Privacy Policy for Pediatric Consultants, P.C.
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
Uses and disclosures of health information We are required by law to protect the privacy of protected health information, provide this notice about our privacy practices, and follow the information practices that are described in this notice.
This office is permitted by federal privacy laws to make uses and disclosures of your health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations. Protected health information is the information we create and obtain in providing our services to you. Such information may include documenting your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment, and applying for future care or treatment. It also includes billing documents for those services.
Example of use of health information for treatment purposes
If during the course of your child’s treatment the physician determines a consult with a specialist will be needed, we will share your information with the specialist and obtain their input.
Example of use of health information for payment purposes
When we seek payment, we will provide information about your child and the care given requested by your health insurance company.
Example of use of health information for health care purposes
We will share your information to obtain services from business associates such as quality assessment, quality improvement, protocol and clinical guidelines development, training programs, credentialing, medical review, and legal services.
In addition to the above mentioned uses of your Protected Health Information related to treatment, payment and healthcare operations, Pediatric Consultants, P.C. may use your Protected Health Information for the following purposes:
Public health activities
As required by law, we may disclose your protected health information to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.
Victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
We can disclose protected health information to governmental authorities to the extent the disclosure is authorized by statute or regulation and in the exercise of professional judgment the doctor believes the disclosure is necessary to prevent serious harm to the individual or other potential victim.
Oversight agencies
Federal law allows us to release your protected health information to appropriate health oversight agencies or for health oversight activities to include audits, civil, administrative or criminal investigations: inspections; licensures or disciplinary actions, and for similar reasons related to the administration of healthcare.
Judicial/administrative proceedings and law enforcement
We may disclose your protected health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding as allowed or required by law, with your consent, or as directed by a proper court order or administrative tribunal, provided that only the protected health information released is expressly authorized by such order, or in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process including laws that require reporting of certain types of wounds or other physical injury.
Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors
We may disclose your protected health information to funeral directors or coroners consistent with applicable law to allow them to carry out their duties.
Organ procurement organizations
Consistent with applicable law, we may disclose your protected health information to organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the procurement, banking, or transplantation of organs, or tissue for the purpose of donation and transplant.
Research
We may disclose information to researchers when, their research has been approved by an institutional review board that has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your protected health information.
For specialized governmental functions
We may disclose your protected health information for specialized government functions as authorized by law such as to Armed Forces personnel, for national security purposes, or to public assistance program personnel.
Uses of information with opportunity to object
We may contact you to provide you with information about treatment alternatives, or with information about other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
We will assume any person you have allowed to bring your child into our office, has the authorization to receive protected health information regarding your child. We may disclose to a family member, or other person you identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your chinos care or in payment for such care if you do not object or in an emergency.
Other uses and disclosures
Other uses and disclosures besides those identified in this notice will be made only as otherwise authorized by law or with your written authorization which you may revoke except to the extent information or action has already been taken.
Information rights
The health and billing records we maintain are the physical property of Pediatric Consultants. You have the following rights with respect to your Protected Health Information:
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your health information by delivering the request in writing to our office. We are not required to grant all requests but we will comply with any request granted;
- Obtain a paper copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information;
- In certain circumstances you have the right to inspect and copy your health record and billing record. You have to the right to appeal a denial of access to your protected health information;
- Right to request that your health care record be amended to correct incomplete or incorrect information. The physician or other health care provider is not required to make such amendments; you may file a statement of disagreement if your amendment is denied, and require that the request for amendment and any denial be attached in all future disclosures of your protected health information;
- Right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information as required to be maintained by law. An accounting will not include internal uses of information for treatment, payment, or operations, disclosures made to you or made at your request, or disclosures made to family members or friends in the course of providing care.
If you would like to exercise any of the rights above please ask our front desk for the appropriate form or call our Privacy Officer at 901-523-2945.
Our responsibilities
The office is required to:
- Maintain the privacy of your health information as required by law;
- Provide you with a notice as to our duties and privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain about your child;
- Abide by the terms of this Notice;
- Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested restriction or request; and
- Accommodate your reasonable requests regarding methods to communicate health information with you.
- Accommodate your request for an accounting of disclosures.
Social media
Pediatric Consultants, P.C. is proud to be able to provide the latest news and health updates via social networking services such as Blogspot, Twitter, and Facebook; however, these services are for general information only – for specific medical advice, please contact us to make an appointment with one of our doctors. Pediatric Consultants, P.C. will never ask for private information via social networking services. Any private information you share with Pediatric Consultants, P.C. through these services is done so at your discretion.
We reserve the right to amend, change, or eliminate provisions in our privacy practices and access practices and to enact new provisions regarding the protected health information we maintain. If our information practices change, we will amend our Notice. You are entitled to receive a revised copy of the Notice by calling and requesting a copy of our Portico or by visiting our office and picking up a copy.
To request information or to file a complaint
If you have questions, would like additional information, or want to report a problem regarding the handling of your information, you may contact:
Pediatric Consultants, P.C.
Attention: Privacy Officer
777 Washington Avenue, Suite 410
Memphis, Tennessee 38105
Any person believing to have knowledge about a violation of a patients confidentiality or any HIPAA regulation may file a compliant. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. All complaints must be submitted to the Privacy Officer in writing within 180 days from when the alleged violation occurred. Pediatric Consultants has a standard complaint form that will be provided if desired. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20201. We will not require you to waive the right to file a complaint as a condition of receiving treatment from the office.
Last Updated: January 1, 2013