Advanced Eye Center of Texas complies with the federal legislation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Notice Of Privacy Practices For Protected Health Information

This notice is being provided to you as a requirement of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This notice describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information in some cases. Your "protected health information" means any written and oral health information about you, including demographic data that can be used to identify you. This is health information that is created in or received by your health care provider, and that relates to your past, present or future physical health or condition.

Each time you visit a hospital, physician or other healthcare provider, a record of your visit is made. Typically, this record contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment and a plan for future care or treatment. Understanding what is in your medical record and how your health information is used helps you to ensure its accuracy, better understand who, what, when, where and why others may access your health information, and make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.

1 - How Medical Information About You May Be Used And Disclosed

We may use and disclose protected health information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose this information to doctors, nurses, technicians, office staff or other personnel who are involved in taking care of you. For example, we may disclose information to people outside of our office when scheduling tests, arranging consultations with other physicians, phoning in prescriptions, etc.

1.1 - For Treatment

We may use and disclose protected health information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose this information to doctors, nurses, technicians, office staff or other personnel who are involved in taking care of you.

1.2 - For Payment

We may use and disclose protected health information to obtain reimbursement for the health care provided to you. We may also use this information to obtain prior authorization for proposed treatment or to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment.

1.3 - For Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose protected health information to support functions of our practice related to treatment and payment such as case management and quality assurance.

1.4 - Appointment Reminders

We may contact you to remind you that you have an appointment or need a referral for an appointment.

1.5 - Treatment Issues

We may call you with test results, to tell you about treatment options or alternatives, or to respond to your phone call and answer questions about your treatment.

1.6 - Health-Related Benefits and Services

We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about health-related benefits, services or medical education classes that may be of interest to you.

1.7 - Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care

Unless you object, we may disclose your protected health information to your family or friends or any other individual identified by you when they are involved in your care or the payment for your care.

1.8 - Emergencies

We may use or disclose your protected health information in an emergency treatment situation. If this happens, we will try to obtain your consent as soon as reasonably possible after the delivery of your treatment.

1.9 - Communication Barriers

We may use or disclose your protected health information if we have attempted to obtain consent from you but are unable to do so due to substantial communication barriers.

1.10 - Required by Law

We may use or disclose your protected health information when required by federal, state or local law. The disclosure will be limited to the relevant requirements of the law.

1.11 - Public Health Risks

We may use or disclose your protected health information for public health reasons in order to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; or to report births, deaths, suspected abuse or neglect.

1.12 - Communicable Diseases

We may disclose your protected health information, if required by law, to a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease.

1.13 - Health Oversight Activities

We may disclose protected health information to federal or state agencies that oversee our activities.

1.14 - Legal Proceedings

We may disclose protected health information in response to a court or administrative order or in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.

1.15 - Law Enforcement

We may release protected health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, or summons.

1.16 - Workers Compensation

We may disclose your protected health information as authorized to comply with workers' compensation laws and other similar legally established programs.

1.17 - Military Activity and National Security

If you are, or were, a member of the armed forces we may be required by military command or other government authorities to release health information about you.

1.18 - Business Associates

There may be some services provided in our organization through contracts with Business Associates (e.g., billing, web services). We require the Business Associate to appropriately safeguard your information.

1.19 - Other Uses and Disclosures of Health Information

Other uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization unless otherwise permitted or required by law as described above. You may revoke this authorization at any time in writing.

2 - Your Health Information Rights

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your protected health information. This means you may inspect and obtain a copy of your medical and billing records. A reasonable copying charge may apply. This request must be made in writing.

2.1 - Right To Inspect And Copy Your Protected Health Information

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical and billing records. This request must be made in writing.

2.2 - Right To Request A Restriction On Uses And Disclosures

You have the right to request a restriction on your protected health information. We are not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If we do agree, we will abide by your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment.

2.3 - Right To Request To Receive Confidential Communications

You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

2.4 - Right To Request Amendments To Your Protected Health Information

You have the right to request an amendment of your medical record if you believe the health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete.

2.5 - Right To Receive An Accounting

You have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your protected health information for purposes other than treatment, payment or healthcare operation.

2.6 - Right To Obtain A Paper Copy Of This Notice

You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us.

2.7 - Right To Register A Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services.

3 - Changes To This Notice

We reserve the right to change this notice. We will post a summary of the current notice in the office with its effective date at the top.

4 - Contacting Our Privacy Officer

Contact details for our office can be found on our Contact Us page.

5 - Effective Date

This notice is effective April 14, 2005.

Advanced Eye Center of Texas
Tel: 936 273-0606