HIPAA Privacy Policy

HIPAA Privacy

Notice of Health Privacy Practices

Understanding Your Health Record

Each time you visit a hospital, physician, or other health care 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. This information, often referred to as your health or medical record, serves as a:

  • Basis for planning your care and treatment
  • Means of communication among the many health professionals who contribute to your care
  • Legal document describing the care you received
  • Means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided
  • A tool in educating health professionals
  • A source of data for medical research
  • A source of information for public health officials charged with improving the health of the nation
  • A source of data for facility planning and marketing
  • A tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we render and the outcomes we achieve

Understanding what is in your 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
  • Make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others

Your Health Information Rights

Although your health record is the physical property of the health care practitioner or facility that compiled it, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:

  • Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information as provided by Federal Regulation (45 CFR 164.522). However, Mid-County Endodontic Group is not required to agree to such a request if the facts do not warrant it.
  • Obtain a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon request
  • Inspect and obtain a copy of your health record as provided for in Federal Regulation (45 CFR 164.524)
  • Request an amendment to your health record as provided for in Federal Regulation (45 CFR 164.528)
  • Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information as provided in Federal Regulation (45 CFR 164.528)
  • Request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations. For example, you may request that we send correspondence to a post office box rather than your home address.
  • Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken

Mid-County Endodontic Group’s Responsibility

With respect to your health record that is created or maintained here we are required to:

  • Maintain the privacy of your health information
  • Provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you
  • 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
  • Notify you in case of a breach in Mid-County Endodontic Group’s practice management system and an outsider has obtained your medical information

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, revisions are available at www.midcountyendo.com or you may request a revised copy by calling our office.

We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice and for treatment, payment, or health care operations. For example, authorization is required for release of your medical information to an external provider not affiliated with Mid-County Endodontic Group, for marketing or fundraising purposes and for receiving information about alternative treatments.

For Your Protection