Notice of Privacy Practices

Notice of Privacy Practices

Allergies, Aches & Pains Chiropractic & Acupuncture Center is committed to protecting your medical information. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (“PHI”) for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and other purposes permitted or required by law.

Protected Health Information (“PHI”) includes information about your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, healthcare services provided to you, and demographic information that may identify you.

Uses & Disclosures of Protected Health Information

Your PHI may be used and disclosed by your physician, office staff, and others involved in your care and treatment for purposes including treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and other uses permitted by law.

Treatment

We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. This may include coordination with other healthcare providers involved in your care.

Payment

Your PHI may be used as necessary to obtain payment for healthcare services provided to you. For example, insurance approval for services may require disclosure of relevant health information to your health plan.

Healthcare Operations

We may use or disclose your PHI to support the business activities and operations of the practice. These activities may include:

• Quality assessment activities
• Employee review and training
• Licensing and compliance activities
• Appointment reminders
• Administrative and operational functions related to patient care

We may also call patients by name in the waiting room or contact patients regarding appointments when necessary.

Other Permitted Uses & Disclosures

We may use or disclose your PHI without authorization when permitted or required by law, including:

• Public health reporting
• Communicable disease reporting
• Health oversight activities
• Abuse or neglect reporting
• Legal proceedings
• Law enforcement requests
• Workers’ compensation matters
• Research when legally permitted
• National security or military activities
• Compliance investigations by the Department of Health & Human Services

Authorizations

Uses or disclosures of medical information beyond those described in this Notice generally require your written authorization.

You may revoke a previously provided authorization in writing at any time, except where action has already been taken in reliance on that authorization.

To request authorization or revocation forms, please contact our office.

Your Rights Regarding Medical Information

You have the following rights regarding your PHI:

Right to Request Restrictions

You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your medical information. While we are not required to agree to all requests, we will comply when required by law or when approved.

Right to Confidential Communications

You may request that we communicate with you through specific methods or locations to help maintain confidentiality.

Right to Access Records

You generally have the right to inspect and obtain copies of your medical records, subject to certain legal exceptions and reasonable copying fees.

Right to Request Amendments

You may request corrections or amendments to your medical records if you believe information is inaccurate or incomplete. Certain requests may be denied as permitted by law.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a record of certain disclosures of your PHI made by the practice during the previous six years, excluding disclosures related to treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and certain other permitted disclosures.

Right to a Paper Copy

You may request a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.

Right to File a Complaint

You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. Filing a complaint will not affect your care in any way.

Privacy Officer & Complaints

To file a complaint or request additional information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

You may also file complaints with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Revisions to This Notice

Allergies, Aches & Pains Chiropractic & Acupuncture Center reserves the right to revise this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. Updated notices will be made available at the office and upon request.