Notice of Privacy Practices

1. Our Duties

Primary Health Clinics of Mississippi is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). We are also required to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information, and to follow the terms of the Notice that is currently in effect.

We understand that health information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting your health information and will only use or disclose it as described in this Notice or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

The following categories describe the ways we may use and disclose your health information without your written authorization:

Treatment

We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and related services. This includes sharing information with other health care providers involved in your care — for example, sending your records to a specialist or hospital to whom we refer you.

Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you. This includes submitting claims to your health insurance company, Medicare, Medicaid, or other payers, and responding to coverage inquiries.

Health Care Operations

We may use and disclose your health information for our health care operations, including:

• Quality assessment and improvement activities
• Training and education of medical and clinical staff
• Conducting audits, compliance reviews, and business planning
• Accreditation, licensing, and credentialing activities

As Required by Law

We will disclose your health information when required to do so by federal, state, or local law. This includes disclosures in response to:

• Court orders, subpoenas, or other legal proceedings
• Public health reporting (e.g., communicable disease reporting)
• Law enforcement purposes as permitted or required by law
• Oversight activities such as audits, investigations, and inspections by government agencies
• Serious threats to health or safety of a person or the public

Business Associates

We may share your health information with third parties (our "Business Associates") that perform services on our behalf — such as billing companies, IT vendors, and transcription services. We require all Business Associates to sign a Business Associate Agreement obligating them to protect your PHI in accordance with HIPAA.

3. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization

Most uses and disclosures of your health information not described in this Notice require your written authorization before we may make them. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Marketing: We will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes without your written authorization, except as permitted by law.
• Sale of PHI: We will not sell your protected health information without your written authorization.
• Psychotherapy Notes: We will not use or disclose psychotherapy notes without your specific written authorization, except in limited circumstances permitted by law.

You may revoke any authorization you have given us at any time by submitting a written revocation to our office. Your revocation will be effective for future uses and disclosures; however, it will not apply to actions we have already taken in reliance on your prior authorization.

4. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the following rights with respect to your protected health information:

Right to Inspect and Copy

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information that we maintain in a designated record set, including your medical records and billing records. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies. In certain limited circumstances, we may deny your request.

Right to Request an Amendment

If you believe that health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may request that we amend it. We may deny your request if the information was not created by us, is not part of the records we maintain, or is accurate and complete.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information. This accounting does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or disclosures made with your authorization.

Right to Request Restrictions

You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to your request, except that we must agree to a restriction on disclosure to a health plan if you pay out-of-pocket in full for the service in question.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health matters in a certain way or at a certain location — for example, requesting that we contact you only at a specific phone number or address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice

You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. You may request a copy at any of our clinic locations or by contacting us using the information below.

Right to Be Notified of a Breach

You have the right to be notified if there is a breach of your unsecured protected health information. We will notify you in accordance with applicable federal and state law.

5. How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of the rights described above, please submit a written request to us using one of the following methods:

• Email: [email protected]
• Mail — Newton Clinic: 191 Northside Dr, Newton, MS 39345
• Mail — Meridian Clinic: 1727 6th Street, Meridian, MS 39301
• Fax: (601) 683-7999

We will respond to your request within the timeframes required by law. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

6. How to File a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you in any way for filing a complaint.

File a Complaint With Us

Contact our Privacy Officer using the information listed in Section 5 above.

File a Complaint With the Federal Government

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20201
Toll-Free: 1-877-696-6775
Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

7. Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Notice effective for health information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future.

The current Notice will always be posted in our offices and on our website. The effective date appears at the top of this Notice. You may request a copy of the current Notice at any time.