Privacy Policy

We respect our legal obligation to keep health information that might identify you private. We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (“PHI”) and to provide you with notice of our privacy practices. This Notice describes how we protect your health information, how we may use and disclose it, and what rights you have regarding it.

We are required to follow the terms of this Notice currently in effect and to notify you if a breach occurs involving unsecured PHI.

TREATMENT, PAYMENT, AND HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS

The most common reasons we would use or disclose your health information are for treatment, payment, and health care operations. We routinely use and disclose your medical information within the office daily. We do not need your specific permission to use or disclose your medical information for these purposes, although you have the right to request restrictions as described later in this Notice.

Examples of how we might use or disclose health information for treatment purposes might include:

• Setting up or changing appointments, including leaving messages with those at your home or office who may answer the phone or leaving messages on answering machines, voicemail, emails, or text messages; calling your name in a reception room environment; prescribing glasses, contact lenses, or medications and relaying this information to suppliers by phone, fax, or other electronic means, including initial prescriptions and refill requests; notifying you that your ophthalmic goods are ready, including leaving messages with those at your home or office who may answer the phone or leaving messages on voicemail, email, or text messages; referring you to another doctor or provider for care not provided by this office; obtaining copies of health information from providers you have seen before us; discussing your care directly with you or with family members or friends you indicate or allow to be present; sending postcards, letters, or electronic reminders that it is time for continued care; and, at your request, providing copies of your medical records by electronic transmission.

Examples of how we might use or disclose health information for payment purposes might include:

• Asking you about your vision or medical insurance plans or other sources of payment; preparing and submitting bills or claims to insurance companies or to you; providing information required by third-party payors to ensure payment for services rendered; sending billing statements or notices of payment due to the person designated as responsible party on your account, which may include descriptions of services and diagnoses; and collecting unpaid balances either directly or through collection agencies, attorneys, or lawful government entities.
  If you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you may request that information related solely to that service is not disclosed to your health plan. This restriction applies only to the specific service paid in full and must be requested by you.

Examples of how we might use or disclose health information for health care operations purposes might include:

• Financial, billing, or compliance audits; internal quality assurance and improvement programs; participation in managed care plans; credentialing, licensing, or peer review of providers; legal defense of claims; business planning and administrative activities; certain research activities permitted by law; informing you about products or services offered by our office; responding to requests from local, state, or federal agencies; Medicare or Medicaid audits; and providing information regarding your vision status to appropriate agencies such as the Department of Public Safety, schools, or entities involved in disability determinations or occupational or recreational licensing.

USES AND DISCLOSURES FOR OTHER REASONS NOT NEEDING PERMISSION

In certain limited situations, the law allows or requires us to use or disclose your health information without your permission. These situations may include:

• When state or federal law requires reporting for a specific purpose
• For public health activities such as reporting contagious diseases, investigations, surveillance, or FDA communications
• Disclosures to government authorities regarding suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• Disclosures for judicial or administrative proceedings in response to lawful subpoenas, court orders, or hearings
• Disclosures to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors
• Disclosures related to organ or tissue donation
• Uses or disclosures for approved health-related research
• Uses or disclosures to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of an individual or the public
• Uses or disclosures for military activities or lawful national security or intelligence purposes
• Disclosures of de-identified information
• Disclosures related to workers’ compensation claims
• Disclosures of limited data sets for research, public health, or health care operations
• Incidental disclosures that occur as an unavoidable by-product of permitted uses
• Disclosures necessary to complete school vision screening forms, Department of Public Safety forms, or certifications for occupational or recreational licenses
• Disclosures to business associates who perform services for Vision Loft O.D., P.A. and who are contractually required to protect your information
• Unless you object, disclosures to family members or friends involved in your care when their involvement or presence reasonably indicates your agreement

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RECORDS (42 C.F.R. PART 2)

If we receive or maintain information about you from a substance use disorder treatment program that is subject to federal confidentiality protections under 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part 2 Program”), and that information is shared with us pursuant to a valid consent you provided for treatment, payment, and/or health care operations, we may use and disclose that information for those same purposes as described in this Notice, to the extent permitted by law.

Part 2 records are subject to additional federal confidentiality protection. We will not use or disclose your Part 2 records, or any testimony about what is contained in those records, in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding conducted by any federal, state, or local authority against you unless you provide specific written authorization or a court issues an order after appropriate notice to you.

Prohibition on Redisclosure:

Information protected by 42 C.F.R. Part 2 may not be redisclosed unless expressly permitted by federal law. Any recipient of such information is prohibited from further disclosure unless authorized by law or by your written consent.

USES OR DISCLOSURES TO PATIENT REPRESENTATIVES

It is the policy of Vision Loft O.D., P.A. to accept communications from individuals acting on a patient’s behalf regarding appointment scheduling, changes, or cancellations; the status or delivery of eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other optical goods; and other administrative matters. Every effort will be made to limit such communications to the minimum information necessary to complete the requested task.
No information regarding a patient’s vision or health status will be disclosed without appropriate consent. We will reasonably infer consent if you allow another individual to be present during examinations, testing, treatment, discussions of care, or accounting matters within the office.

OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES

We will not use or disclose your health information for purposes other than those described in this Notice unless you sign a written Authorization. The content of such authorization is governed by federal law. You may revoke authorization at any time by submitting a written request to the Privacy Officer, except to the extent we have already relied on the authorization.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

You have the following rights regarding your PHI:

You may request restrictions on our uses or disclosures for treatment (except in emergencies), payment, or health care operations. Requests must be made in writing. We are not required to agree, but if we do, we will honor the restriction.

You may request that we communicate with you in a confidential manner or at an alternative location. Reasonable requests will be accommodated.

You have the right to inspect, access, and obtain copies of your health information. Requests must be made in writing. We generally respond within 15 days, with a permitted 30-day extension if necessary. Records may be provided electronically upon request. You may request that copies of your health information be sent to a third party you designate.

You may request an amendment to your health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. If we deny your request, you may submit a written statement of disagreement that will be included in your record.
You may request an accounting of certain non-routine disclosures made within the past six (6) years. One accounting per year is provided at no charge.

You may opt out of participation in North Carolina’s Health Information Exchange (NC HealthConnex).
You may obtain additional copies of this Notice at any time.

CHANGING OUR NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time. Any changes will apply to all health information we maintain. Updated Notices will be posted in our office and on our website.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Privacy Officer of Vision Loft O.D., P.A., the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, or the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.