Privacy Notice
Triangle Aftercare
Durham Location:
105 W. NC Hwy. 54, Ste. 267
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 544-1336
FAX (919) 806-3397Roxboro Location:
24 Gordon St.
Roxboro, NC 27573
(336) 599-7930
FAX (336) 599-4595
Notice of Privacy Practices
As Required by the Privacy Regulations Promulgated Pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO YOUR IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.
A. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
Our organization is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your identifiable health information. In conducting our business, we will create records regarding you and the treatment and services we provide to you. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies you. We also are required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices concerning your identifiable health information. By law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices that we have in effect at the time.
To summarize, this notice provides you with the following important information:
- How we may use and disclose your identifiable health information
- Your privacy rights in your identifiable health information
- Our obligations concerning the use and disclosure of your identifiable health information
The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your identifiable health information that are created or retained by our business. We reserve the right to revise or amend our notice of privacy practice. Any revisions or amendment to this notice will be effective for all of your records that our business has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records we may create or maintain in the future. Our organization will post a copy of our current notice in our offices in a prominent location, and you may request a copy of our most current notice during any office visit.
B. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS NOTICE, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jodi Stone
24 Gordon Street
Roxboro, NC 27573
336-599-7930
C. WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS
- Treatment: Our organization may use your identifiable health information to treat you or assist others in your treatment. Additionally, we may disclose your identifiable health information to others who may assist in your care, such as your physician, therapist, spouse, children, or parents.
- Payment: Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information in order to bill and collect payment for the services and items you may receive from us.
- Health Care Operations: Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information to operate our business, for example we may use your health information to evaluate the quality of care you received from us.
- Appointment Reminders: Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information to contact you and remind you of visits/deliveries.
- Health-Related Benefits and Service: Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable information to inform you of health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.
- Release of Information to Family/Friends: Our organization may release your identifiable health information to a friend or family member who is helping you pay for your health care or who assists in taking care of you.
- Disclosures Required by Law: Our organization will use and disclose your identifiable health information when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
D. USE AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION IN CERTAIN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
1. Public Health Risks: Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to public health authorities who are authorized by law to collect information for the purpose of:
- Reporting child abuse or neglect
- Preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability
- Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease
- Notifying a person regarding a potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition
- Reporting reactions to drugs or problems with products or devices
- Notifying individuals if a product or device they may be using has been recalled
- Notifying appropriate government agency (ies) and authority (ies) regarding the potential abuse or neglect if an adult patient (including domestic violence); however, we will only disclose this information if the patient agrees or we are required or authorized by law to disclose this information
- Notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance.
2. Health Oversight Activities: Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law.
3. Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings: Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information in response to a court or administrative order if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding.
4. Law Enforcement: We may release identifiable health information if asked to do so by law enforcement official.
5. Serious Threats to Health or Safety: Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public.
6. Military: Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information if you are a member of
7. National Security: Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized by law.
8. Inmates: Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under the custody of a law enforcement official.
9. Workers’ Compensation: Our organization may release your identifiable health information for workers’ compensation and similar programs.
E. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION
1. Confidential Communication: You have the right to request that our organization communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular manner or at a certain location. For instance, you may ask that we contact you at home, rather than work. Any request must specify the method of contact or the location where you wish to be contacted. Our organization will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not need to give a reason for your request.
2. Requesting Restriction: You have the right to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your identifiable health information for treatment, payment or health care operations. Additionally, you have the right to request that we limit our disclosure of your identifiable health information to individuals involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as family members and friends. We are not required to agree to your request; however, if we do agree, we are bound by our agreement except when otherwise required by law, in emergencies, or when the information is necessary to treat you. Your request must describe in a clear and concise fashion: (a) the information you wish restricted; (b) whether you are requesting to limit our business’s use, disclosure, or both; and (c) to whom you want the limits to apply.
3. Inspection and Copies: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the identifiable health information that may be used to make decisions about you, includingpatient medical records and billing records. Our organization may change a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor, and supplies associated with your request. Our business may deny your request to inspect and/or copy in certain limited circumstances, however, you may request a review of our denial. Another licensed health care professional chosen by us will conduct reviews.
4. Amendment: You may ask us to amend your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for our organization. You must provide us with a reason that supports your request for amendment. Our organization will deny your request if you fail to submit your request (and the reason supporting your request) in writing. Also we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that is: (a) accurate and complete; (b) not part of the identifiable health information kept by the organization; (c) not part of the identifiable health information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or (d) not created by our organization, unless the individual or entity that created the information is not available to amend the information.
5. Accounting of Disclosures: All of our patients have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures”. An “accounting of disclosures” is a list of certain disclosures our organization has made of your identifiable health information. All requests for an “accounting of disclosures” must state a time period, which may not be longer than six (6) years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. The first list you request within a 12-month period is free of charge, but our business may charge you for additional lists within the same 12-month period. Our organization will notify you of the costs involved with additional requests, and you may withdraw your request before you incur any costs.
6. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You are entitled to receive a paper copy of our notice of privacy practice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time.
7. Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our organization or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with our organization, contact Triangle Aftercare Attn: Jodi Stone or Marcia Ladd, 24 Gordon St., Roxboro, NC 27573. All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
8. Rights to Provide an Authorization for Other Uses and Disclosures: Our organization will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures that are not identified by this notice or permitted by applicable law. Any authorization you provide to us regarding the use and disclosure of your identifiable health information may be revoked at any time in writing. After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your identifiable health information for the reasons described in the authorization. Please note, we are required to retain records of your care.
All the above requests should be addressed to the privacy officer listed on page one of this document.
