NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
This Notice applies to The Phoenix Edge PLLC, its healthcare providers, employees, clinical staff, and other workforce members who are authorized to access or use protected health information as part of providing services on behalf of the practice.
YOUR RIGHTS
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities.
Right to Inspect and Obtain a Copy
You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you. We will provide access, a copy, or a summary as required by law. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.
Right to Request an Amendment
If you believe health information we maintain about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to correct or amend it. We may deny the request in certain circumstances, but we will provide an explanation as required by law.
Right to Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a specific location. We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are generally not required to agree, except when the law requires us to do so. If you pay for a healthcare service or item in full out of pocket, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service or item to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, and we will honor the request when required by law.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information. The accounting does not include every disclosure, including many disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and certain disclosures requested or authorized by you.
Right to a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Right to Choose a Personal Representative
If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf regarding healthcare, that person may exercise your rights as permitted by law. We may verify the person's authority before taking action.
Right to File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with The Phoenix Edge PLLC using the contact information at the end of this Notice. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
YOUR CHOICES
Family, Friends, Caregivers, and Others Involved in Your Care You may tell us your preferences regarding sharing relevant health information with family members, friends, caregivers, or others involved in your care or payment for your care. When appropriate, we may ask you to complete a separate authorization. In certain circumstances, including emergencies or when you are unable to state your preference, we may disclose information as permitted by law and when consistent with your best interests.
Marketing and Sale of Health Information
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing protected health information for marketing purposes or selling protected health information when authorization is required by law.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
HIPAA permits or requires us to use and disclose protected health information in certain circumstances without obtaining a
separate authorization.
Treatment
We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your healthcare. For example, a provider may review laboratory results or share relevant information with another healthcare professional involved in your treatment.
Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose your information to operate our practice, improve quality, train our workforce, conduct quality assessment activities, and manage our services.
Payment
We may use and disclose health information for payment-related activities when applicable. The Phoenix Edge PLLC is a self-pay practice and does not routinely bill health insurance directly; however, permitted payment-related uses and disclosures may still apply.
Business Associates
We may disclose protected health information to outside persons or companies that perform services on our behalf, known as business associates, when permitted by law. These may include electronic health record, laboratory, pharmacy-related, payment processing, information technology, secure communications, document storage, and similar service providers. Business associates are required to safeguard protected health information as required by applicable law and their agreements with us.
Other Permitted or Required Uses and Disclosures
• Public health and safety activities, including preventing disease, reporting certain adverse events, and reporting
suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when permitted or required by law.
• Compliance with federal or state law.
• Health oversight activities, including authorized audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure matters.
• Judicial and administrative proceedings in response to lawful process when permitted or required by law.
• Law enforcement purposes when permitted or required by law.
• Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors when permitted or required by law.
• Workers' compensation and similar programs as authorized by law.
SPECIAL PROTECTIONS FOR CERTAIN HEALTH INFORMATION
Certain categories of health information may receive additional protection under federal or state law. When another
applicable law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we will follow the more protective requirement when
applicable.
Substance Use Disorder Records
To the extent we create or maintain substance use disorder patient records subject to 42 CFR Part 2, additional federal confidentiality protections apply. Such records will be used and disclosed only as permitted by applicable law. In particular, Part 2 records generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against a patient without the patient's written consent or the legally required court order and subpoena.
USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
Uses and disclosures of protected health information that are not otherwise permitted or required by law will generally be made only with your written authorization. If you provide an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
We may communicate with patients through secure patient messaging, telephone, text messaging, email, or other communication platforms as appropriate. We take reasonable steps to protect the privacy and security of health information. You may request that we communicate with you by a particular method or at a particular location, and we will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect.
• We must provide you with this Notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices.
• We will notify you following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law.
• We will honor your privacy rights as required by applicable federal and state law.
• We will not use or disclose your health information for purposes not described in this Notice unless you authorize us in
writing or another law permits or requires the use or disclosure.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices. Changes may apply to all health information we maintain, including information created or received before the change. When required, the revised Notice will be available upon request, at our office, and on our website.
QUESTIONS, REQUESTS, OR COMPLAINTS
For questions about this Notice, to exercise a privacy right, or to submit a privacy complaint, you may call our office at
336-803-7844.
Mail should be addressed to The Phoenix Edge, 4008 Mendenhall Oaks Pkwy, Ste 101 High Point, NC 27265.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. The
Phoenix Edge PLLC will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
