Notice of 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.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

The Eye Surgery Center of Lenoir City is committed to protecting the privacy of your health information. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.

This notice is provided in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, and related regulations.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

We may use and disclose your protected health information for the following purposes:

• Treatment: We may use your health information to provide you with medical treatment or services and to coordinate care with other healthcare providers involved in your treatment.
• Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payment for the services provided to you, including submitting claims to your insurance company.
• Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your health information for our healthcare operations, including quality review and staff performance evaluation.
• Appointment Reminders: We may contact you to remind you of scheduled appointments or procedures.
• Research: We may use or disclose your health information for research purposes when approved by an institutional review board.
• As Required by Law: We will disclose your health information when required to do so by law.
• Business Associates: We may disclose your health information to third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as billing or transcription services.
• Health and Safety: We may use or disclose your health information to avert a serious threat to health or safety.
• Law Enforcement: We may disclose your health information to law enforcement officials with appropriate legal authorization.
• Organ Donation: We may disclose your health information to organizations involved in organ procurement and transplantation.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the following rights regarding your protected health information:

• Right to Inspect and Copy: You may request to inspect and obtain a copy of your health records within 30 days of your request.
• Right to Amend: You may request amendments to your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of disclosures we have made of your health information.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information.
• Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location.
• Right to a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time.

Filing a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.