Call: 412-885-2444

Privacy Notice

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

YOUR INFORMATION. YOUR RIGHTS. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Please review it carefully.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record
  • Correct your paper or electronic medical record
  • Request confidential communication
  • Ask us to limit the information we share
  • Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information
  • Get a copy of this privacy notice
  • Choose someone to act for you
  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

 

Our Uses and Disclosures

We may use and share your information as we:

  • Treat you
  • Run our organization
  • Bill for your services
  • Comply with the law
  • Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

  • You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.
  • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct your medical record

  • You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.
  • We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

 

 Request confidential communications

  • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
  • We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

 

Ask us to limit what we use or share

  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.
  • If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

  • You can ask for a list of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
  • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one list a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.
  • We will make reasonable attempts to notify you before information is shared outside of disclosures related to treatment, payment, and/or healthcare operations.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

  • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
  • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

  • You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint

 

Your Choices

 For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

  • Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
  • Share information in a disaster relief situation

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

 

In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

  • Marketing purposes
  • Sale of your information
  • Most sharing of psychotherapy notes

 

Our Uses and Disclosures

 

How do we typically use or share your health information?

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:

To provide treatment to you

We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks another doctor about your overall health condition.

To run our organization

We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

To bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.

Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information, see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Compliance with the law

We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Our Responsibilities

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
  • We will make every effort to keep the names and records of clients private. We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing.
  • If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
  • We will destroy client records 7 years after the end of Client treatment. Until then, any Client written records will be kept under triple lock (office, records doors, file cabinet).
  • If the Client and Provider see each other accidentally outside of therapy, the Provider will not acknowledge the Client first because the Provider does not want to jeopardize the Client’s privacy. However, if the Client acknowledges the Provider first, the Provider will speak briefly with the Client with the understanding that it is not appropriate to engage in lengthy discussions in public and outside of therapy, especially regarding Client care.

 

Other Important Considerations

Privacy and Social Media

Social media encompasses online platforms and applications where users create and share content, interact with others, and engage in digital networking. Providers are prohibited from engaging in any form or communication or interaction with Clients on a personal or professional social media accounts, including and not limited to sending friend requests, accepting friend requests, direct messaging, commenting on posts, or engaging in any form of online interaction. Conversely, if the Client chooses to “follow” the organization where they receive therapy (such as on social media platforms or through newsletters), publicly, it may inadvertently reveal the Client’s involvement with the Provider, which can be perceived as a potential breach of confidentiality. If others see the Client’s association with the Provider, they may infer the Client as receiving therapy. Others may also perceive the Client’s decision to follow the organization as an endorsement of the therapy services provided, even if this is not the Client’s intention. Clients are encouraged to review and adjust their privacy settings on social media platforms to minimize the visibility of their interaction of White Oaks Behavioral Health Services, if they choose to follow the organization on social media platforms.

For more information:

www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

Changes to the Terms of this Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our web site.

Other Instructions for Notice

  • Effective Date of this Information: January 1, 2017
  • White Oaks Behavioral Health Services Privacy Official:
    Cindy Boyce: 412-885-5200 / info@whiteoaksbhs.org
  • We never market or sell personal information.