Notice of Privacy Practices

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used in our pharmacy and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Protecting Medical Information

Our Pharmacy is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI is considered to be your medical records and other health information that identifies you. This includes any information we keep, use, or disclose in any form, whether electronically, on paper, or orally.

As required by HIPAA, we must provide this notice to you and make a good faith effort to obtain your acknowledgment that you have received it. This notice explains how we will use and disclose your PHI while maintaining your privacy, explains your rights with respect to PHI, and explains our duty to abide by the terms of this notice and any updates that we make in the future.

Our Use of Your Information

Under the law, we are permitted to use and disclose your PHI without your authorization for the purpose of treatment, payment, and health care operations.

TREATMENT means providing, coordinating, or managing health care and related services by one or more health care providers. Examples include when we contact your physician or other health care providers to obtain refill authorizations, ask questions about medication doses, inform them of potential drug interactions, or determine the validity of prescription orders. We may also use and disclose your information when your physician, health care provider, or another pharmacy contacts us and says that you have requested them to provide health care services.

PAYMENT means activities such as obtaining payment for services, confirming health plan coverage, and billing or collection activities. Examples include electronically billing your insurance company or health plan at the time we fill your prescriptions. Insurance companies or health plans may also contact us about services we provide to you.

HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS include business aspects of running our pharmacy, such as planning, financial analysis, and customer service. An example is when we look at our records to evaluate how well our pharmacists and technicians provide service to you.

Our Use of Your Information

We may also use your PHI without your authorization to provide you with refill reminders; information about alternatives to medications or services you receive through our pharmacy; or notices of health screenings, special events, or other wellness activities we may conduct.

We may also release information about you to a family member or others who are involved in your medical care. Examples include when a family member picks up a prescription for you or if you have a nursing aide who assists you with your medications. 

Whenever anyone receives PHI on your behalf, we will provide only the minimum amount of information necessary to ensure your quality of care.

We may also disclose PHI about you for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena.

Our Pharmacy may use or 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. Any other uses and disclosures other than those provided above (or as otherwise permitted or required by law) will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke such authorization in writing, and we are required to honor and abide by that request, except for actions we have already taken in reliance on your authorization.

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the following rights with respect to your PHI, which you can exercise by presenting a written request to the privacy official:

The right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures, including any group of persons or person identified by you.

The right to make reasonable requests to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at alternative locations.

The right to inspect and copy your PHI.

The right to amend your PHI.

The right to receive a list of disclosures of your PHI.

The right to obtain a paper copy of this notice.

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information and to provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to Protected Health Information, and to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI.

Effective Date of Notice

This notice is effective as of October 1, 2013.

Complaint Process

If you believe your privacy protections have been violated, you have the right to file a formal written complaint with us or with the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Department of Health and Human Services

For more information about HIPAA or how to file a complaint, you may visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa.