Smiles By Rosie Notice Of Privacy Practices

This Notice takes effect 01/01/12 and was updated on 11/08/15, and will remain in effect until we replace it. We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable law. You may request a copy of our Notice at any time.

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)

Treatment: We may use or disclose your health information to a dentist, physician, or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you.

Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you.

Office Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with quality assessment, office management, human resources, and other internal tasks associated with our practice.

Your Authorization: In addition to our use of your health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, you may give us written authorization to use your health information or to disclose it to anyone for any purpose. If you give us an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Unless you give us a written authorization, we cannot use or disclose your health information for any reason except those described in this Notice.

In An Emergency: We may use or disclose health information to notify, or assist in the notification of a family member, your guardian, emergency personnel, and legal personnel. In the event of your incapacity or emergency circumstances, we will disclose health information based on a determination using our professional judgment, disclosing only health information that is directly relevant to the people involvement in your healthcare. We will also use our professional judgment and our experience with common practice to make reasonable inferences of your best interest in allowing a person to pick up filled prescriptions, medical supplies, x-rays, or other similar forms of health information.

Marketing Health-Related Services: We will not use your health information or photographs for marketing communications without your written or documented verbal authorization.

Required By Law: We may disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law.

Abuse or Neglect: We 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. We may disclose your health information to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.

National Security: We may disclose to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel under certain circumstances. We may disclose to authorized federal officials health information required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities. We may disclose to correctional institution or law enforcement official having lawful custody of protected health information of an inmate under certain circumstances.

Appointment Reminders: We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders (such as voicemail messages, postcards, or letters).

Pay Out Of Pocket Provision (2013): If a patient pays for services out of pocket, they may request that no information or documentation be sent to their insurer.

PATIENT RIGHTS

Access: You have the right to look at or get copies of your health information, with limited exceptions. You must make a request in writing to obtain access to your health information using our office's medical release form. The fee for duplicating records may be a minimum of $5 and could increase depending on what is being requested. You may also request access by sending us a letter to our office address with your signature.

Disclosure Accounting: You have the right to receive a list of instances in which we or our business associates disclosed your health information for purposes, other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and certain other activities for the last 5 years. If you request this accounting more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable cost-based fee for responding to these additional requests.

Restriction: You have the right to request that we place additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information. We are not required to agree to these additional restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement (except in an emergency).

Alternative Communication: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information by alternative means or to alternative locations. You must make your request in writing. Your request must specify the alternative means or location, and provide satisfactory explanation how payments will be handled under the alternative means or location you request.

Amendment: You have the right to request that we amend your health information. Your request must be in writing, and it must explain why the information should be amended. We may deny your request under certain circumstances.

Electronic Notice: If you receive this Notice on a Web site or by electronic mail (e-mail), you are entitled to receive this Notice in written form.

Security Breaches: We will notify you if we feel your protected health information has been obtained or viewed by an unauthorized party or if there has been a breech in PHI-related security.

Electronic Communication: We may use email to communicate with both you and other providers and healthcare staff. We will encrypt any PHI sent through email.

QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

If you want more information about our privacy practices or have questions or concerns, please contact us.

If you are concerned that we may have violated your privacy rights, or you disagree with a decision we made about access to your health information or in response to a request you made to amend or restrict the use or disclosure of your health information or to have us communicate with you by alternative means or at alternative locations, you may complain to us using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice. You also may submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will provide you with the address to file your complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upon request.

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

Privacy Officer: Dr. Katie-Rose Wagner