HIPAA Privacy at All Natural Doctor

Our Legal Duty

All Natural Doctor (further described as “AND”) is required by applicable federal and state law to maintain the privacy of your health information. AND is also required to give you this Notice about our private practice, our legal duties, and your rights concerning your health information. AND must follow the privacy practices that are described in this Notice while it is in effect. This Notice takes effect 1 January 2007 and will remain in effect until AND replaces it.

AND reserves the right to change the office’s privacy practice and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable laws. AND reserves the right to make changes in our privacy practices and the new terms of our Notice effective for all health information AND maintains, including health information AND created or received before AND makes the changes. Before AND makes significant changes in our privacy practices, we will change this Notice and make the new Notice available upon request.

You may request a copy of this Notice at any time. For more information about our privacy practice, or for additional copies of this Notice, please contact us using the information listed at the end of this Notice.

Uses and Disclosures of Health Information

AND uses and discloses health information about you for treatment, payment and healthcare operations.

Treatment:

AND may use and disclose your health information to provide, manage, and coordinate your healthcare with other health care providers involved in your care, about matters concerning your health care. This means that AND will provide information about you to another physician or health care provider outside either of our clinics. For example, AND would give information to your primary care physician if you had been referred to AND by them for care. AND would also give information to an expert to whom AND has referred you to, for care. If you would prefer that his communication not happen between AND and other health care providers, you have the right to object to our sharing of this information. If AND agrees to not share information with another care provider, as per your request, we will abide by the agreement.

To You, Your Personal Representative and Plan Sponsor:

AND must disclose your health information to you, as described in the Patient Rights section of this Notice, and to a parent of a minor under the age of consent or legal guardian as necessary to help with your healthcare or with payment. AND may disclose your health information to the sponsor of your health plan.

Family and Friends:

AND may disclose health information about you to your family members or friends if we obtain your verbal or written authorization to do so, or if we give you an opportunity to object and you do not object. Using payment related to your care to your family member, other relative or close personal friend who you identify, if we can infer from the circumstances, that you would not object, for example if your spouse is a covered member with you under your health plan, or if you are involved in a health emergency situation on the premises of one of our clinics.

Marketing Heath Related Services:

AND will NOT use your health information for marketing communications without your written authorization; except to facilitate your enrollment in a renewal of your health plan and value-added plan insurance services permitted by law.

Required by Law:

AND may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law or legal process; for example subpoena, court order, administrative order, warrant, or summons; and pursuant to worker’s compensation laws. Abuse or Neglect: AND may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence or the possible victim of other crimes. AND may disclose your health information to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to your health or safety of others.

Plan Communication:

AND may use or disclose your health information to communicate with you or your plan sponsor about your health and related benefits and services.

Government Officials and Law Enforcement:

AND may disclose to authorized governmental authorities health information required for lawful investigation; to military authorities required for lawful investigation; to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel; to a correctional institution or law enforcement officials having lawful custody of health information under certain circumstances. In most cases, we will make all reasonable attempts to contact you to inform you of any such disclosures, unless prohibited by law.

Your Authorization:

Other uses and disclosures of your protected health information will only be made with you or your Personal Representativ’es written authorization. You may revoke such authorization at any time by written request, but we can not take back any disclosures already made or used with your permission.

Patient Rights

Access:

You have the right to look at or get copies of your health information, with limited expectations. You must request access by sending AND a letter to the address at the end of this notice.

Restriction:

You have the right to request in writing that AND place additional restrictions on our use of your health information. AND is not required to agree to these additional restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement, except in an emergency or as required by law.

Amendment:

You have the right to request that AND amend your health information. Your request must be in writing and it must explain why the information should be amended. AND may deny your request under certain circumstances. Patients have a right to disagree with our refusal of inclusion, and AND also has the right to rebut a patient’s disagreement; any time a file is sent out, a copy of that rebuttal must be included.

Questions and Complaints:

If you want more information about our privacy practice or have any questions or concerns, please contact AND.

If you are concerned that AND has violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we have made about access to your health information, or in response to a request you made to amend or restrict the use of disclosure of your health information, or to have us communicate with you by alternative means or at alternative locations, you may complain to Dr. Young at the address listed at the end of this notice.

We support your right to the privacy of your health information. You will not be penalized in any way if you choose to file a complaint with AND or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To contact AND or Dr. Young about Patient Rights information and / or complaints, please use the form on the Contact Us page.