In order to provide you with the most effective level of treatment, we will need to obtain your personal health information. We understand how sensitive and important this information is, and want to assure you that we will maintain it with the utmost degree of integrity by taking all reasonable precautions to protect it from any improper disclosures.  That said, there are certain scenarios which may arise during the course of your treatment that will require us to share at least some of your personal information with other parties, both inside and outside of Neuroscience Psychiatry. and the Neuroscience Psychiatry Professional Corporations.  The purpose of this document is to ensure that you are completely aware of these scenarios and the options you have in determining how and when your protected health information is used.

The following are situations during which we may use and disclose your protected health information, without first obtaining your authorization.

For treatment. We may use and disclose medical information about you to provide you with healthcare treatment and related services. We may disclose medical information about you to healthcare providers and personnel who are providing or involved in providing healthcare to you (both within Neuroscience Psychiatry’s organization and externally). For example, should your care require treatment by an outside physician, we may provide that physician with your medical information if such information will enable the physician to better determine your care plan.

For payment. If you elect to have treatment covered by your insurance provider, we may use and disclose your protected health information so that we can receive payment for the services provided to you. Examples of payment related activities include making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, processing claims with your insurance company, reviewing services provided to you to determine medical necessity, or undertaking utilization review activities. 

For healthcare operations. We will disclose your protected health information as necessary and as permitted by law, for our healthcare operations.  These operations include clinical improvement, professional peer review, business management, accreditation and licensing, and other activities necessary to maintain optimal levels of service.

To business associates. We may disclose your protected health information to our business associates, who provide us with services necessary to maintain business operations. We will only provide the minimum information necessary for these associates to perform their functions as it relates to business operations. For example, we may use a third-party merchant processor to assist in our credit card billing services, but this merchant will never have access to your medical record. Please understand that all of our business associates are obligated to comply with the same privacy and security laws that we adhere to.

Additionally, all of our business associates are under contract with us and are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information.

For appointments and services. We may contact you to provide appointment updates or information about your treatment, or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. You have the right to request, and we will accommodate reasonable requests, regarding how you want to receive communications as it pertains to your protected health information. For instance, if you wish appointment reminders not to be sent to a particular email address, we will not do so.

To preserve your safety and that of others. Your protected health information may be disclosed to the appropriate governmental agency if there is belief that a patient has been or is currently the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence and the patient agrees to the disclosure, or if the provider is required by law to report the suspected abuse.  In addition, your information may also be disclosed to prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or to the health and safety of others.

During judicial and administrative proceedings.  As sometimes required by law, we may disclose your protected health information for the purpose of litigation, which includes, but is not limited to, responding to a court or administrative order or responding to a subpoena.  Your information may also be disclosed if required for our legal defense in the event of a lawsuit.

For research.  Occasionally we engage in research to support ongoing medical and treatment insights. All published findings include only fully anonymized data, but certain research collaborators may require access to protected health information for the purposes of confidential data analysis.  Rest assured that these researchers are bound to the same confidentiality and privacy rules that govern Neuroscience Psychiatry as a whole.

For workers’ compensation claims.  We may disclose a limited amount of your protected health information when necessary to comply with a workers’ compensation request.  This information may be reported to your employer and/or your employer’s representative regarding an occupational injury or illness.

If practice ownership changes. If Neuroscience Psychiatry were ever to be sold, acquired, or merged with another healthcare entity, your protected health information will become the property of the new entity. In such a case however, you will retain all of the rights to your protected health information as set forth by this Notice and may request that copies of your medical record be transferred to another physician or healthcare group.

For breach notification purposes. If for any reason there is an unsecured breach of your protected health information, we will utilize the contact information you have provided us with to notify you of the breach, as required by law. In addition, your protected health information may be disclosed to the Department of Health and Human Services as a part of the breach notification and reporting process.

If you become incarcerated. If you are or become an inmate of a correctional facility, we may disclose requested protected health information to the correctional facility if the disclosure is necessary for your institutional healthcare, to protect your health and safety, or to protect the health and safety of others within the correctional facility.

For other uses and disclosures.  We are permitted and/or required by law to make certain other uses and disclosures of your protected health information without your consent or authorization under the following circumstances.

• For public health activities or in connection with public health investigations;

• To a governmental oversight agency conducting audits, investigations, or pursuing information in connection with civil or criminal proceedings;

• To coroners or funeral directors, when the request is appropriate and made consistent with law;

• If you are a member of the military, for national security or intelligence activities; and

• For any other purpose required by law.