
NON-DISCRIMINATION
POLICY
PRIME
CARE PHYSICIANS PLLC, does not exclude, deny services/treatment
to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the basis of
race, color, national origin, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation,
or religion in regards to receipt of services and/or employment.
In
case of questions, please contact:
Prime
Care Physicians, PLLC
Maria
A. Hulihan, MS, RN NEA-BC
Director
of Clinical Services
4
Atrium Drive, Suite 100
Albany
, New York
(518)
435-2704
NOTICE
OF PATIENT PRIVACY PRACTICES
THIS
NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND
DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE
REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
If
you have any questions about this Notice, please contact our Privacy
Officer at the number listed at the end of this Notice.
Each
time you visit a healthcare provider; a record of your visit is
made. Typically, this record contains your symptoms, examination
and test results, diagnoses, treatment, a plan for future care or
treatment, and billing-related information. This Notice applies
to all of the records of your care generated by your health care
provider.
Our
Responsibilities
Prime
Care Physicians, PLLC is required by law to maintain the privacy
of your health information and to provide you with a description
of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your health
information. The current Notice will be posted in the main reception
area and on our website at www.primecarepc.com . The notice will
include the effective date. In addition, we will make our best effort
to provide you with a copy of this notice and we request that you
acknowledge receipt with your signature.
We
are required by law to abide by the terms of this Notice and notify
you if we make changes to this Notice, which may be at any time.
Changes to the Notice will apply to your medical information that
we already maintain as well as new information received after the
change occurs. If we change our Notice, it will be made available
to anyone who asks for it, and be posted in the main reception area
and on our website at www.primecarepc.com . You may also request
that a revised Notice be sent to you in the mail or you may ask
for one at your next appointment or appropriate visit. This Notice
will also serve to advise you as to your rights with regard to your
medical information.
How
We May Use and Disclose Medical Information About You.
The
following categories describe examples of the way we use and disclose
medical information:
For
Treatment: We may use medical information about you to
provide, coordinate and manage your treatment or services. We may
disclose medical information about you to other doctors, nurses,
technicians (e.g. clinical laboratories or imaging companies), medical
students, or other personnel who are involved in your care. We may
communicate your information either orally or in writing by mail
or facsimile.
We
may also provide a subsequent healthcare provider with copies of
various reports that should assist him or her in treating you. For
example, your medical information may be provided to a physician
to whom you have been referred so as to ensure that the physician
has appropriate information regarding your previous treatment and
diagnosis.
For
Payment: We may use and disclose medical information about
your treatment and services to bill and collect payment from you,
your insurance company or a third party payer. For example, we may
need to give your insurance company information before it approves
or pays for the health care services we recommend for you.
For
Health Care Operations : We may use or disclose, as needed,
your health information in order to support our business activities.
These activities may include, but are not limited to quality assessment
activities, employee review activities, licensing, legal advice,
accounting support, information systems support and conducting or
arranging for other business activities. In addition, we may also
call you by name in the waiting room when your physician is ready
to see you. We may use or disclose your protected health information,
as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment by
telephone or reminder card.
Business
Associates : There are some services provided in our organization
through contracts with business associates. Examples include transcription
services, quality assurance services, software support, billings
and collections, etc. . If these services are contracted, we may
disclose your health information to our business associate so that
they can perform the job that we have asked them to do and bill
you or your third-party payer for services rendered. To protect
your health information, however, we require the business associate
to appropriately safeguard your information through a written contract.,
In addition, business associates are individually required to abide
by the HIPAA Rules.
Other
Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures That May Be Made With
Your Consent, Authorization or Opportunity to Object
We
also may use and disclose your health information as set forth below.
You have the opportunity to agree or object to the use or disclosure
of all or part of your health information in these instances. If
you are not present or able to agree or object to the use or disclosure
of the health information (such as in an emergency situation), then
your clinician may, using professional judgment, determine whether
the disclosure is in your best interest. In this case, only the
information that is relevant to your health care will be disclosed.
Individuals
Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care: Unless
you object, we may release medical information about you to a friend
or family member who is involved in your medical care or who helps
to pay for your care. In addition, we may disclose medical information
about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so
that your family can be notified about your condition, status and
location.
Future
Communications: We may communicate to you via newsletters,
mailings or other means regarding treatment options, information
on health-related benefits or services; to remind you that you have
an appointment for medical care; or other community based initiatives
or activities in which our facility is participating. If you are
not interested in receiving these materials, please contact our
Privacy Officer.
Other
Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures That May Be Made Without
Your Authorization or Opportunity to Object
We
may use or disclose your health information in the following situations
without your authorization or without providing you with an opportunity
to object. These situations include:
As
required by law. We may use and disclose health information
to the following types of entities, including but not limited to:
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health or Legal Authorities charged with preventing or
controlling disease, injury or disability
Correctional Institutions
Workers Compensation Agents
Organ and Tissue Donation Organizations
Military Command Authorities
Health Oversight Agencies
Funeral Directors, Coroners and Medical Directors
National Security and Intelligence Agencies
Protective Services for the President and Others
Authority that receives reports on abuse and neglect
Law
Enforcement/Legal Proceedings: We may disclose health
information for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in
response to a valid subpoena.
State-Specific
Requirements: Many states have requirements for reporting,
including population-based activities relating to improving health
or reducing health care costs.
Your
Health Information Rights
Although
your health record is the physical property of the facility that
compiled it, you have the right to:
Inspect
and Copy: You have the right to inspect and copy medical
information that may be used to make decisions about your care.
We ask that you submit these requests in writing. Usually, this
includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy
notes or information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or
for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding.
We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited
circumstances. If you are denied access to medical information,
you may request that the denial be reviewed. The person conducting
the review will not be the person who denied your request. We will
comply with the outcome of the review. Requests for access to and
copies of your medical information must be submitted to Prime Care
Physicians, PLLC in writing. The facility charges 75 cents per page,
or up to the limit allowed by state or federal law.
Amend:
If you feel that medical information we have about you
is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information
by submitting a request in writing. You have the right to request
an amendment for as long as we keep the information. We may deny
your request for an amendment and if this occurs, you will be notified
of the reason for the denial.
An
Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request
an accounting of our disclosures of medical information about you
except for certain circumstances, including disclosures for treatment,
payment, health care operations or where you specifically authorized
a disclosure. Prime Care Physicians, PLLC will provide the first
accounting to you in any 12-month period without charge. The cost
for subsequent requests for an accounting within the 12-month period
will be no charge . We ask that you submit these requests in writing.
Request
Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction
or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about
you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have
the right to request a limit on the medical information we disclose
about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment
for your care, like a family member or friend. For example, you
could ask that we not use or disclose information about a procedure
that you had. We ask that you submit these requests in writing.
Except
under specific circumstances, we are not required to agree to your
request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request
unless the information is needed to provide you with emergency treatment
or is required by law. We must agree to restrict the disclosure
of protected health information to a health plan for purposes of
carrying out payment or health care operations (as defined by HIPAA)
if the information pertains solely to a health care item or service
for which we have been paid by you out-of-pocket, and in full.
Request
Confidential Communications: You have the right to request
that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain
way or at a certain location. We will agree to the request to the
extent that it is reasonable for us to do so. For example, you can
ask that we use an alternative address for billing purposes. We
ask that you submit these requests in writing.
A
Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a paper
copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice
at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically,
you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice.
To
exercise any of your rights, please obtain the required forms from
the Privacy Officer and submit your request in writing.
Complaints
If
you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file
a complaint with us by calling 518-435-2704 and asking for the Privacy
Officer or by contacting the Secretary of the Federal Department
of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be also submitted
in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Other
Uses of Medical Information
Other
uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this
Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your
written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose
medical information about you, you may revoke that permission, in
writing, at any time. If you revoke your permission, we will no
longer use or disclose medical information about you for the reasons
covered by your written authorization. However, we are unable to
take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission
and we are required to retain our records of the care that we provided
to you.
Privacy
Officer: Maria A. Hulihan
Telephone
Number: 518-435-2704
Prepared
by Total Compliance Solutions, Inc. These procedures are prepared
with the understanding that Total Compliance Solutions and its agents
are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional
services. This information is advisory only. Final interpretation
is the responsibility of the regulatory or accrediting body administering
the standard or regulation referenced.

Prime
Care Physicians, PLLC
Executive
Offices
4
Atrium Drive
Albany
, NY 12205
Phone:
518-435-2704
Fax:
518-458-6210
Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Notice
of Privacy Practices
Effective
April 14, 2003
Last Modified: August
17, 2010
Privacy Officer: Maria
Hulihan
Telephone Number: 518-435-2783
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