HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights, and we have certain responsibilities to help you exercise them.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. We will provide a copy or summary, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct your medical record

You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. We may decline your request, but we'll explain why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, cell phone only) or send mail to a different address. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree, and may decline if it would affect your care. If you pay out-of-pocket in full for a service, you can ask us not to share that information with your health insurer for payment or operations purposes — we will agree unless required by law to share it.

Get a list of those with whom we've shared information

You can request an accounting of disclosures we've made of your health information for up to six years prior to your request, including who we shared it with and why. We provide one accounting per year free of charge; additional requests within 12 months may incur a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Get a copy of this notice

You can request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Choose someone to act for you

If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information on your behalf. We will verify this authority before taking action.

File a complaint

You may complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting our Privacy Officer below. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your preferences about what we share. If you have a clear preference, talk to us — tell us what you want, and we will follow your instructions.

You have the right and choice to tell us to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
• Share information in a disaster relief situation
• Include your information in a facility directory

If you are unable to tell us your preference (for example, if you are unconscious), we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest, or when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We never share your information in these cases unless you give us written permission:

• Marketing purposes
• Sale of your information
• Most sharing of psychotherapy notes

Our Uses and Disclosures

Treat you

We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Run our organization

We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.

Bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.

We are also allowed or required to share information in other ways that contribute to the public good — such as preventing disease, reporting adverse reactions or suspected abuse, health research, organ donation requests, workers' compensation, law enforcement requests, and responding to court orders or subpoenas — always within the bounds of the law. For more information, see hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa.

Our Responsibilities

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information, notify you promptly of any breach that may have compromised it, and follow the practices described in this notice. We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us, in writing, that we can — and you may change your mind at any time by notifying us in writing.

We may change the terms of this notice; changes apply to all information we already have about you. The updated notice will be available on request, in our office, and on our website.

This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to Howill Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic — 1651 N Collins Blvd Suite 124, Richardson, TX 75080.