1800 Town Center Drive, Suite 411
Reston Virginia 20190
703-437-3236
MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
that all medical records and other individually identifiable health information
used
or disclosed by us in any form are kept confidential.
This Act gives you, the patient,
significant new rights to understand and control how your health information
is used.
“HIPAA” provides penalties for covered
entities that misuse personal health information.
(PHI) only for each of the following purposes with your consent: treatment,
payment and health
care operations.
·
Treatment means providing, coordinating,
or managing your health care and related services
by one or more health care providers.
·
Payment means such activities as obtaining
reimbursement for services, confirming coverage,
billing or collection activities, and utilization review.
·
Health Care Operations are activities that relate
to the performance and operation of our
practice. Examples of health care operations are quality
assessment and improvement activities,
business-related matters such as audits and administrative services, and case
management and
care coordination.
“Use” applies only to activities within
RPC’s office, such as sharing, employing, applying, utilizing,
examining, and analyzing information that identifies you.
“Disclosure” applies to activities outside
of RPC’s office, such as releasing, transferring, or providing
access to information about you to other parties.
“PHI” – Protected Health Information refers to information in your health record
that could identify you.
when your appropriate authorization is obtained. An “authorization” is written permission above and
beyond the general consent that permits only specific disclosures.
In those instances when RPC is
asked for information for purposes outside of treatment, payment and health
care operations, we will
obtain an authorization from you before releasing this information.
RPC will also need to obtain an
authorization before releasing your psychotherapy notes. “Psychotherapy notes” are notes a therapist
has made about conversations during a private, group, joint, or family counseling
session, which is kept
separate from the rest of your medical record.
These notes are given a greater degree of protection than PHI.
revocation is in writing. You may not revoke an authorization to the extent
that (1) RPC has relied
on that authorization; or (2) if the authorization was obtained as a condition
of obtaining insurance
coverage, and the law provides the insurer the right to contest the claim under
the policy.
§
If a therapist has reason to suspect that a child or an adult is abused
or neglected or exploited,
the therapist is required by law to report the matter immediately to the Department
of Welfare or Social Services.
§
The Board of Psychology and the Board of Social Work have the power, when
necessary,
to subpoena relevant records.
·
If in a court proceeding, a request is made for information
about your diagnosis and
treatment and the records thereof, such information is privileged under state
law, and RPC will
not release information without the written authorization of you or your legal
representative, or a
subpoena. However, if you move to quash
(block) the subpoena, RPC is required to place said
records in a sealed envelope and provide them to the clerk of court so that
the court can determine
whether the records should be released. The privilege does not apply when you
are being evaluated
for a third party or where the evaluation is court ordered. You will be informed
in advance if this is the case.
·
If a client communicates a specific and immediate threat to cause serious
bodily injury or
death, to an identified or to an identifiable person, and the therapist believes
the client has the intent
and ability to carry out that threat, the therapist must take steps to protect
third parties. These precautions
may include (1) warning the potential victim(s), or the parent or guardian of
the potential victim(s),
if under 18; or (2) notifying a law enforcement officer.
§
If you file a worker's compensation claim RPC is required by law, upon
request,
to submit your relevant mental health information to you, your employer, the
insurer, or a
certified rehabilitation provider.
·
You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures
of protected
health information about you. However, RPC is not required to agree to a restriction
which you request.
·
You have the right to request and receive confidential communications
of PHI by alternative
means and at alternative locations. Upon your request, we will send your bills to
another address.
·
You have the right to inspect or obtain a copy of PHI and psychotherapy
notes as long as
the PHI is maintained in the record. RPC may deny your access to PHI under certain
circumstances,
but in some cases you may have this decision reviewed. On your request, your
therapist will discuss
with you the details of the request and denial process.
·
You have the right to request an amendment of PHI for as long as the PHI
is maintained in
the record. RPC may deny your request.
Your therapist can discuss with you the details of the
amendment process.
·
You generally have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of
PHI for which you
have not provided consent. On your request, your therapist will discuss with
you the details of the
accounting process.
·
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice upon request,
even if you have
agreed to receive the notice electronically.
Privacy Practices currently in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of
our Notice of Privacy
Practices and to make the new notice provisions effective for all protected
health information that we maintain.
We will post and you may request a written copy of a revised Notice of
Privacy Practices from this office.
with our office or with the Department of Health & Human Services, Office
of Civil Rights, about violations
of the provisions of this notice or the policies and procedures of our office.