HIPAA Notice

The health record we maintain and our billing records are the physical property of the practice. The information in it, however, belongs to you. You have a right to:

• Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your health information by delivering the request in writing to our office. We are not required to grant the request but we will comply with any request granted.
• Request that you be allowed to inspect and copy your health record and billing record. You may exercise this right by delivering the request in writing to our office.
• Appeal a denial of access to your protected health information, except in certain circumstances.
• Request that your health care record be amended to correct incomplete or incorrect information by delivering a written request to our office.
  File a statement of disagreement if your amendment is denied, and require that the request for amendment and any denial be attached in all future disclosures of your protected health information.
• Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information as required to be maintained by law, by delivering a written request to our office. An accounting will not include internal uses of information for treatment, payment or operations, disclosures made to you or made at your request, or disclosures made to family members or friends in the course of providing care.
• Request that communication of your health information be made by alternative means or at an alternative location by delivering the request in writing to our office.
• Revoke authorizations that you made previously to use or disclose information except to the extent information or action has already been taken by delivering a written revocation to our office.
• Restrict disclosures of your health information to health plans if you have paid for services out of pocket in full.

If you want to exercise any of the above rights, please contact our office in person or in writing, during normal hours. We will provide you with assistance on the steps to take to exercise your rights.

Our Responsibilities

The practice is required to:

• Maintain the privacy of your health information as required by law.
• Provide you with a notice of our duties and privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain about you.
• Abide by the terms of this Notice.
• Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested restriction or request.
• Accommodate your reasonable requests regarding methods to communicate health information with you.
• We reserve the right to amend, change, or eliminate provisions in our privacy practices and access practices and to enact new provisions regarding the protected health information we maintain. If our information practices change, we will amend our Notice. You are entitled to receive a revised copy of the Notice by calling and requesting a copy of our Notice or by visiting our office and picking up a copy.
• Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your health information.

To Request Information Or File A Complaint

If you have questions, would like additional information, or want to report a problem regarding the handling of your information, you may contact us:

Privacy Officer
1305 Physicians Dr.
Wilmington, NC 28401
910-762-2618

Additionally, if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with COFSC at our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints will be investigated, without repercussion to you.

Other Disclosures And Uses

Notification

Unless you object, we may use or disclose your protected health information to notify, or assist in notifying, a family member, personal representative, or other person responsible for your care about your location, your general condition, or your death.

Communication with Family

If you do not object or in an emergency, we may disclose to a member of your immediate family, another relative, a close friend, or any other person you identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment for your care.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

We may disclose to the FDA your protected health information relating to adverse events with respect to products and product defects, or post-marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacements.

Workers Compensation

If you are seeking Workers Compensation benefits, we may disclose your protected health information to the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to Workers Compensation.

Public Health

As required by law, we may disclose your protected health information to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability.

Abuse & Neglect

We may disclose your protected health information to public authorities as allowed by law to report abuse or neglect.

Correctional Institutions

If you are an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose your protected health information to the institution or its agents, provided it is necessary for your health and/or the health and safety of other individuals.

Law Enforcement

We may disclose your protected health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law, such as when required by a court order, or in cases involving felony prosecutions, or to the extent an individual is in the custody of law enforcement.

Health Oversight

Federal law allows us to release your protected health information to appropriate health oversight agencies or for health oversight activities.

Judicial/Administrative Proceedings

We may disclose your protected health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding as allowed or required by law, with your consent, or as directed by a proper court order.

Marketing/Fundraising

We will not use or disclose your health information for any marketing or fundraising purposes or in a matter that would constitute sale of your information without your written authorization. You may receive an initial call to participate, at which time you have the right to opt-out of any marketing or fundraising communications.

Other Uses

Other uses and disclosures besides those identified in this Notice will be made only as otherwise authorized by law or with your written authorization and you may revoke the authorization as previously provided.

We partner with a third party ad network to either display advertising on our website or to manage our advertising on other sites. Our ad network partner uses cookies and web beacons to collect non-personally identifiable information about your activities on this and other websites to provide you targeted advertising based upon your interests. If you wish to not have this information used for the purpose of serving you targeted ads, you may opt-out by clicking here (Link to TRUSTe global opt-out: http://preferences.truste.com/). Please note this does not opt you out of being served advertising. You will continue to receive generic ads.