This Notice of Privacy practices describes how we may use and disclose protected health information to carry out payment and health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes individual rights to access and control protected health information. "Protected Health Information" is information about individuals, including demographic information, that may identify the individual and that relates your past, present or future physical or mental health condition and related health care services.

We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy practices. We may change the terms of our notice, at any time. The new notice will be effective for all protected health information that we maintain at that time. Upon your request, we will provide you with any revised Notice of Privacy practices by calling the office and requesting that a revised copy be sent to you in the mail.

1.   Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information

Permitted Uses or Disclosures without your Consent or Authorization.
Protected health information may be used and disclosed to pay health care bills and to support the operation of this office. The following are examples of how this office may disclose protected health information. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive, but to describe the types of uses and disclosures that may be made by our office.

Payment: Protected health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for health care services.

Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose, as needed, protected health information in order to support the business activities of this office. This may involve quality assessment, employee review and licensing.

We will share protected health information with third party business associates that perform various activities such as billing and collections. Whenever an arrangement between our office and a business associate involves the use or disclosure of protected health information, we will have a written contract that contains terms that will protect the privacy of protected health information.

Uses and Disclosures of Protected health Information Based Upon Written

Authorization. Other uses and disclosures of protected health information will be made only with written authorization of the patient, unless otherwise permitted or required by law as described below.

Other permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures that May Be Made With Authorization or Opportunity to Object. We may use and disclose protected health information in the following instances. We will give the patient the opportunity to agree or object to the use or disclosure of all or part of his or her protected health information.

Required By Law: We may use or disclose protected health information to the extent use or disclosure is required by law. The use or disclosure will be made in compliance with the law and will be limited to the relevant requirements of the law.

Public Health: We may disclose protected health information for public health activities and purposes to a public health authority that is permitted by law to collect or receive the information.

Health Oversight: We may disclose protected health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections.

Legal Proceedings: We may disclose protected health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding, in response to an order of court or administrative tribunal, in certain conditions in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.

Law Enforcement: We may also disclose protected health information, so long as applicable legal requirements are met, for law enforcement purposes.

Criminal Activity: Consistent with applicable federal and state laws, we may disclose your protected health information, if we believe that the use or disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person of the public. We may also disclose protected health information if it is necessary for law enforcement activities to identify or apprehend and individual.

2.   Patient Rights

When an individual requests the right to inspect and copy our protected health information. A patient requesting access to their own health records will be referred to their treating physician. Access to HealthMed, Inc's records will only be permitted when the request is to view records actually produced by HealthMed, Inc. however billing histories and records may be provided to assist in obtaining payment for medical services.

When an individual requests a restriction of protected health information: This means that a patient may ask us not to use or disclose any part of protected health information for the purpose of payment or healthcare operations. All such requests will be referred to the treating physician.

When a patient requests to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. We will accommodate reasonable requests. The request must be in writing.

When a patient requests an amendment to protected health information. All such requests shall be referred to the treating physician.

The patient has the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of protected health information. This right applies to disclosures for purposes other than payment or healthcare operation as described in this Notice of Privacy practices. It excludes disclosures we made to the patient, family members or friends, or for notification purposes. HealthMed, Inc. will maintain a log of all such disclosures and provide them to the patient upon request.

3.   Complaints

Anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging a breach of patient privacy may contact our privacy officer Judy R. Cardenas for further information about the complaint process.

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