Notice of Privacy Practices

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

REFERENCE: 45 CFR §45 C.F.R. §164.520c)

DATE: NOVEMBER, 2024

1. POLICY: It is the policy of the Practice to provide a Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) to each patient upon each first visit to a medical center, and make a good faith effort to obtain a signed Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Privacy Practices (“Acknowledgement”) from the patient. The Notice includes all elements and statements that are required by law.  The Notice informs the patients of:

Uses and disclosures of Electronic Protected Health Information (“ePHI”) that may be made by the Facility;

The patient’s rights with respect to his ePHI; and

The Practice’s legal duties with respect to such ePHI.

2. PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy and procedure is to ensure that a Notice of Privacy Practices is provided to, and acknowledged by, each patient or his/her personal representative upon admission to the medical center

3. PROCEDURE: The Notice and Acknowledgement form is included in the standard packet for new patients. 

The Practice Staff provide the Notice to the patient at the time of first visit.

Note:  In the case of an emergency treatment situation, the medical center provides the Notice to the patient as soon as reasonably practicable after the emergency treatment situation.

The Staff make a good faith effort to obtain the patient’s signature on the Acknowledgement at the time the Notice is provided.  The Notice and signed Acknowledgement is kept in the patient’s medical record. 

If the patient refuses or is otherwise unable to sign the Acknowledgement, the Staff document, on the Acknowledgement form, what actions were taken to obtain the patient’s signature on the Acknowledgement and the reason(s) why a signed Acknowledgement was not obtained.  This document is then placed in the patient’s Business Office File.

The Practice provides a copy of the written Notice to patients and to other persons upon request.

The Practice posts a copy of the Notice in a clear and prominent location such as the entrance lobby or similar location.

A current version of the Notice is maintained on the Practice’s website. Whenever the Notice is revised, the Practice’s Privacy Official assures that:

The revised Notice is made available upon request on or after the effective date of the revision; and

The revised Notice is posted in a clear and prominent location. 

Material changes are not implemented prior to the effective date of the revised Notice.

A copy of each Notice issued by the Practice is maintained for at least six years from the date it was last in effect.  Any member of the workforce who has knowledge of a violation or potential violation of this Policy must make a report directly to the Privacy Official.