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NOTICE OF PRIVACY POLICIES
Introduction
We maintain protocols to ensure the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We have physical security in our building, passwords to protect databases, compliance audits, and virus/intrusion detection software. Within our practice, assess to our information is limited to those who need it to perform their jobs.
At our practice, we are committed to treating and using protected health information responsibly. This Notice of Privacy Policies describes the personal information we collect and how and when we use or disclose that information. It also describes our rights as they relate to your protected health information. This Notice applies to all protected health information as defined by federal regulations.
Understanding Your Health Record
Each time you visit our practice a record of your visit is made. Typically, this record contains your symptoms examination and test result, diagnoses, treatment and a plan for future care of treatment. This information often referred to as your health or medial record, serves as a:
· Basis for planning your care and treatment
· Means of communication among the many health professional who contribute to you care.
· Legal document describing the care you received
· Means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided.
· Tool by which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we render and outcomes were achieve.
Understanding what is in you record and how your health information is used helps you to ensure its accuracy, better understand who what, when, where and why others may access your health information and make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.
Your Health Information Rights
Although your health record is the physical property or our practice, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:
· Inspect and comply your health record s provided by 45CFR164.524
· Amend your health record as provided by 45CFR164.526
· Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information as provided by 45CFR164.528
· Request confidential communication of you health information as provided by 455CFR164.522
· Request a restriction of certain uses and disclosures of you information as provided by 45CFR165.522(our practice, however, is not required y law to agree to a requested restriction)>
Our Responsibilities
Our practice is required to;
· Maintain the privacy of you health information
· Provide you with this notice as to our legal duties and privacy practice with respect to information we collect and maintain about you.
· Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction
· Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate your health information.
We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. Each time you visit our facility for treatment, you may obtain a coy of the current notice in effect upon request. We will not use or disclose your health information in a manner other than regarded by law for disclosure for treatment, payment, and health operations without you written authorization, which you may revoke as provided by 45CFR164.508(b)(5), except to the extent that action has already been taken.
For More Information Or to Report A Problem
If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you either file a complain with our Privacy Officer, or with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OCR). There will be no retaliation for filling complaint either our Privacy Officer or the OCR. The address for the OCR is as follows:
Office for Civil Rights
U>S> Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave. S.W.
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
Confidentiality
Our discussion and the psychological testing materials are confidential. For this information to be released to any third party you must request ad sign a “Release of Information” form.
All efforts are made to prevent third party inquiries about what is discussed here, unless you give that release.
Medication
When indicated, medications are recommended to your personal physician, who is in the best position to judge the medication in relationship to the rest of your health history.
Insurance
Filing insurance claims is a service provided without charge. This in no way relieves you of the financial responsibility for services.
On your first visit, submit your insurance card to be copied in our office that claims can be filed.
Financial Policy
Service fees are based upon the average hourly fee for Clinical Professional Counselors in the State of Illinois.
Payment is due at the time of you visit.
Most people are able to make clams for treatment under Major Medical Coverage Provisions of the Health Insurance. Payment is your responsibility, but my office will submit insurance forms which you provide
Thank You Very Much
This brochure was prepared for your benefit and increase understanding.
I appreciate you as a client and consider myself her to help you in any way I can.
Please do no hesitate to discuss any question you may have about my service or office policies.
Education/Professional Development
Master’s of Arts, Psychology
Governors State University, University Park, IL
Bachelor’s Arts, Psychology
Governors State University, University Park, IL
License/Certification
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Indiana
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Illinois
National Certified Counselor
Retail Management, Robert Morris College, Chicago, IL
Affiliations and Activities
National Board for Certified Counselors, Member
Association for Play Therapist, Member
American Counseling Association, Member
Illinois Mental Health Counseling Association, Member
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.
This notice takes effect on and remains in effect until we replace it.
The privacy of your medical information is important to us. We understand that your medical information is personal and we are committed to protecting it. We create a record of the care and services you receive at our organization. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice will tell you about the ways we may use and share medical information about you.
We also describe your rights and certain duties we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.
Law Requires Us to:
1. Keep your medical information private.
2. Give you this notice describing our legal duties, privacy practices, and your rights regarding your medical information.
3. Follow the terms of the current notice.
We Have the Right to:
1. Change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice at any time, provided that the changes are permitted by law.
2. Make the changes in our privacy practices and the new terms of our notice effective for all medical information that we keep, including information previously created or received before the changes.
Notice of Change to Privacy Practices:
1. Before we make an important change in our privacy practices, we will change this notice and make the new notice available upon request.
The following section describes different ways that we use and disclose medical information. Not every use or disclosure will be listed. However, we have listed all of the different ways we are permitted to use and disclose medical information. We will not use or disclose your medical information for any purpose not listed below. Without your specific written authorization. Any specific written authorization you provide may be revoked at any time by writing to us at the address provided at the end of this notice.
FOR TREATMENT: We may use medical information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, or other people who are taking care of you. We may also share medical information about you to your other
health care providers to assist them in treating you.
FOR PAYMENT: We may use and disclose your medical information for payment purposes. A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. The information on or accompanying the bill may include your medical information.
FOR HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS: We may use and disclose your medical information for our health care operations. This might include measuring and improving quality, evaluating the performance of employees, conducting training programs, and getting the accreditation, certificates, licenses and credentials we need to serve you.
ADDITIONAL USES AND DISCLOSURES: In addition to using and disclosing your medical information for treatment, payment, and health care operations, we may use and disclose medical information for the following purposes.
Facility Directory: Unless you notify us that you object, the following medical information about you will be placed in our facility directories: your name; your location in our facility; your condition described in general terms; your religious affiliation, if any. We may disclose this information to members of the clergy or, except for your religious affiliation, to others who contact us and ask for information about you by name.
Notification: We may use and disclose medical information to notify or help notify: a family member, your personal
representative or another person responsible for your care. We will share information about your location,
general condition, or death. If you are present, we will get your permission if possible before we share,
or give you the opportunity to refuse permission. In case of emergency, and if you are not able to give or
refuse permission, we will share only the health information that is directly necessary for your health care,
according to our professional judgment. We will also use our professional judgment to make decisions in
your best interest about allowing someone to pick up medicine, medical supplies, x-ray or medical
information for you.
Disaster Relief: We may share medical information with a public or private organization or person who can
legally assist in disaster relief efforts.
Fundraising: We may provide medical information to one of our affiliated fundraising foundations to contact
you for fundraising purposes. We will limit our use and sharing to information that describes you in general,
not personal, terms and the dates of your health care. In any fundraising materials, we will provide you a
description of how you may choose not to receive future fundraising communications.
Research in Limited Circumstances: We may use medical information for research purposes in limited
circumstances where the research has been approved by a review board that has reviewed the research
proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of medical information.
Funeral Director, Coroner, Medical Examiner: To help them carry out their duties, we may share the
medical information of a person who has died with a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director, or an organ
procurement organization.
Specialized Government Functions: Subject to certain requirements, we may disclose or use health
information for military personnel and veterans, for national security and intelligence activities, for protective
services for the President and others, for medical suitability determinations for the Department of State, for
correctional institutions and other law enforcement custodial situations, and for government programs
providing public benefits.
Court Orders and Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose medical information in
response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, under
certain circumstances. Under limited circumstances, such as a court order, warrant, or grand jury subpoena,
we may share your medical information with law enforcement officials. We may share limited information with
a law enforcement official concerning the medical information of a suspect, fugitive, material witness, crime
victim or missing person. We may share the medical information of an inmate or other person in lawful
custody with a law enforcement official or correctional institution under certain circumstances.
Public Health Activities: As required by law, we may disclose your medical information to public health or
legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability, including child abuse or
neglect. We may also disclose your medical information to persons subject to jurisdiction of the Food and
Drug Administration for purposes of reporting adverse events associated with product defects or problems,
to enable product recalls, repairs or replacements, to track products, or to conduct activities required by the
Food and Drug Administration. We may also, when we are authorized by law to do so, notify a person who
may have been exposed to a communicable disease or otherwise be at risk of contracting or spreading a
disease or condition.
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Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence: We may use and disclose medical information to
appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic
violence or the possible victim of other crimes. We may share your medical information if it is necessary to
prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others. We may share medical
information when necessary to help law enforcement officials capture a person who has admitted to being
part of a crime or has escaped from legal custody.
Workers Compensation: We may disclose health information when authorized or necessary to comply with
laws relating to workers compensation or other similar programs.
Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose medical information to an agency providing health oversight
for oversight activities authorized by law, including audits, civil, administrative, or criminal investigations or
proceedings, inspections, licensure or disciplinary actions, or other authorized activities.
Law Enforcement: Under certain circumstances, we may disclose health information to law enforcement
officials. These circumstances include reporting required by certain laws (such as the reporting of certain
types of wounds), pursuant to certain subpoenas or court orders, reporting limited information concerning
identification and location at the request of a law enforcement official, reports regarding suspected victims of
crimes at the request of a law enforcement official, reporting death, crimes on our premises, and crimes in
emergencies.
Appointment Reminders: We may use and disclose medical information for purposes of sending you
appointment postcards or otherwise reminding you of your appointments.
Alternative and Additional Medical Services: We may use and disclose medical information to furnish you
with information about health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you, and to describe or
recommend treatment alternatives.
You Have a Right to:
1. Look at or get copies of certain parts of your medical information. You may request that we provide
copies in a format other than photocopies. We will use the format you request unless it is not practical for
us to do so. You must make your request in writing. You may get the form to request access by using the
contact information listed at the end of this notice. You may also request access by sending a letter to the
contact person listed at the end of this notice. If you request copies, we will charge you $ for
each page, and postage if you want the copies mailed to you. Contact us using the information listed at
the end of this notice for a full explanation of our fee structure.
2. Receive a list of all the times we or our business associates shared your medical information for purposes
other than treatment, payment, and health care operations and other specified exceptions.
3. Request that we place additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your medical information. We are
not required to agree to these additional restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement (except
in the case of an emergency).
4. Request that we communicate with you about your medical information by different means or to different
locations. Your request that we communicate your medical information to you by different means or at
different locations must be made in writing to the contact person listed at the end of this notice.
5. Request that we change certain parts of your medical information. We may deny your request if we did
not create the information you want changed or for certain other reasons. If we deny your request, we will
provide you a written explanation. You may respond with a statement of disagreement that will be added
to the information you wanted changed. If we accept your request to change the information, we will
make reasonable efforts to tell others, including people you name, of the change and to include the
changes in any future sharing of that information.
6. If you have received this notice electronically, and wish to receive a paper copy, you have the right to
obtain a paper copy by making a request in writing to the contact person listed at the end of this notice.
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If you have any questions about this notice or if you think that we may have violated your privacy rights,
please contact us. You may also submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. You may contact us to submit a complaint or submit requests involving any of your rights in
Section 4 of this notice by writing to the following address:
NetSource Billing
- 3108 South Rt. 59 - Suite 124-293
Naperville, IL 60564
We will provide you with the address to file your complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. We will not retaliate in any way if you choose to file a complaint.
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