HIPAA PRIVACY PRACTICES

ALPHA THERAPY
2443 Linden Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20910

As required by the Privacy Regulations created as a result of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

This notice describes how health information about you (as a patient of this practice) may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to your individually identifiable health information.

PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY

Alpha Therapy’s COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY

Alpha Therapy is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your Personal Health Information (PHI). In conducting our business, we will create records regarding you and your treatment and the services we provide for you. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies you. By federal legislature, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices that we have in effect at this time.

We realize that these laws are complicated, but we must provide you with the following relevant information:

How we may us and disclose your PHI
Your privacy rights in your PHI
Our obligations concerning the use and disclosure of your PHI

The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your PHI that are created or retained by Alpha Therapy. We reserve the right to revise or amend this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any revision or amendment to this notice will be effective for all of your records that Alpha Therapy has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records that we may create or maintain in the future.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS POLIC

Alpha Therapy
839 Bestgate Rd.
2443 Linden Lane
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Email: info@getalphatherapy.com

Alpha Therapy MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PHI IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

Treatment. Alpha Therapy may use your PHI to treat you, and to diagnose problems. Any of the people who work for Alpha Therapy – including our doctors and staff who treat you, or to assist others in your treatment. Additionally, the disclosure of your PHI may be given to those who may assist in your care, such as your spouse, children, or parents.

Payment. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI in order to bill and collect payment for the services and items you may receive from us. For example, we may contact your health insurer to certify that you are eligible for benefits (and for what range of benefits), and we may provide your insurer with details regarding your treatment and health status to determine if your insurer will cover, or pay for, your treatment. We also may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment from third parties that may be responsible for such costs, such as legal representation or insurance companies. Also, we may use your PHI to bill you directly for services and items where applicable.

Health Care Operations. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI to operate our business. As examples of the ways in which we may use and disclose your information for our operations, Alpha Therapy may use your PHI to evaluate the quality of care you receive from us, or to conduct cost-management and business planning activities for our practice.

Appointment Reminders. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI to contact you or a family member who answers the phone (or to leave a recorded message) to remind you of an upcoming appointment.

Treatment Options. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI to inform you of potential treatment options or alternatives.

Health-Related Benefits and Services. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI to inform you of health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.

Release of Information to Family/Friends. Alpha Therapy may release your PHI to a friend or family member that is involved in your care, or who assists in taking care of you. For example, a parent or guardian may ask that a babysitter take their child to our office for care. In this example, the babysitter may have access to this child’s medical information.

Disclosures Required by Law. Alpha Therapy will use and disclose your PHI when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

USE AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR PHI IN CERTAIN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

The following categories describe unique scenarios in which we may use or disclose your identifiable health information:

Public Health Risks. Alpha Therapy may disclose your PHI to public health authorities that are authorized by law to collect information for the purpose of:

Maintaining vital records, such as births and deaths
Reporting child abuse or neglect
Preventing or controlling a communicable disease, injury or disability
Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease
Reporting problems with products or devices
Notifying individuals if a product or device they may be using has been recalled
Notifying appropriate government agency (ies) and authority (ies) regarding the potential abuse or neglect of an adult patient (including domestic violence); however, we will only disclose this information if the patient agrees or we are required or authorized by law to disclose this information
Notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance

Health Oversight Activities. Alpha Therapy may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. Oversight activities can include, for example, investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure and disciplinary actions; civil, administrative, and criminal procedures or actions; or other activities necessary for the government to monitor government programs, compliance with civil rights laws and the health care system in general.

Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order, if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding. We also may disclose your PHI in response to discovery request, subpoena, or other lawful process by another party involved in the dispute, but only if we have made an effort to inform you of the request or to obtain an order protecting the information the party has requested. In general, we will require that the party that requests your records provide a records-release form, signed by you within the last 3 months.

Law Enforcement. We may release PHI regarding criminal conduct at our offices, or in response to a warrant, summons, court order, subpoena or similar legal process

To identify/locate a suspect, material witness, fugitive or missing person

In an emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victim(s) of the crime, or the description, identity or location of the perpetrator)

Deceased Patients. Alpha Therapy may release PHI to a medical examiner or coroner to identify a deceased individual or to identify the cause of death. If necessary, we also may release information in order for funeral directors to perform their jobs.

Serious Threats to Health or Safety. Alpha Therapy may use and disclose your PHI when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. Under these circumstances, we will only make disclosures to a person or organization able to help prevent the threat.

Inmates. Alpha Therapy may disclose your PHI to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under the custody of law enforcement official. Disclosure for these purposes would be necessary: (a) for the institution to provide health care services to you, (b) for the safety and security of the institution, and/or (c) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of other individuals.

Workers’ Compensation. Alpha Therapy may release your PHI for worker’s compensation and similar programs.

Latest Revision: Nov. 1st, 2018