Behavioral Health Specialists Medical Group d.b.a. Advantage Point Behavioral
Notice of Privacy Practices
This notice describes how your medical information as a patient of this practice may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.
Please review it carefully.
The privacy of your medical information is important to us. You may be aware the U.S. government regulators established a privacy rule, the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) governing protected health information (“PHI”). PHI includes individually identifiable health information including demographic information and relates to your past, present or future physical and mental health or condition and related health care services. This notice tells you about how your PHI may be used, and about certain rights that you have.
Use and Disclosure of Protected Information
- Treatment: Federal law provides that we may use your PHI for your treatment, without further specific notice to you, or written authorization by you. For example, we may provide laboratory or test data to that specialist.
- Payment: Federal law provides that we may use your medical information to obtain payment for our services without further specific notice to you, or written authorization by you. For example, under a health plan, we are required to provide the health insurance company with a diagnosis code for your visit and a description of the services rendered.
- Health Care Operations: Federal law provides that we may use your medical information for health care operations without further specific notice to you, or written authorization by you. For example, we may use the information to evaluate the quality of care you received from us, or to conduct cost-management and business planning activities for our practice.
- Law Enforcement: Your health information may be disclosed to law enforcement as required by law. For example, we are required to report certain communicable diseases to the state’s public health department.
- Other Uses and Disclosures Require Your Authorization: Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice of Privacy Practices will be made only with an individual’s authorization.
State Specific Laws
Texas provides additional protection for information. We will follow Texas law with respect to such information.
Appointment Reminders
We may contact you by mail or phone, at your residence, to remind you of appointments or to provide information about treatment alternatives. Unless you instruct us otherwise, we may leave a message for you on any answering device or with any person who answers the phone at your residence.
Minors
- For divorced or separated parents: each parent has equal access to health information about their unemancipated child(ren), unless there is a court order to the contrary that is known to us or unless it is a type of treatment or service where parental rights are restricted.
Rights That You Have
- You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures described above. Except as stated below, we are not required to agree to such restrictions.
- You have the right to request confidential communications. You have the right to request that our practice communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular manner or at a certain location e.g. at home and not at work. Such requests must be made in writing to our office.
- You have the right to inspect and obtain copies of your medical information.
- You have the right to request amendments to your medical information. Such requests must be in writing, and must state the reason for the requested amendment.
- You have the right to request an accounting of any disclosures we make of your medical information.
- You have the right to restrict certain disclosures of Protected Health Information to a health plan, for carrying out payment or health care operations, where you pay out of pocket in full for the healthcare item or service.
- You are required to notify a Business Associate and a downstream Health Information Exchange of the restriction
- A family member or other third party may make the payment on your behalf and the restriction will still be triggered
- You have a right to, or will receive, notifications of breaches of your unsecured patient health information.
- All requests must state a time period, which may not be longer than six (6) years from the date of disclosure.
- You have a right to receive a paper copy of our notice of privacy policies.
- You have a right to receive electronic copies of health information.
Obligations That We Have
- Duties: We are required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information and to provide individuals with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices. We are required to abide by the terms of this notice as long as it is currently in effect.
- Right to Revise Privacy Practices: We reserve the right to revise this notice, and to make a new notice effective for all protected health information we maintain. Any revised notice will be available upon request.
- Fund Raising: We will inform you of our intentions to raise funds and your right to opt out of receiving such communications.
- Complaints: If you would like to submit a formal complaint about our privacy practices this can be submitted in writing to the contact person below. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, send an immediate written notice to the same address. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Christin Romo, HIPAA Privacy Officer
101 Southwestern Blvd. Ste. 290
Sugar Land, TX 77478
Organization Contact Information
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS NOTICE, PLEASE CONTACT:
Organization Name: Advantage Point Behavioral
Address: 101 Southwestern Blvd. Ste. 290 Sugar Land, TX 77478
Telephone Number: (877) 583-5633
Contact Person: Christin Romo, Faith Falcon
Effective Date
This notice is effective on or after 03/01/2023