HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices:

Carewright Clinical Services, PLLC

4925 Greenville Avenue, Suite 1050
Dallas, TX 75206

Phone: (214) 918-1999
Fax: (972) 850-9452
Email: office@carewright.org

Effective Date: 06/01/2023

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

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.

Carewright Clinical Services, PLLC is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal health information.

This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and share your health information, your rights regarding that information, and our responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable privacy laws.

This notice applies to the healthcare services provided by Carewright Clinical Services, including behavioral health services, counseling, psychological evaluations, and medical-clearance evaluations.

1. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your protected health information.

Access your medical records

You have the right to request and obtain a copy of your medical records, including records maintained electronically, with certain exceptions permitted by law.

We will generally provide a copy or summary of your records within 30 days of receiving your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by law.

Request corrections to your records

If you believe that information in your medical record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request a correction.

We may deny your request in certain circumstances, but we will explain the reason for the denial in writing.

Request confidential communications

You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as by telephone, email, or mail, or to send communications to a different address.

We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Request restrictions on the use or disclosure of your information

You may ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

We are not required to agree to every request.

However, if you pay for a healthcare service entirely out of pocket and request that we not disclose information about that service to your health insurance plan for payment or healthcare operations, we must generally honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

Request a record of certain disclosures

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request.

Certain disclosures, including many disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, are not included in this accounting.

Receive a copy of this notice

You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.

Choose someone to act on your behalf

If you have given someone legal authority to make healthcare decisions for you, such as through a medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian, that person may be able to exercise your rights on your behalf.

We will verify that the person has the appropriate authority before taking action.

File a privacy complaint

You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

You may file a complaint directly with Carewright Clinical Services or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

2. How We May Use and Share Your Health Information

HIPAA permits us to use and disclose your health information for certain purposes without obtaining a separate written authorization.

Treatment

We may use and share your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare.

For example, your treating provider may share relevant information with another healthcare professional involved in your care.

Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for healthcare services.

For example, we may submit information to your health insurance company to process a claim or verify coverage.

Healthcare operations

We may use and disclose your health information to operate our practice, improve the quality of our services, conduct appropriate internal reviews, and support administrative activities.

For example, we may review patient records to evaluate the quality of care provided by our clinical team.

Appointment reminders and healthcare communications

We may contact you regarding appointments, scheduling, treatment-related information, and other matters related to your care.

Individuals involved in your care

When permitted by law, we may share relevant information with family members, caregivers, or other individuals involved in your care or payment for your care.

You may tell us your preferences regarding these disclosures.

We will consider your preferences and follow applicable privacy laws.

3. Other Situations in Which We May Share Information

We may use or disclose your health information without your written authorization when permitted or required by law, including for the following purposes:

  • Reporting suspected child abuse, neglect, or abuse of vulnerable adults when required by law.
  • Preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, when permitted by law.
  • Reporting certain public health information to authorized public health agencies.
  • Complying with applicable healthcare oversight activities, such as audits, investigations, and inspections.
  • Responding to lawful court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes when the applicable legal requirements are met.
  • Complying with workers’ compensation laws.
  • Reporting information to law enforcement when required or permitted by law.
  • Providing information to medical examiners, coroners, or funeral directors when permitted by law.
  • Supporting certain approved research activities when applicable legal requirements are satisfied.

We will follow any additional confidentiality protections required by applicable federal or state law.

4. Behavioral Health and Psychotherapy Records

Carewright Clinical Services provides behavioral health services and recognizes the sensitive nature of mental health information.

Your behavioral health records are protected under HIPAA and other applicable confidentiality laws.

Certain records may receive additional legal protections.

Psychotherapy notes

Psychotherapy notes that are maintained separately from your general medical record receive special protections under HIPAA.

In most circumstances, we must obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing these notes, except when a specific legal exception applies.

Psychotherapy notes are different from ordinary clinical records, such as diagnoses, treatment plans, progress notes, and medication information.

Substance use disorder records

Certain substance use disorder treatment records may be protected by additional federal confidentiality requirements under 42 CFR Part 2.

When those requirements apply, we will use and disclose the records only as permitted by the applicable law and any required patient consent.

Part 2 records and testimony relaying their contents generally cannot be used against a patient in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings without the patient’s specific written consent or a qualifying court order, as applicable.

We will follow any additional protections that apply to your records.

5. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization

Certain uses and disclosures of your health information require your written authorization.

These generally include:

  • Most uses and disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes.
  • Most uses and disclosures of your health information for marketing purposes when authorization is required by law.
  • The sale of your protected health information.
  • Other disclosures that are not otherwise permitted or required by law.

When written authorization is required, we will obtain it before using or disclosing your information.

You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on it.

6. Your Choices Regarding Information Sharing

In certain situations, you may tell us how you would like your health information to be shared.

For example, you may identify family members or other individuals with whom we may discuss your care.

If you have a preference regarding how your information is shared, please discuss it with your healthcare provider or contact our office.

We will respect your choices as required by law.

7. Our Responsibilities

Carewright Clinical Services is required by law to:

  • Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
  • Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices.
  • Follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
  • Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information, as required by law.
  • Use and disclose your information only as permitted or required by applicable law.

We will not use or share your health information for purposes other than those described in this notice unless you provide written authorization or the law otherwise permits or requires the disclosure.

8. Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices and make the revised notice effective for all protected health information that we maintain, including information created or received before the revision.

When changes are made, the updated notice will be available on our website, at our office, and upon request.

The effective date of the current notice will appear at the beginning of this document.

9. Questions or Privacy Complaints

If you have questions about this notice, would like to exercise your privacy rights, or wish to file a privacy complaint, please contact:

Carewright Clinical Services, PLLC

Attention: HIPAA Privacy Officer

4925 Greenville Avenue, Suite 1050
Dallas, TX 75206

Phone: (214) 918-1999
Email: office@carewright.org

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

Website: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/index.html

You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a privacy complaint.

Carewright Clinical Services, PLLC

We are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your healthcare information.