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 RESPONSIBILITIES
Kitestrings Pediatric Therapy is required by law to:
• Maintain the privacy of your health information
• Provide you with a copy of this Notice describing our duties and privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain about you
• Abide by the terms of our current Notice
• Accommodate reasonable requests to communicate with you about your health information
We reserve the right to change, amend or eliminate provisions in our privacy practices and to make the new provisions effective for all health information we keep. Should our privacy practices change, we will amend our notice. You are entitled to receive a copy of the amended notice by calling and requesting a copy of the amended notice or by visiting our office and picking up a copy. We will not use or disclose your health information without obtaining a signed authorization from you except as described in this Notice or as otherwise permitted or required by law; for example, in emergency treatment situations.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION
• For treatment: We may use your health information to provide you with healthcare treatment and to coordinate services with other healthcare providers such as your referring physician. We may disclose your health information to family members and friends, guardians or personal representatives who are involved with your medical care. We may also use your health information to contact you for
appointment reminders. We may also disclose your healthcare information to people outside the
facility who may be involved in your healthcare after you leave our facility.
• For payment: We will use and disclose your health information to receive payment for our services and determine insurance coverage. We will also use your health information for billing, collection, claims, and medical data processing. We will use and disclose your health information to business associates that we have contracted to perform agreed upon services i.e. billing services and accountant.
• For Healthcare Operations: We may disclose your healthcare information for routine operations in this clinic, such as business planning and development, quality review of services provided, licensing or credentialing activities, certification, internal auditing, accreditation, and education for staff.
• For Research: We may use your information for research purposes subject to special approval by you.
• For Video/Audio Recording: For evaluations and therapy, the therapist might need to record the session. This is required so the therapist can review information once the session is completed. This information will be used by Kitestrings Pediatric Therapy staff only.
• For emailing: Some parents wish to communicate via email. If you give us your email address, you are consenting to communicating via email.
• Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may disclose your health information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another person or the public. We may use or disclose health information about you without your prior authorization for several reasons. Subject to certain requirements, we may give your health information about your without your prior authorization for public health purposes, abuse or neglect reporting, health oversight audits or inspections, medical examiners, funeral arrangements, organ donation, workers’ compensation purposes, emergencies, national security and other specialized government functions. We also disclose health information when required by law, such as in response to a request from law enforcement in specific circumstances, or in response to valid judicial or administrative orders or other legal process, such as court order or subpoena.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
• You may request a copy of summary of your health information or you may inspect it. If you request a copy, we may charge a fee for the cost of copying and mailing associated with the request. Texas law allows fifteen days for us to complete your request. We will inform you when records are ready. If we deny your request, we will do so in writing.
• You may request an amendment to your health information if you feel there is an error.
• You have the right of refusal to sign an authorization and it not be held against you.
• You may change your mind and revoke your authorization, except where actions have already been taken by us relating to that authorization. Requests must be made in writing and submitted to the privacy officer at Kitestrings Pediatric Therapy.
• You have the right to an accounting of all entities with whom we have shared or disclosed your health information unrelated to treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
• You may request a restriction on certain uses of your health information (we will consider reasonable, appropriate requests but are not obligated to agree to them).
• You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
• You may file a complaint if you believe that your privacy rights have been violated.
Any requests or other communications about the rights listed above should be directed to: Kitestrings Pediatric Therapy Privacy Officer at 512-261-3584 or 1202 Lakeway Drive, Suite 6A, Lakeway, TX 78734 or to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC 20201.
We reserve the right to change this notice. The revised or changed notice will be effective for the information we have about you as well as any information we receive in the future.