HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
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.
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
The Therapy Network (TTN) protects the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). We are required to maintain the privacy and security of PHI, provide this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. This notice applies to health information maintained by TTN in connection with its healthcare services.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use or disclose PHI without your written authorization when permitted or required by applicable law, including:
Treatment. To provide, coordinate, or manage your physical therapy care; consult with referring physicians and other providers; and coordinate referrals or follow-up care.
Payment. To verify benefits, submit insurance claims, obtain authorization, collect payment, and conduct billing activities.
Healthcare operations. For quality assessment, staff training, auditing, compliance, business administration, and other permitted operational purposes.
Appointment reminders and care information. To remind you about appointments and provide information about treatment alternatives or other health-related services, as permitted by law.
People involved in your care. Subject to your opportunity to agree or object where required, we may share relevant PHI with family members, friends, or others involved in your care or payment for care. In emergencies, we may use professional judgment as permitted by law.
Incidental disclosures. Reasonable incidental disclosures may occur despite safeguards, such as calling your name in a waiting room or using a properly managed sign-in sheet.
Other legally permitted or required disclosures. These may include public health and communicable disease reporting, health oversight, abuse or neglect reporting, Food and Drug Administration reporting, judicial or administrative proceedings, law enforcement, coroners and medical examiners, organ donation, approved research, serious threats to health or safety, certain military or national security activities, workers’ compensation, and disclosures required by law. Each disclosure is subject to applicable conditions and Virginia and federal law. For example, we may report certain communicable diseases to a public health authority when authorized by law.
Disaster relief and emergencies. We may share limited information as permitted to assist in emergencies or disaster relief.
Fundraising. If we contact you for fundraising using information permitted by law, you may opt out of future fundraising communications. Special consent rules apply to fundraising using records protected by 42 CFR Part 2.
USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
We will obtain your written authorization when required, including for most uses and disclosures of physical therapy notes, uses or disclosures for marketing that require authorization, the sale of PHI, and uses or disclosures not otherwise described or permitted by law. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it. Information disclosed with your authorization may be redisclosed by the recipient and may no longer be protected by HIPAA, unless another law applies.
ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Some substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records are protected by 42 CFR Part 2. If TTN receives or maintains Part 2 records, special rules may apply. With a valid patient consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations, certain Part 2 records may be used and disclosed for those purposes as allowed by law; HIPAA-covered recipients may generally redisclose them as HIPAA permits, except for use in proceedings against the patient. Part 2 records, or testimony describing their contents, generally cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against a patient without the patient’s specific written consent or a qualifying court order and subpoena or similar legal mandate. Where required, we will obtain separate consent for uses or disclosures of Part 2 records for fundraising and give patients a clear opportunity to opt out of fundraising communications. When TTN maintains such records, applicable Part 2 restrictions and consent requirements take precedence over otherwise permitted HIPAA disclosures.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with the individual’s written authorization. You may revoke (take back) an authorization you had previously provided by giving us written notice. In that case, we will cease using or disclosing your information for the purpose you had authorized. However, we are unable to retract or invalidate any uses or disclosures made with your permission before you revoked your authorization. The following are some examples of uses or disclosures that require your authorization:
Access and copies. You may request to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of records in the designated record set, subject to limited exceptions. Reasonable, legally permitted fees may apply.
Amendment. You may request correction of information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. If a request is denied, you may have the right to submit a statement of disagreement.
Restrictions. You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures. We are generally not required to agree, except that we must honor a qualifying request not to disclose PHI to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations when you have paid in full out of pocket for the relevant service, unless disclosure is required by law.
Confidential communications. You may request that we contact you by an alternative method or at another location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures of your information, subject to legal exceptions. If applicable, additional accounting rights for Part 2 records will be honored as required by law.
Paper copy. You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Breach notification. You have the right to receive notification following a breach of unsecured PHI when notification is required by law.
Complaints. You may complain to TTN or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. TTN will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
TTN must protect your PHI, notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI as required by law, and follow this notice. We may revise our practices and make revised terms effective for all PHI we maintain. We will make the updated notice available at each clinic, upon request, and on our website.
QUESTIONS, REQUESTS, AND COMPLAINTS
Privacy contact: Amanda Dowdy, PT, DPT, Cert MDT, Chief Executive Officer, The Therapy Network. Phone: 757-474-7490. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.thetherapynetwork.com. You may contact this office to exercise your rights, request this notice, or file a complaint. For mailed privacy requests or complaints: The Therapy Network, Attn: Privacy Contact, 1444 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights: www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints.
The Therapy Network | Outpatient Physical Therapy | Serving Hampton Roads, Virginia