Privacy Policy
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW ALL OF THIS INFORMATION
Understanding your health record
A record is made each time you visit a hospital, physician, or other health care provider. Your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment and a plan for future care are recorded. This information is most often referred to as your “health and medical record”, and serves as a means of communication among any and all other health professionals who may contribute to your care.
Understanding what information is retained in your record and how that information may be used will help you to ensure its accuracy, and enable you to relate to who, what, when, and why others may be allowed access your health information. This effort is being made to assist us in making informed decisions before authorizing the disclosure of your medical information to others. Use or disclosure of your health information will follow the more stringent of state or Federal laws.
Understanding your health information rights
Your health record is the physical property of the health care practitioner or facility that compiled it but the content is about you, and therefore belongs to you. You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your information and to request that amendments be made to your health record. Request should be made in writing and a reason for the request provided. Our office will provide a written response within 60 days. Your right include being able to review or obtain a paper copy of your health information (a fee is applied), and to be given an account of all disclosures.
Records are stored for a period of six years and you have a right to access your health information for that time period. You may also request that communications of your health information be made by alternative means or to alternative means or to alternative locations. Other than activity that has already occurred, you may revoke any further authorization disclosure to use or disclosure to use or disclose your health information.
Our responsibilities
This office is required to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with notice of our legal commitment and privacy practices with respect to the information we collect and maintain about you. This office is required to abide by terms of this notice and to notify you if we are unable to grant your requested restrictions or reasonable desires to communicate your health information by alternative means or to alternative locations.
This office also reserves the right to change its practices and effect new provisions that enhance the privacy standards of all patient medical information. In the event that changes are made, this office will notify you at the current address provided on your medical file.
Other than for reason described in this notice, this office agrees not to use or disclose your health information without your authorization.
To receive additional information or report a problem
For further explanation of this notice, you may contact Mr. Ojo at 410-233-1088. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with this office by contacting the individual above or by contacting the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with no fear or retaliation by this office (i.e. your right to continue treatment will not be compromised). Your complaint must be written or in electronic format. It must include the health care provider contact information and the nature of the violation. You must also file the complaints within 180 days of knowing or perceived knowing that the act or omission occurred. You may also contact the office of Civil Rights at 866-OCR-PRIV.
Client Communication/security camera recording
Clients will be contacted via email and/or text messages on file for appointment reminders, quality assurance check or to obtain service feedback or other related information about their healthcare services.
The practice does not charge for this service, but standard text messaging rates may apply as provided in your wireless plan (contact your carrier for pricing plans and details).
Clients consent to videotaping recordings (with or without audio) on the website. This consent does not include videotaping/recording of therapy sessions or for tele-psych. (There is a separate consent form for tele- psych).
Your health information will be used for treatment, payment and health care operations
Treatment – Information obtained by your health care practitioner in this office will be recorded in your medical record and used to determine the course of treatment that should work best for you. This consists of your physician recording his/her own expectations and those of others involved in providing your care. The sharing of your health information may progress to others involved in your care, such as specialty physicians and technicians.
Payment – Your health care information will be used in order to receive payment for services rendered by this office. A bill may be sent to either you or a third party payer with an accompanying documentation that identifies you, your diagnosis, procedures performed and supplies used.
Health Care Operations – The medical staff in this office will use your health information to assess the care that you received and the outcome of your case compared to others like it. Your information may be reviewed for risk management or quality improvement purposes in our efforts to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the care and services we provide.
Understanding our office policy for specific disclosures
Business Associates – Some or all of our health information may be subject to disclosure through contract for service to assist this office in providing health care. For example it may be necessary to obtain information from your therapist or psychiatrist. To protect your health information, we require these Business Associates to follow some standards held by this office through terms detailed in a written agreement.
Notification – Your health record may be used to notify or assist members, personal representatives, or other persons responsible for your care to enhance your wellbeing or your whereabouts
Communication with family – Using best judgment, a family member, or close personal friend, identified by you may be given relevant to your care and /or recovery.
Marketing – This office reserves the right to contact you with appointment reminders (usually one business day prior to your appointment), or information about treatment alternatives and other health related benefits that may be appropriate to you.
Fundraising – This office reserves the right to contact you as part of fund raising efforts.
Worker’s Compensation – This office will release information to the extent authorized by law in matters of workers compensation.
Public Health – This office is required by law to disclose health information to public health and/or legal authorities charged with tracking reports of birth and morbidity. This office is further required by law to report communicable diseases, injury, and disability.
Correctional Facilities – This office will release medical information on incarcerated individuals to correctional agents or institutions for the necessary welfare of the individual or for the safety of other individuals. The rights outlined in this Notice of Privacy Practices will not be extended to incarcerated individuals.
Law enforcement –
- Your health information will be disclosed for law enforcement purposes as required under state law or in response to a valid subpoena.
- Provisions of federal law permit that disclosure of your health information to appropriate health oversight agencies, public health authorities, or attorneys in the event that a staff member or business associate of this office believes in good faith that there has been unlawful conduct or violations of professional or clinical standards that may endanger one or more patient, worker, or the general public.