Your HIPPA Rights and Responsibilities

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

This page describes how doctors and hospitals can use your health information. It describes some of your rights and some of our responsibilities.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTH RECORD/INFORMATION

Each time you visit an offices, they may record your symptoms, physical examination, test results, diagnosis, and treatment. This information enables them to: plan for your care, communicate with others who care for you, report to your insurance carrier, bill for our work, and improve the quality of our care.

YOUR RIGHTS

Although your paper chart belongs to the medical office, the information contained in the chart is yours. You have the right to: inspect your records, obtain a copy of your chart for a small fee, correct your records, and tell your provider not to release your information.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Medical professionals and organizations are required to: maintain the privacy of your health information; send needed health information to other medical providers, and release information to insurance companies, certain government agencies, and others. We may be required to release some information, even without your permission.

EXAMPLES OF HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS USED

Your health information will be recorded and used to plan your treatment. Reports may be sent to other doctors to help them plan your treatment. Bills will be sent to your insurance company. The information in the bills will include confidential information such as your name, address, diagnosis, and treatment. In providing your care, your provider may communicate with other individuals or businesses. Examples include other physicians, X-ray departments, laboratories, transcriptionists or record storage services.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REPORT A PROBLEM

If you have concerns or would like additional information, you can contact the Federal Office for Civil Rights at: 200 Independence Ave. S.W., Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201 or by clicking on the internet at www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/.  The government web site provides an enormous amount of information about your rights and responsibilities.