Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

GRACE WOMEN’S CLINIC, P.A. NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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.

This Notice describes privacy practices of Grace Women’s Clinic, P.A., including: any employees; volunteers; health care professionals authorized to enter information into your health/medical records; and medical staff members (hereinafter referred to as Grace Women’s Clinic or GWC).

I. Our Duty to Safeguard Your Protected Health Information:

Individually identifiable information about your past, present, or future health or condition, the provision of health care to you, or payment for your health care is considered "Protected Health Information" ("PHI"). We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal and we are committed to protecting medical information about you. We are required by law to make sure that your PHI is kept private and to give you this Notice about our legal duties and privacy practices, that explains how, when and why we may use or disclose your PHI. Except in specified circumstances, we must use or disclose only the minimum necessary PHI to accomplish the purpose of the use or disclosure.

We must follow the privacy practices described in this Notice, though we reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. We reserve the right to make new Notice provisions effective for all PHI we currently maintain or that we receive in the future. If we change this Notice, we will post a new Notice in patient registration and/or patient waiting areas. You may request a copy of the new notice by phone or mail, and it will also be posted on our website at www.gracewomensclinic.com.

II. How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information:

We use and disclose PHI for a variety of reasons. For certain uses/disclosures, we must get your written authorization. However, the law provides that we may make some uses/disclosures without your authorization. The following section offers more description and examples of our potential uses/disclosures of your PHI.

Uses and Disclosures Relating to Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations. We may share your PHI for treatment, payment or operations purposes. Generally, we may use/disclose your PHI:

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization:

For uses and disclosures other than treatment, payment and health care operations purposes, we are required to have your written authorization, unless the use or disclosure falls within one of the exceptions described below. You may revoke an authorization, in writing, any time to stop future uses/disclosures. If you revoke your authorization, we will stop using/disclosing your PHI for the purposes or reasons covered by your written authorization. You understand that we are unable to take back disclosures we have already made with your permission. (See Section VI for instructions for revoking an authorization.) We cannot refuse to treat you if you refuse to sign an authorization to release PHI, unless services provided are solely to create health records for a third party, such as physical and drug testing for an employer or insurance company; or if treatment provided is research-related and authorization is required for the use of health information for research purposes. We will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes without your authorization.

Uses and Disclosures Not Requiring Authorization: The law provides that we may use/disclose your PHI without your authorization in the following circumstances:

Uses and Disclosures Requiring You to Have an Opportunity to Object:

In the following situations, we may disclose your PHI if we tell you about the disclosure in advance and you have the opportunity to agree to, prohibit, or restrict the disclosure. However, if there is an emergency situation and you cannot be given the opportunity to agree or object, we may disclose your PHI if it is consistent with any prior expressed wishes and the disclosure is determined to be in your best interests. You must be informed and given an opportunity to object to further disclosure as soon as you are able to do so.

To families, friends, or others involved in your care:

We may share with these people information directly related to your family's, friend's or other person's involvement in your care, or payment for your care. We may also share PHI with these people to notify them about your location, general condition, or your death.

Disaster relief:

We may release your PHI to a public or private relief agency for purposes of coordinating notifying your family and friends of your location, condition or death in the event of a disaster.

III. Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information:

You have the following rights relating to your protected health information:

IV. How to Complain About Our Privacy Practices:

If you think we may have violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we made about access to your PHI, you may file a complaint with the person listed in Section V. below. You also may file a written complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized if you file a complaint.

V. Contact Persons for Information or to Submit a Complaint:

If you have questions about this Notice or complaints about our privacy practices, please contact the staff at Grace Women’s Clinic.

VI. Instructions for Revoking an Authorization:

You may revoke an authorization to use or disclose your PHI, in writing, except: 1) to the extent that action has been taken in reliance on the authorization, or 2) if the authorization was obtained as a condition of obtaining insurance coverage and other law provides the insurer with the right to contest a claim under the policy. Your written revocation must include the date of the authorization, the name of the person or organization authorized to receive the PHI, your signature and the date you signed the revocation, addressed to the contact person listed on your original authorization.

VII. Effective Date:

This Notice was effective on 10/01/2006; updated on 05/13/2010.