HIPAA Information

 

 

Endocrinology Consultants of East Tennessee
Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information

Your Health Information Rights

 

The health and billing records we maintain are the property of Endocrinology Consultants of East Tennessee.  Our practice uses this information for treatment, payment and health care operations.  Patients have the following rights with respect to Protected Health Information:

 

  1. Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your health information by delivering the request in writing to our office—we are not required to grant the request and we will notify you of any request that is denied;

 

  1. Obtain a paper copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information ("Notice") by making a request at our office;

 

  1. Right to inspect and copy your health record and billing record—you may exercise this right by delivering the request in writing to our office;

 

  1. Right to request that your health care record be amended to correct incomplete or incorrect information by delivering a written request to our office using the form we provide to you upon request.  (The physician or other health care provider is not required to make such amendments); you may file a statement of disagreement if your amendment is denied, and require that the request for amendment and any denial be attached in all future disclosures of your protected health information;

 

  1. Right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information by delivering a written request to our office.  An accounting will not include internal uses of information for treatment, payment, or operations, disclosures made to you or made at your request, or disclosures made to family members or friends in the course of providing care;

 

  1. Right to confidential communication by requesting that communication of your health information be made by alternative means or at an alternative location by delivering the request in writing to our office using the form we give you upon request; and,

 

If you want to exercise any of the above rights, please contact our Practice Administrator, in person or in writing, during normal hours.  S[he] will provide you with assistance on the steps to take to exercise your rights.

 

You have the right to review this Notice before signing the consent authorizing use and disclosure of your protected health information for treatment, payment, and health care operations purposes.

 

Our Responsibilities

 

The office is required to:

 

·         Maintain the privacy of your health information as required by law;

 

·         Provide you with a notice as to our duties and privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain about you;

 

·         Abide by the terms of this Notice;

 

·         Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested restriction or request; and

 

·         Accommodate your reasonable requests regarding methods to communicate health information with you.

 

·         Accommodate your request for an accounting of disclosures.

 

We reserve the right to amend, change, or eliminate provisions in our privacy practices and access practices and to enact new provisions regarding the protected health information we maintain.  If our information practices change, we will amend our Notice.  You are entitled to receive a revised copy of the Notice by calling and requesting a copy of our “Notice” or by visiting our office and picking up a copy. 

 

To Request Information or File a Complaint

 

If you have questions, would like additional information, or want to report a problem regarding the handling of your information, you may contact our Practice Administrator. 

 

Additionally, if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint at our office by delivering the written complaint to our Practice Administrator.  You may also file a complaint by mailing it to the Secretary of Health and Human Services whose street address is:            The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

 

·         We cannot, and will not, require you to waive the right to file a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a condition of receiving treatment from the office. 

 

·         We cannot, and will not, retaliate against you for filing a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

Effective Date:  4/14/2003