Notice of Privacy Practices

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
• Ask us to correct health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
• Request confidential communications, including contact by a specific method or at a specific location.
• Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures. We are generally not required to agree, except in circumstances required by law.
• Obtain a list of certain disclosures we made of your health information.
• Receive a paper or electronic copy of this notice.
• Choose someone with legal authority to act for you and exercise your rights.
• File a complaint without retaliation if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

Your choices

For certain health information, you may tell us what you prefer. This may include whether we share information with family, friends, or others involved in your care; assist in disaster-relief efforts; or contact you for fundraising. If you cannot tell us your preference, we may share information when it is in your best interest or needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat.

We will obtain written authorization for uses and disclosures when required by law, including most marketing, sale of health information, and most uses of psychotherapy notes. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already relied on it.

How we may use and disclose your information

Treatment

We may use and share your information to provide, coordinate, and manage your care and to communicate with other professionals involved in your treatment.

Payment

We may use and share your information to bill and obtain payment from health plans or other responsible parties.

Health care operations

We may use and share your information to operate the practice, improve care, train staff, manage risk, and contact you when necessary.

Other uses permitted or required by law

We may use or disclose information for public-health and safety activities, reporting suspected abuse or neglect, health oversight, workers’ compensation, research permitted by law, organ and tissue donation, coroners or medical examiners, certain law-enforcement or national-security purposes, judicial proceedings, and other situations authorized or required by law. Applicable conditions and minimum-necessary standards will be followed.

Specially protected information

Certain records may receive additional protection under federal or state law. This may include substance-use-disorder records, psychotherapy notes, genetic information, and reproductive health information. We will obtain consent, authorization, or a legally required attestation when applicable and will not use or disclose information for a prohibited purpose.

Our responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.
• We will notify affected individuals if a breach may have compromised the privacy or security of their information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
• We will not use or share information other than as described here unless you authorize it in writing or the law permits or requires it.

We may change this notice and apply the revised practices to information we already maintain. The current notice will be available at the practice and on this website.

Questions or complaints

Contact Hometown Wellness Center at (304) 466-5556 or 37 Elizabeth Drive, Weston, WV 26452. You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

This notice was adapted from the current HHS model notice resources. The practice should review this notice with its privacy or legal advisor before patient operations begin.