HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES OF RESTORING HOPE COUNSELING & CONSULTING, PLLC

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.

Effective as of January 01, 2022

Our office is required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations (TPO) and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. “Protected health information” is information about you, including demographic information that may identify you and that is related to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.

Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information

Your PHI may be used and disclosed by your counselor and others outside of our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you, to pay your health care bills, to support the operation of the counselor’s practice as necessary, and any other use required by law. You have the right to request restrictions of uses and disclosures of your health information, including disclosures to governmental agencies; however, this office is not required to agree to a requested restriction.

Treatment: We will use and disclose your PHI as necessary to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. This includes the coordination of management of your health care with a third party. For example, we would disclose your PHI as necessary to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.

Payment: Your PHI will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services. For example, if your payment is returned for insufficient funds, and is not paid when due, then your information may be turned over to a bill collection agency to recover the unpaid receipt for services.

Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI to support the business activities of this counseling practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of counselors associated with this practice, licensing, marketing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may call you by name in the waiting room when the counselor is ready to see you.

There may be times when you and/or our staff wish or need to communicate via unencrypted methods, and you have the legal right to send and receive protected health information (PHI) via unencrypted methods. For example, we may use or disclose your PHI as necessary to contact you to remind you of your appointment. Please be advised that email and standard SMS messaging are not confidential methods of communication and may not be secure or encrypted. There is a risk that email and standard SMS messaging regarding your medical care might be intercepted and read by a third party or someone might access your device and/or email account and read private information. If you are concerned about privacy risks related to unencrypted electronic communication, please discuss this with your counselor.

Please be advised that your counselor utilizes online practice management services and electronic health records (EHR) that contain and indefinitely maintain client information for business purposes. These services are typically accessed on your counselor’s laptop and smartphone. A concerted effort is made to safeguard your protected health information and sensitive personal information by utilizing methods such as strong passwords, fingerprint authentication and/or face recognition technology, and logging out when not in use, but with any technology, there are inherent risks of breaches in privacy and confidentiality.

Restoring Hope Counseling & Consulting, PLLC may hire professionals to assist with billing, accounting, scheduling, and other administrative matters. All business associates and staff members who may have access to your PHI, which, at times, may include access to progress notes as well as text messages, emails, and voicemails, are trained in HIPAA compliance and understand the importance of maintaining strict confidentiality. A current list of all staff and business associates is available upon request.

Public Health Risks: We may disclose your PHI in the following situations without your authorization: communicable diseases, abuse or neglect, food and drug administration requirements, legal proceedings, law enforcement, coroners, and if you present a threat to yourself or to others.

Heath Oversight Activities: We may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities which are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, include audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure.

Limitations on Uses and Disclosures:  Other permitted and required uses and disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization and opportunity to object, unless required by law. You may revoke this authorization at any time, in writing, except to the extent that this office has previously taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in this authorization.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to obtain more information and submit a formal complaint by contacting Mendy Landreth, the HIPAA Privacy Compliance Officer of Restoring Hope Counseling & Consulting, PLLC via RestoringHopeDFW.com and/or contacting the United States Department of Health and Human Services via HHS.gov.