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Notice of Privacy Practices

 

PHYZIO’s Commitment to Your Privacy

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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.

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PHYZIO is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your protected health information (‘PHI’). PHI is information about you that may be used to identify you (such as your name, social security number or address), and that relates to (a) your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, (b) the provision of healthcare to you, or (c) your past, present, or future payment for the provision of healthcare. In conducting its business, PHYZIO will receive and create records containing your PHI. PHYZIO is required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI.

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PHYZIO must abide by the terms of this Notice while it is in effect. This current Notice takes effect on October 15, 2014 and will remain in effect until PHYZIO replaces it. PHYZIO reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, as long as the changes are in compliance with applicable law. If PHYZIO changes the terms of this Notice, the new terms will apply to all PHI that it maintains, including PHI that was created or received before such changes were made. If PHYZIO changes this Notice, it will post the new Notice on its Web site and will make the new Notice available upon request.

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Uses and Disclosures of PHI

 

PHYZIO may use and disclose your PHI in the following ways:

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Treatment, Payment and Healthcare Operations. PHYZIO is permitted to use and disclose your PHI for purposes of (a) treatment, (b) payment and (c) healthcare operations. For example:

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  • Treatment. PHYZIO may disclose your PHI to another physician or healthcare provider for purposes of a visit or in connection with the provision of follow-up treatment.

  • Payment. PHYZIO may use and disclose your PHI to your health insurer or health plan in connection with the processing and payment of claims and other charges.

  • Healthcare Operations. PHYZIO may use and disclose your PHI in connection with its healthcare operations, such as providing customer services and conducting quality review assessments. PHYZIO may engage third parties to provide various services for PHYZIO. If any such third party must have access to your PHI in order to perform its services, PHYZIO will require that third party to enter an agreement that binds the third party to the use and disclosure restrictions outlined in this Notice.

  • Authorization. PHYZIO is permitted to use and disclose your PHI upon your written authorization, to the extent such use or disclosure is consistent with your authorization. You may revoke any such authorization at any time.

  • As Required by Law. PHYZIO may use and disclose your PHI to the extent required by law.

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Special Circumstances

 

The following categories describe unique circumstances in which PHYZIO may use or disclose your PHI:

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  • Public Health Activities. PHYZIO may disclose your PHI to public health authorities or other governmental authorities for purposes including preventing and controlling disease, reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting domestic violence and reporting to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the quality, safety and effectiveness of a regulated product or activity. PHYZIO may, in certain circumstances disclose PHI to persons who have been exposed to a communicable disease or may otherwise be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition.

  • Workers’ Compensation. PHYZIO may disclose your PHI as authorized by, and to the extent necessary to comply with, workers’ compensation programs and other similar programs relating to work-related illnesses or injuries.

  • Health Oversight Activities. PHYZIO may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for authorized activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing and disciplinary actions relating to the healthcare system or government benefit programs.

  • Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. PHYZIO may disclose your PHI, in certain circumstances, as permitted by applicable law, in response to an order from a court or administrative agency, or in response to a subpoena or discovery request.

  • Law Enforcement. PHYZIO may, under certain circumstances, disclose your PHI to a law enforcement official, such as for purposes of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person.

  • Decedents. PHYZIO may, under certain circumstances, disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors for purposes such as identification, determining the cause of death and fulfilling duties relating to decedents.

  • Organ Procurement. PHYZIO may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI for the purposes of organ donation and transplantation.

  • Research. PHYZIO may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI that is necessary for research purposes.

  • Threat to Health or Safety. PHYZIO may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI if necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.

  • Specialized Government Functions. PHYZIO, may in certain situations, use and disclose PHI of persons who are, or were, in the Armed Forces for purposes such as ensuring proper execution of a military mission or determining entitlement to benefits. PHYZIO may also disclose PHI to federal officials for intelligence and national security purposes.

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Your Rights Regarding Your PHI

 

You have the following rights regarding the PHI maintained by PHYZIO:

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  • Confidential Communication. You have the right to receive confidential communications of your PHI. You may request that PHYZIO communicate with you through alternate means or at an alternate location, and PHYZIO will accommodate your reasonable requests. You must submit your request in writing to PHYZIO.

  • Restrictions. You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of PHI for treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You also have the right to request that PHYZIO restrict its disclosures of PHI to only certain individuals involved in your care or the payment of your care. You must submit your request in writing to PHYZIO. PHYZIO is not required to comply with your request. However, if PHYZIO agrees to comply with your request, it will be bound by such agreement, except when otherwise required by law or in the event of an emergency.

  • Inspection and Copies. You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. You must submit your request in writing to PHYZIO. PHYZIO may impose a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor and supplies associated with your request. PHYZIO may deny your request to inspect and/or copy your PHI in certain limited circumstances. If that occurs, PHYZIO will inform you of the reason for the denial, and you may request a review of the denial.

  • Amendment. You have a right to request that PHYZIO amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is maintained by PHYZIO. You must submit your request in writing to PHYZIO and provide a reason to support the requested amendment. PHYZIO may, under certain circumstances, deny your request by sending you a written notice of denial. If PHYZIO denies your request, you will be permitted to submit a statement of disagreement for inclusion in your records.

  • Accounting of Disclosures. You have a right to receive an accounting of all disclosures PHYZIO has made of your PHI. However, that right does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment or healthcare operations, disclosures made to you about your treatment, disclosures made pursuant to an authorization, and certain other disclosures. You must submit your request in writing to PHYZIO and you must specify the time period involved (which must be for a period of time less than six years from the date of the disclosure). Your first accounting will be free of charge. However, PHYZIO may charge you for the costs involved in fulfilling any additional request made within a period of 12 months. PHYZIO will inform you of such costs in advance, so that you may withdraw or modify your request to save costs.

  • Breach Notification. You have the right to be notified in the event that PHYZIO (or a PHYZIO Business Associate) discovers a breach of unsecured PHI.

  • Paper Copy. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice from PHYZIO at any time upon request. To obtain a paper copy of this notice, please contact PHYZIO by calling 512.266.1000.

  • Complaint. You may complain to PHYZIO and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services if you believe that your privacy rights have been violated. To file a complaint with PHYZIO, you must submit a statement in writing to PHYZIO: Attn: Security Officer, 3310 W BRAKER LN, BLDG 2-300 – Box 745, Austin, TX 78758-7854. PHYZIO will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

  • Further Information. If you would like more information about your privacy rights, please contact PHYZIO by calling 512.266.1000 and ask to speak to the Privacy and Security Officer. To the extent you are required to send a written request to PHYZIO to exercise any right described in this Notice, you must submit your request to PHYZIO at: Attn: Security Officer, 3310 W BRAKER LN, BLDG 2-300 – Box 745, Austin, TX 78758-7854.

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