For top-notch psychiatric care in Florida, reach out to our experienced psychiatrist by calling us at 561-336-4790. We offer comprehensive mental health services, including psychotherapy.
Privacy Policy
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED
The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a Federal program that mandates the confidentiality of all health information, ensuring that all medical records and other individually identifiable health information we use or disclose are properly protected. HIPAA compliance grants you, the patient, the right to understand and control how your personal health information (PHI) is utilized. In cases of misuse of personal health information, HIPAA imposes penalties on covered entities. As part of our commitment to maintaining health information confidentiality, we have prepared this explanation regarding how we protect your health information and the circumstances under which we may disclose your personal information. We may use and disclose your medical records solely for the following purposes: treatment, payment, and health care operations. Treatment refers to providing, coordinating, or managing healthcare and related services by one or more healthcare providers, such as referrals to a primary care doctor or other specialists. Payment encompasses activities like obtaining reimbursement for services, confirming coverage, billing or collection activities, and utilization review, such as sending your insurance company a bill for your visit. Health care operations involve the business aspects of our practice, including quality assessments, auditing functions, cost management analysis, and customer service, exemplified by patient survey cards. Our practice may also be obligated or permitted to disclose your PHI for law enforcement purposes or other legitimate reasons, while making every effort to maintain confidentiality. Additionally, we may create and distribute de-identified health information by removing all references to identifiable information. We may contact you via phone or in writing to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives and other health-related benefits and services, along with fundraising communications that may interest you. You retain the right to 'opt out' of receiving fundraising communications from us. The following uses and disclosures of PHI will only occur with your written authorization: most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes (which are not part of your medical record under HIPAA), uses and disclosures of your PHI for marketing purposes including subsidized treatment and health care operations, disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI under HIPAA, and other uses and disclosures not described in this notice. You may revoke such authorization in writing, and we are required to honor that request, except to the extent that we have already acted based on your prior authorization. You have specific rights regarding your PHI, including the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures, particularly those related to disclosures involving family members or close personal friends. We are not required to honor a request for restriction except in limited circumstances, which we can explain upon request. If we agree to a restriction, we must adhere to it unless you provide written consent to remove it. You also have the right to reasonable requests for confidential communications of Protected Health Information by alternative means or at alternative locations, the right to inspect and copy your PHI, the right to amend your PHI, the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI, the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us upon request, and the right to be informed if your unprotected PHI is disclosed, intentionally or unintentionally. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions regarding your privacy rights or health information confidentiality.
