Advanced Behavioral Health Services LLC
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.
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Privacy is a very important concern for all those who come to this office. It is also complicated, because of the many federal and state laws and our professional ethics. Because the rules are so complicated, some parts of this notice are very detailed, and you probably will have to read them several times to understand them. If you have any questions, our privacy officer will be happy to help you understand our procedures and your rights. Speak with your care provider or our office staff and they will notify our privacy officer if you have additional questions or concerns.
A. Introduction: To our clients
This notice will tell you how we handle your medical information. It tells how we use this information here in this office, how we share it with other professionals and organizations, and how you can see it. We want you to know all of this so that you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.
B. What we mean by your medical information
Each time you visit us or any doctor’s office, hospital, clinic, or other health care provider, information is collected about you and your physical and mental health. It may be information about your past, present, or future health or conditions, or the tests and treatment you got from us or from others, or about payment for health care. The information we collect from you is called “PHI,” which stands for “protected health information.” This information goes into your medical or health care records in our office.
Although your health care records in our office are our physical property, the information belongs to you. You can read your records, and if you want a copy we can make one for you (but we may charge you for the costs of copying and mailing, if you want it mailed to you). In some very rare situations, you cannot see all of what is in your records. If you find anything in your records that you think is incorrect or believe that something important is missing, you can ask us to amend (add information to) your records, although in some rare situations we don’t have to agree to do that.
C. Privacy and the laws about privacy
We are required to tell you about privacy because of a federal law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA requires us to keep your PHI private and to give you this notice about our legal duties and our privacy practices. We will obey the rules described in this notice. If we change our privacy practices, they will apply to the entire PHI we keep. We will also post the new notice of privacy practices in our office where everyone can see. You or anyone else can also get a copy from our privacy officer at any time. It is also posted on our website at abhsgroup.com.
D. How your protected health information can be used and shared
Except in some special circumstances, when we use your PHI in this office or disclose it to others, we share only the minimum necessary PHI needed for those other people to do their jobs. The law gives you rights to know about your PHI, to know how it is used, and to have a say in how it is shared. Mainly, we will use and disclose your PHI for routine purposes to provide for your care. Some examples of how we use your PHI are as follows: For current and future treatment; for payment of services rendered; for health care operations; appointment reminders; research; and business associates (i.e. accounting agencies).
If you, or we, want to disclose your information for any purpose besides those mentioned above, we need your permission on an authorization form. If you do allow us to use or disclose your PHI, you can cancel that permission in writing at any time. We would then stop using or disclosing your information for that purpose. Of course, we cannot take back any information we have already disclosed or used with your permission.
There are some federal, state, or local laws that require us to disclose PHI:
A. Introduction: To our clients
This notice will tell you how we handle your medical information. It tells how we use this information here in this office, how we share it with other professionals and organizations, and how you can see it. We want you to know all of this so that you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.
B. What we mean by your medical information
Each time you visit us or any doctor’s office, hospital, clinic, or other health care provider, information is collected about you and your physical and mental health. It may be information about your past, present, or future health or conditions, or the tests and treatment you got from us or from others, or about payment for health care. The information we collect from you is called “PHI,” which stands for “protected health information.” This information goes into your medical or health care records in our office.
Although your health care records in our office are our physical property, the information belongs to you. You can read your records, and if you want a copy we can make one for you (but we may charge you for the costs of copying and mailing, if you want it mailed to you). In some very rare situations, you cannot see all of what is in your records. If you find anything in your records that you think is incorrect or believe that something important is missing, you can ask us to amend (add information to) your records, although in some rare situations we don’t have to agree to do that.
C. Privacy and the laws about privacy
We are required to tell you about privacy because of a federal law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA requires us to keep your PHI private and to give you this notice about our legal duties and our privacy practices. We will obey the rules described in this notice. If we change our privacy practices, they will apply to the entire PHI we keep. We will also post the new notice of privacy practices in our office where everyone can see. You or anyone else can also get a copy from our privacy officer at any time. It is also posted on our website at abhsgroup.com.
D. How your protected health information can be used and shared
Except in some special circumstances, when we use your PHI in this office or disclose it to others, we share only the minimum necessary PHI needed for those other people to do their jobs. The law gives you rights to know about your PHI, to know how it is used, and to have a say in how it is shared. Mainly, we will use and disclose your PHI for routine purposes to provide for your care. Some examples of how we use your PHI are as follows: For current and future treatment; for payment of services rendered; for health care operations; appointment reminders; research; and business associates (i.e. accounting agencies).
If you, or we, want to disclose your information for any purpose besides those mentioned above, we need your permission on an authorization form. If you do allow us to use or disclose your PHI, you can cancel that permission in writing at any time. We would then stop using or disclosing your information for that purpose. Of course, we cannot take back any information we have already disclosed or used with your permission.
There are some federal, state, or local laws that require us to disclose PHI:
We have to report suspected child abuse. If you are involved in a lawsuit or legal proceeding, and we receive a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, we may have to release some of your PHI. We will only do so after trying to tell you about the request, consulting your lawyer, or trying to get a court order to protect the information they requested.
We have to disclose some information to the government agencies that check on us to see that we are obeying the privacy laws and state licensing laws.
Relating to decedents- We may disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors, and to organizations relating to organ, eye, or tissue donations or transplants.
To prevent a serious threat to health or safety- If we come to believe that there is a serious threat to your health or safety, or that of another person or the public, we can disclose some of your PHI. We will only do this to persons who can prevent the danger.
If it is an emergency, and so we cannot ask if you disagree, we can share information if we believe that it is what you would have wanted and if we believe it will help you if we do share it. If we do share information, in an emergency, we will tell you as soon as we can. If you don’t approve we will stop, as long as it is not against the law. An accounting of disclosures we have made when we disclose your PHI, we may keep some records of whom we sent it to, when we sent it, and what we sent. You can get an accounting (a list) of many of these disclosures.
E. Your rights concerning your health information
We have to disclose some information to the government agencies that check on us to see that we are obeying the privacy laws and state licensing laws.
Relating to decedents- We may disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors, and to organizations relating to organ, eye, or tissue donations or transplants.
To prevent a serious threat to health or safety- If we come to believe that there is a serious threat to your health or safety, or that of another person or the public, we can disclose some of your PHI. We will only do this to persons who can prevent the danger.
If it is an emergency, and so we cannot ask if you disagree, we can share information if we believe that it is what you would have wanted and if we believe it will help you if we do share it. If we do share information, in an emergency, we will tell you as soon as we can. If you don’t approve we will stop, as long as it is not against the law. An accounting of disclosures we have made when we disclose your PHI, we may keep some records of whom we sent it to, when we sent it, and what we sent. You can get an accounting (a list) of many of these disclosures.
E. Your rights concerning your health information
You can ask us to communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular way or at a certain place that is more private for you. For example, you can ask us to call you at home, and not at work, to schedule or cancel an appointment. We will try our best to do as you ask.
You have the right to ask us to limit what we tell people involved in your care or with payment for your care, such as family members and friends. We don’t have to agree to your request, but if we do agree, we will honor it except when it is against the law, or in an emergency, or when the information is necessary to treat you.
You have the right to look at the health information we have about you, such as your medical and billing records. You can get a copy of these records, but we may charge you.
If you believe that the information in your records is incorrect or missing something important, you can ask us to make additions to your records to correct the situation. You have to make this request in writing and send it to our privacy officer. You must also tell us the reasons you want to make the changes.
You have the right to a copy of this notice. If we change this notice, we will post the new one in our waiting area, and you can always get a copy from the privacy officer.
You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You can file a complaint with our privacy officer and with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be in writing. Filing a complaint will not change the health care we provide to you in any way.
You may have other rights that are granted to you by the laws of our state, and these may be the same as or different from the rights described above. We will be happy to discuss these situations with you now or as they arise.
F. If you have questions or problems
If you need more information or have questions about the privacy practices described above, please speak to the privacy officer, whose name and telephone number are listed below. If you have a problem with how your PHI has been handled, or if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, contact the privacy officer. As stated above, you have the right to file a complaint with us and with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We promise that we will not in any way limit your care here or take any actions against you if you complain. If you have any questions or problems about this notice or our health information privacy policies, please contact our privacy officer. The effective date of this notice is March 3, 2012.
We will treat with great care all the information you share with us. It is your legal right that our sessions and our records about you be kept private. That is why we ask you to sign a “release-of-records” form before we can talk about you or send any records about you to anyone else. In general, we will tell no one what you tell me. We will not even reveal that you are receiving treatment from us. In all but a few rare situations, your confidentiality (that is, our privacy) is protected by federal and state laws and by the rules of our profession. Here are the most common cases in which confidentiality is not protected:
1. If you were sent to us by a court or an employer for evaluation or treatment, the court or employer expects a report from us. If this is your situation, please talk with us before you tell me anything you do not want the court or your employer to know. You have a right to tell us only what you are comfortable with telling.
2. Are you suing someone or being sued? Are you being charged with a crime? Are you using your mental health in any sort of legal or official proceedings? If so, and you tell the court, or administrating official, that you are seeing us, we may then be ordered to show the court our records. Please consult your lawyer about these issues.
3. If you make a serious threat to harm yourself or another person, the law and our code of ethics requires us to try to protect all life. This usually means telling others (i.e., police), including the person so threatened, about the threat. We cannot promise never to tell others about threats you make.
4. If we believe a child or vulnerable adult has been or will be abused or neglected, we are legally required to report this to the authorities. Our goal is to heal suffering in the world and to try to prevent it as well.
There are two situations in which we might talk about part of your case with another therapist. We ask now for your understanding and agreement to let us do so in these two situations.
First, when we are away from the office for a few days, we have at least two trusted fellow providers “cover” for us. These providers will be available to you in emergencies. Therefore, he or she needs to know about you. Of course, these providers are bound by the same laws and rules as mentioned here to protect your confidentiality.
Second, we sometimes consult other therapists or other professionals about our clients. This practice is often done within group consultation and supervision meetings within this agency. This helps us in giving high-quality treatment. These persons are also required to keep your information private. Your name is often omitted, some other information will be changed or omitted, and they will be told only as much as they need to know to understand your situation to help us. As such, no one participating in this consultation will likely know or connect you to the discussion. Also, we do this consultation only with other providers at this agency, so only those people who are invested in helping this agency provide the best possible service to you will be included in any discussion about you.
It may be beneficial for us to confer with your primary care physician in regard to your psychological treatment or to discuss any medical problems for which you are receiving treatment. While state and federal laws allow us to discuss your treatment without your permission with them for the coordination of care, we typically do this only in extreme and urgent situations.
1. If you were sent to us by a court or an employer for evaluation or treatment, the court or employer expects a report from us. If this is your situation, please talk with us before you tell me anything you do not want the court or your employer to know. You have a right to tell us only what you are comfortable with telling.
2. Are you suing someone or being sued? Are you being charged with a crime? Are you using your mental health in any sort of legal or official proceedings? If so, and you tell the court, or administrating official, that you are seeing us, we may then be ordered to show the court our records. Please consult your lawyer about these issues.
3. If you make a serious threat to harm yourself or another person, the law and our code of ethics requires us to try to protect all life. This usually means telling others (i.e., police), including the person so threatened, about the threat. We cannot promise never to tell others about threats you make.
4. If we believe a child or vulnerable adult has been or will be abused or neglected, we are legally required to report this to the authorities. Our goal is to heal suffering in the world and to try to prevent it as well.
There are two situations in which we might talk about part of your case with another therapist. We ask now for your understanding and agreement to let us do so in these two situations.
First, when we are away from the office for a few days, we have at least two trusted fellow providers “cover” for us. These providers will be available to you in emergencies. Therefore, he or she needs to know about you. Of course, these providers are bound by the same laws and rules as mentioned here to protect your confidentiality.
Second, we sometimes consult other therapists or other professionals about our clients. This practice is often done within group consultation and supervision meetings within this agency. This helps us in giving high-quality treatment. These persons are also required to keep your information private. Your name is often omitted, some other information will be changed or omitted, and they will be told only as much as they need to know to understand your situation to help us. As such, no one participating in this consultation will likely know or connect you to the discussion. Also, we do this consultation only with other providers at this agency, so only those people who are invested in helping this agency provide the best possible service to you will be included in any discussion about you.
It may be beneficial for us to confer with your primary care physician in regard to your psychological treatment or to discuss any medical problems for which you are receiving treatment. While state and federal laws allow us to discuss your treatment without your permission with them for the coordination of care, we typically do this only in extreme and urgent situations.
About Confidentiality