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HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Great Lakes Plastic Surgery Center, PC
5085 Anna Drive
Traverse City, MI 49684 – 231-935-0180
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 of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out
treatment, payment or health care operations (TPO) and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also
describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. “Protected health information” is information
about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or
mental health or condition and related health care services.
1. Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Your protected health information may be used and disclosed by your physician, our office staff and others outside of our
office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you, to pay your health
care bills, to support the operation of the physician’s practice, and any other use required by law.
Treatment: We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and
any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with a third party. For example, we
would disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to you. For
example, your protected health information may be provided to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the
physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.
Payment: Your protected health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services. For
example, obtaining approval for a hospital stay may require that your relevant protected health information be disclosed to the
health plan to obtain approval for the hospital admission.
Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose, as-needed, your protected health information in order to support the business
activities of your physician’s practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee
review activities, training of medical students, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For
example, we may disclose your protected health information to medical school students that see patients at our office. In
addition, we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your
physician. We may also call you by name in the waiting room when your physician is ready to see you. We may use or disclose
your protected health information, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment.
We may use or disclose your protected health information in the following situations without your authorization. These
situations include: as Required By Law, Public Health issues as required by law, Communicable Diseases: Health Oversight:
Abuse or Neglect: Food and Drug Administration requirements: Law Enforcement: Coroners, Funeral Directors, and Organ
Donation: Research: Criminal Activity: Military Activity and National Security: Workers’ Compensation: Inmates: Required
Uses and Disclosures: Under the law, we must make disclosures to you and when required by the Secretary of the Department
of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of Section 164.500.
Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures Will Be Made Only With Your Consent, Authorization or Opportunity
to Object unless required by law.
You may revoke this authorization, at any time, in writing, except to the extent that your physician or the physician’s
practice has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.
Your Rights
Following is a statement of your rights with respect to your protected health information.
You have the right to inspect and copy your protected health information. Under federal law, however, you may not
inspect or copy the following records; psychotherapy notes; information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or use in, a
civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, and protected health information that is subject to law that prohibits
access to protected health information.
You have the right to request a restriction of your protected health information. This means you may ask us not to use or
disclose any part of your protected health information for the purposes of treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You
may also request that any part of your protected health information not be disclosed to family members or friends who may be
involved in your care or for notification purposes as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. Your request must state the
specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply.
Your physician is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If physician believes it is in your best interest to
permit use and disclosure of your protected health information, your protected health information will not be restricted. You
then have the right to use another Healthcare Professional.
You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative
location. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us, upon request, even if you have agreed to accept
this notice alternatively i.e. electronically.
You may have the right to have your physician amend your protected health information. If we deny your request for
amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and
will provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal.
You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your protected health
information.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and will inform you by mail of any changes. You then have the right to
object or withdraw as provided in this notice.
Complaints
You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been
violated by us. You may file a complaint with us by notifying our privacy contact of your complaint. We will not retaliate
against you for filing a complaint.
This notice was published and becomes effective on/or before April 14, 2003.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of, and provide individuals with, this notice of our legal duties and
privacy practices with respect to protected health information. If you have any objections to this form, please ask to
speak with our HIPAA Compliance Officer in person or by phone at our Main Phone Number.
E-mail: jymanager@glpsc.com
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