Privacy Policy

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

Healthcare provider make and keep records of medical information. While you are a patient here, we will use and disclose your medical information:

To provide treatment to you and to keep a record describing your care
To receive payment for the care we provide
To comply with law

This notice summarizes the ways we may use and disclose medical information about you. It also describes your rights and our duties regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information. This notice applies to all records of your care at Premier Orthopedics, P.A. Your doctor and other health care providers may use a different notice and policy regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information in their offices.

When we use the word "we" we mean Premier Orthopedics, P.A., the Medical Staff of Premier Orthopedics, P.A., medical professionals and other parties who assist us in our business.

We are required by law:

To keep your medical information confidential in accordance with legal requirements
To give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your medical information
To follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect

Persons covered by this notice

All employees and staff
Persons or entities performing services for the Practice under agreements containing privacy protections or to which disclosure of medical information is permitted by law
Persons or entities with whom the Practice participates in managed care arrangements
Our volunteers and medical, nursing and other health care students
Members of the Practice Medical Staff and other medical professionals involved in your care or performing peer review, quality improvement, medical education and other services for the Practice

Uses and disclosures of your medical information

We use and disclose medical information in the ways described below.
Treatment. We may use your medical information to provide medical treatment or services to you. We may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical, nursing or other health care students, or other personnel taking care of you. For example, a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you have diabetes because diabetes may slow the healing process. Departments of the Practice may share your medical information to schedule the tests and procedures you need, such as prescriptions, laboratory tests and x-rays. We also may disclose your medical information to health care facilities if you need to be transferred another health provider or a rehabilitation center.

Payment. We may use and disclose your medical information so that the treatment and services you receive can be billed and collected from you, an insurance company or another third party. For example, we may give your health plan information about surgery you received so your health plan will pay us for the surgery. We also may tell your health plan about a treatment you are going to receive in order to obtain prior approval from your plan to cover payment for the treatment.

Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose your medical information for Practice operations, such as for peer review, performance improvement, risk management, and our compliance with licensure, accreditation or certification requirements. For example, we may disclose your medical information to physicians on our Medical Staff who review treatment of patients. We may disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical, nursing or other health care students, and Practice personnel for teaching. Sometimes, we may remove identifying information from this medical information so others may use it to study health care and health care delivery without learning who you are. We may disclose information to other health care providers involved in your treatment to permit them to carry out the work of their facility or to get paid. For example, we may provide information about your treatment to a provider so that the provider can get paid for their services.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Practice may share your medical information with other independent medical professionals in order to provide treatment and perform other activities such as peer review, quality improvement, medical education and other services. While those professionals may follow this Notice and otherwise participate in the privacy program of the Practice, they are independent professionals and the Practice expressly disclaims any responsibility or liability for their acts or omissions.

Health Services, Treatment Alternatives and Health Related Benefits. We may use and disclose your medical information to tell you about (i) health related products or services that we offer, (ii) other providers participating in a health care network that we participate in, (iii) possible treatment options or alternatives, or (iv) health related benefits or services that may be of interest to you. We also may use that information to communicate with you to coordinate your care. We may use and disclose your medical information to contact and remind you of an appointment for treatment or medical care.

Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. We may release your medical information to the person you named on your registration as the exclusion to PHI, or to a friend or family member who is your personal representative (i.e., empowered under state or other law to make health-related decisions for you). We may give information to someone who helps pay for your care. In addition, we may disclose your medical information to an entity assisting in disaster relief efforts so that your family can be notified about your condition.

Required By Law. We will disclose your medical information when federal, state or local law requires it. For example, the Practice must comply with child abuse reporting laws and laws requiring us to report certain diseases or injuries to state or federal agencies.

Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose your medical information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.

Note: Federal Law provide protection for certain types of health information, including information about alcohol or drug abuse, mental health and AIDS/HIV, and may limit whether and how we may disclose information about you to others.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS

Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the U.S. or foreign armed forces, we may release your medical information as required by military command authorities.

Workers' Compensation. we may disclose PHI to the extent authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to workers compensation or other similar programs established by law.

Minors. If you are a minor (under 18 years old), the Practice will comply with Maryland law regarding minors. We may release certain types of your medical information to your parent or guardian, if such release is required or permitted by law.

Public Health Risks. We may disclose your medical information for public health purposes

To prevent or control disease, injury or disability
To report births and deaths
To report child or adult abuse, neglect or violence
To report reactions to medications or problems with products
To notify people of recalls of products they may be using
To notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for getting or spreading a disease or condition

Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose your medical information to a federal or state agency for health oversight activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure of the Practice and of the providers who treated you at the Practice. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with laws.

Law Enforcement. we may disclose PHI for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena. Federal law makes provision for your PHI to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a work force member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers, or the public.

Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement officer, we may release your medical information to the correctional institution or a law enforcement officer. This release would be necessary for the Practice to provide you with health care, to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others, or for the safety and security of the law enforcement officer or the correctional institution.

YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

Your Health Information Rights:
Unless otherwise required by law your health record is the physical property of the healthcare practitioner or facility that compiled it. You have the right to request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information, and request amendments to your health record. This includes the right to obtain a paper copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices upon request, inspect and obtain a copy of your health record, obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information, request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations, revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken.

Our Responsibilities:
This organization is required to maintain the privacy of your health information. In addition, provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you. This organization must abide by the terms of this notice, notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction, accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations. We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will post a revised notice in our Practice. We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with the Practice or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services or HHS. Generally, a complaint must be filed with HHS within 180 days after the act or omission occurred, or within 180 days of when you knew or should have known of the action or omission. To file a complaint with the Practice, contact the Privacy Officer at 410-461-9500. You will not be denied care or discriminated against by the Practice for filing a complaint.
If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact the Privacy Officer, by calling 410-461-9500.

Effective Date: 09/14/2013