Effective Date: December 16, 2020
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.
Care Medical, P.C. (“Care Medical”) keeps a record of medical information that you provide to us and medical information related to the health care services we provide to you. Medical information means any information that (1) identifies you and (2) relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, treatment, or payment for treatment. Medical information includes your medical history, diagnoses, treatments, current medical condition, and use of prescription medications.
If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact the Care Medical Privacy Officer using the contact information listed below.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your medical information.
We will notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your medical information.
We must follow the duties and practices described in this Notice and provide you with a copy.
We typically use or share your medical information in the following ways.
For Treatment: We use your medical information to provide you with health care services. We may disclose your medical information to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other persons who need the information to take care of you. For example, your doctor may refer you to a specialist and share your relevant medical information as part of that referral.
For Health Care Operations: We use and share your medical information to run our practice and contact you when necessary. These uses and disclosures help us operate Care Medical and improve patient care. For example, we may use your medical information to evaluate the performance of our clinical staff and review how we can continuously improve our delivery of health care services to you. Similarly, we may use your medical information to contact you in order to provide you prescription delivery services.
For Payment: We can use and share your medical information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. For example, we may provide your medical information to your health plan so it will pay for the health care services that we provided to you.
We may share your medical information in other ways as permitted by HIPAA. For example, we may also use and disclose your medical information without your written authorization as follows:
Business Associates. We may contract with third parties to perform certain services for us, such as accounting services, consulting services, or information technology services. In some cases, these third party service providers, called Business Associates, may need to access your medical information to perform the services. Business Associates are required by law and contract to protect your medical information.
Disclosures to Parents or Legal Guardians. We may release a minor’s medical information to their parents or legal guardians consistent with applicable laws.
Public Health and Safety. We may share your medical information for certain situations such as preventing disease; helping with product recalls; reporting adverse reactions to medications; reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; or preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.
Research. We may use your medical information to conduct research or disclose it to researchers as authorized by applicable law.
Comply with the Law. We will disclose your medical information when required to do so by applicable law.
Organ and Tissue Donation. We may share your medical information with organizations engaged in the procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs for the purpose of tissue donation and transplant.
Military and Veterans. If you are a member or veteran of the armed forces, we may disclose your medical information as required by military authorities.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors. We may disclose your medical information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death.
Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose your medical information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, including audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure.
Legal Activities. We may share your medical information in response to a court or administrative order; a subpoena; a workers’ compensation claim; a law enforcement request; or in connection with special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services. If you are or become an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose your medical information to the institution or its agents for your health and the health and safety of others.
Health Information Exchange. We may participate in electronic exchange networks and some of the uses and disclosures of information described above may be done through electronic means, such as a Health Information Exchange. Other entities may access your medical information for treatment or other permitted uses.
Uses and disclosures of medical information that are not discussed by this Notice or required by law will only be made with your written permission. For example, your written authorization will typically be required for most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes and most uses and disclosures for marketing. Care Medical will not sell your medical information to others.
If you provide us authorization to use or disclose your medical information, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time by sending a revocation request to the address listed at the end of this Notice. If you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your medical information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on your authorization.
Your Rights Regarding Your Medical Information: When it comes to your medical information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you. To exercise any of these rights, please contact the Care Medical Privacy Officer at the address listed below.
Obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical information
You can ask to obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical information. If you do, we will provide a copy or a summary of your medical information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. You also have the right to have us send an electronic copy of your electronic medical record to a third party.
Request an amendment or correction to your medical information
If you feel that medical information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information by submitting a written request. You must provide a reason for your request. If we deny your request for an amendment, within 60 days we will provide you with a written explanation of why we denied it.
Request confidential communications
You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request limitations on our uses and disclosures of your medical information
You can ask us not to use or disclose certain medical 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. You may ask us not to disclose your medical information to an insurer, for the purpose of payment or our operations. We will agree if you have paid for the service in full and as long as we are not otherwise required to share that information.
Request an accounting of disclosures
You have a right to a listing of the disclosures we make of your medical information, except for those disclosures made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, or those disclosures made pursuant to your authorization. You may request an accounting of disclosures by contacting the Care Medical Privacy Officer using the contact information detailed below. We will not list disclosures made earlier than six years before your request. Your request should indicate the form in which you want the list (for example, on paper or electronically).
Receive a copy of this Notice
You may ask for a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive this 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 medical information. We will verify that the person has this 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 provided 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 their website.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
You can tell us your choices regarding certain uses and disclosures of your medical information. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, please contact us.
Individuals involved in your care
You have the choice to provide your preferences regarding sharing your medical information to family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
Disaster Relief
You have the choice to provide your preferences regarding sharing your medical information in disaster relief situations.
Note: If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may share your medical information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your medical information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
We may change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all of your medical information. The new notice will be available upon request and through the Amazon Care mobile application.
Care Medical Group Privacy Officer Contact Information
All correspondence related to this Notice of Privacy Practices must be submitted to the Privacy Officer at compliance-privacy@amazon.care or 1- 855-374-2594.