NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. THIS NOTICE IS EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2003 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Rights to Notice

As a patient, you have the right to adequate notice of the uses and disclosures of your protected health information. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPPA), University Vision Clinic, Inc. can use your protected health information for treatment, payment and health care operations.

A) Treatment – We may use or disclose your health information to a physician or other health care provider providing treatment to you.

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

C) Health Care Operations – We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our health care operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competency or qualifications of health care professionals, evaluating provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.

Your Authorization

Most uses and disclosures that do not fall under treatment, payment, health care operations will require your written authorization. Upon signing, you may revoke your authorization (in writing) through our practice at any time.

Emergency Operations

In the event of your incapacity or an emergency situation, we will disclose health information to a family member, or another person responsible for your care, using our professional judgment. We will only disclose health information that is directly relevant to the person’s involvement in your health care.

Required by Law

We may use and 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 victim of other crimes. We may disclose your health information to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to your or other people’s health or safety.

National Security

We may disclose the health information of Armed Forces personnel to military authorities under certain circumstances. We may disclose health information to authorized federal officials required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence and other national security activities.

Appointment Reminders

We may use and disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders via phone, e-mail or letter.

Your Rights as a Patient

You have the right to restrict the disclosure of your protected health information (in writing). The request may be denied if the information is required for treatment, payment or health care operations.

Legal Requirements

University Vision Clinic, Inc. is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information. We are required to abide by the terms of this notice as it is currently stated, and reserve the right to change this notice. The policies in any new notice will not be in effect until they are posted to this site, or available within our office.

Complaints

If you have complaints regarding the way your protected health information was handled, you may submit a complaint in writing to our office. You will not retaliated against in any manner for a complaint.

Contact Information

For further information about University Vision Clinic, Inc.’s privacy policies, please contact our office at the address or phone number listed above.