right to Accounting Disclosures: You have the right to request a list accounting for any disclosures of your health information we have made, except for uses and disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations. You must submit your request in writing. If you ask for a list more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a fee for each extra list.
USES AND DISCLOSURES OF HEALTH INFORMATION
To provide you the best quality care, we have certain needs to use and disclose health information. We make all uses and disclosures according to our privacy policies and the law. We may use and disclose your health information as follows:
Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations:
We may use and disclose your health information for:
- treatment (includes working with another provider)
- payment (such as billing for services provided), and
- our health care operations. These are non-treatment and non-payment activities that let us run our business or provide services. These include quality assessment and improvement, reviewing the competence or qualifications of health professionals, and conducting training.
As Required By Law: We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
To Avoid a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.
People Involved in Your Care: We may disclose limited health information to people involved in your care (for example, a family member or emergency contact) or to help plan your care. If you do not want this information given out, it will not be shared. If appropriate, we may allow another person to pick up your medical supplies.
Military Authorities/National Security: We may disclose health information to authorized people form the U.S. military, foreign military and U.S. national security or protective services.
Public Health Risks: We may disclose health information about you for public health purposes, like:
- reporting and controlling disease, injury or disability
- reporting child abuse or neglect
- reporting reactions to medications or problems with products
- notifying people of recalls of products they may be using
- notifying a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for catching or spreading a disease or condition.
Health Oversight Activities:We may disclose health information to government, licensing, auditing and accrediting agencies for actions allowed or required by law.
Legal Process: We may disclose health information in response to a state or federal court order, legal orders, subpoenas or other legal documents.
Law Enforcement: We may disclose certain health information to law enforcement. This could be:
- about a missing child
- when there may have been a crime at the facility, or
- when there is a serious threat to the health or safety of another person or people.
Correctional Facility: We may disclose the health information of an inmate or other person in custody to law enforcement or a correctional institution.
With your authorization, we may use or disclose health information only with your written permission, except as described above. If you have given written permission, you may withdraw it at any time by notifying us in writing.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for health information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future.
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of our current Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.