Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Steady Hands Infusion & Home Health is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). We are also required to provide you with this notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your health information.

We will follow the privacy practices described in this notice while it is in effect. If a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information, we will notify you as required by law.

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.

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

Ask us to correct your medical record

You can ask us to correct health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.

We may deny your request in certain circumstances, but we will tell you why in writing, usually within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

You can ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at your home or office phone, or to send mail to a different address.

We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our healthcare operations. We are generally not required to agree to your request.

If you pay for a healthcare item or service out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share information about that item or service with your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, and we will honor the request unless a law requires us to share the information.

Get a list of disclosures

You can ask for a list of certain times we have shared your health information during the six years before the date you ask, including who we shared it with and why.

The list will not include all disclosures, such as certain disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. We will provide one accounting per year at no charge. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you request another accounting within 12 months.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

If you have given someone medical power of attorney or someone is your legal guardian or otherwise legally authorized to act for you, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information as permitted by law.

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

File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights were violated

You can complain to us if you believe we have violated your privacy rights by contacting us using the information provided at the end of this notice.

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

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions as required by law.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.

• Share information in a disaster-relief situation.

• Include your information in a facility directory, if applicable.

If you are unable to tell us your preference—for example, if you are unconscious—we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest and permitted by law. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In these cases, we will not use or share your information unless you give us written permission:

• For most marketing purposes.

• For the sale of your health information.

• For most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, if we maintain them.

If you give us written permission, you may revoke that permission in writing at any time. We will stop future uses or disclosures covered by that authorization, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

How We May Use and Share Your Health Information

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

Treat you

We can use your health information and share it with other healthcare professionals who are treating you.

For example, we may share information with your physician, pharmacy, infusion provider, therapist, hospital, or other members of your healthcare team to coordinate your care.

Run our organization

We can use and share your health information to operate our agency, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.

For example, we may use health information to review the quality of our services, train staff, conduct compliance activities, and manage our operations.

Bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and obtain payment from health plans or other responsible parties.

For example, we may provide information about services you received to your insurance company for payment, eligibility, authorization, or coverage purposes.

How Else May We Use or Share Your Health Information?

We may use or share your health information in other ways that are permitted or required by law. These uses and disclosures may have additional legal requirements that we must meet.

Help with public health and safety issues

We may share health information when permitted or required for certain public health and safety purposes, including:

• Preventing or controlling disease.

• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

• Reporting adverse reactions to medications or problems with products.

• Helping with product recalls.

• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to someone's health or safety.

Comply with the law

We will share information about you when federal or state law requires it, including with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when necessary to demonstrate our compliance with federal privacy laws.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

We may share health information with organ procurement organizations or other entities involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation as permitted by law.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

We may share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when permitted or required by law.

Address workers' compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

We may use or share health information:

• For workers' compensation claims.

• For certain law-enforcement purposes or with law-enforcement officials as permitted by law.

• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law.

• For certain governmental functions, such as military, national security, and protective services.

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We may share health information in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena or other lawful process when the applicable legal requirements have been met.