Notice of Privacy Practices


Effective Date: September 23, 2013

This notice describes how your medical information may be used and disclosed, and how you can access this information.


Please review it carefully.

If you have any questions, please contact our Privacy Officer at (919) 380-7531.


Who This Notice Applies To


This notice covers the privacy practices of:

  • Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Associates, PA
  • Any health care professional authorized to enter information into your medical record maintained by our practice
  • Any individuals or companies that support our operations and have access to medical information


All such individuals and entities follow this notice and may share medical information with each other as needed for treatment, payment, health care operations, and other purposes permitted by law.


Our Commitment to Your Privacy


We understand that your medical information is personal, and we are committed to protecting it. We maintain records of the care and services you receive to provide quality care and to meet legal requirements.


This notice applies to all medical and billing records created or maintained by Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Associates, PA. Other providers may have different policies for information created outside our practice.


We are legally required to:

  • Ensure that your identifiable medical information remains private
  • Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect


This notice explains how we may use and disclose your medical information and outlines your rights regarding that information.


How We May Use and Disclose Your Medical Information


We use or disclose your medical information in the following ways:


1. Treatment

We may use or share your information with doctors, nurses, students, technicians, volunteers, or others involved in your care—both within our practice and with those outside, such as hospitals, specialists, or family members involved in post-treatment care.


2. Payment

We may use or disclose your information for billing and payment purposes, including sharing necessary details with insurance companies or other providers involved in your care.


3. Health Care Operations

We may use or share information for purposes such as quality improvement, staff training, evaluating provider performance, and comparing our services with those of other providers. Information used for these purposes may be de-identified.


4. Treatment Alternatives

We may contact you with recommendations or information about alternative treatments or health-related services.


5. Fundraising

We may use limited information (name, contact details, treating physician, dates of service) to contact you about fundraising efforts.
You may opt out at any time by notifying our Privacy Officer in writing. Opting out does not affect your care.


6. Research

Under certain conditions, we may use or disclose your medical information for research. Identifying information may be removed without your consent. Research that includes identifiable mental health information requires your written authorization.


7. Individuals Involved in Your Care

We may share information with family members, friends, or caregivers involved in your treatment or payment, unless you object. We may also release information to assist disaster relief efforts.


8. As Required or Permitted by Law

We may disclose information when required or allowed by federal, state, or local laws.


9. Preventing a Serious Threat

We may disclose information to prevent or reduce a serious threat to you or others.


Special Situations

Health Oversight Activities

We may disclose information for audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, or other oversight activities.


Public Health Activities

We may disclose information to:

  • Report disease, injury, or disability
  • Report births or deaths
  • Report reactions to medications or product issues
  • Notify individuals of product recalls
  • Warn individuals about disease exposure
  • Report abuse or neglect as required by law


Workers’ Compensation

We may release information as required for workers’ compensation claims.


Active Duty Military and Veterans

We may disclose information to military authorities as required.


Organ and Tissue Donation

We may share information with organ procurement organizations as needed.


Lawsuits and Disputes

We must disclose information in response to a court or administrative order, and may disclose in response to a subpoena or other lawful process.


Law Enforcement

We may disclose information to law enforcement in specific situations, including:

  • Court orders, warrants, subpoenas
  • Mandatory reporting of violent injuries
  • Locating fugitives, witnesses, or missing persons
  • Suspected criminal activity
  • Reporting crime occurring on practice premises


Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors

We may disclose information to help identify deceased persons, determine cause of death, or assist funeral directors.


National Security and Protective Services

We may disclose information to authorized government officials for national security, intelligence, or protective services.


Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes are subject to heightened protection and will not be disclosed without your written authorization unless required by law.


Marketing

We will not use or disclose your medical information for paid marketing purposes without your written authorization.


Sale of Medical Information

We will not sell your medical information without your written authorization.


Inmates

If you are incarcerated, we may disclose information to correctional authorities as necessary for your care or for safety and security purposes.


Your Rights Regarding Your Medical Information


1. Right to Inspect and Copy

You may request to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical record, including electronic records.


Requests must be in writing. Fees may apply.


We may deny your request in limited circumstances. You may request a review of any denial by another licensed healthcare professional not involved in the original decision.


2. Right to Amend

If you believe information is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment in writing.


We may deny requests that:

  • Were not created by us (unless the original source is unavailable)
  • Are not part of our medical records
  • You are not permitted to inspect
  • Are already accurate and complete


You may submit a written statement of disagreement if your request is denied.


3. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures made in the past six years.

The first list in a 12-month period is free; additional lists may incur a fee.


4. Right to Request Restrictions


You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your information.

We are not required to agree—except when you request that we not disclose information to your health plan for services you pay for in full at the time of service.


5. Right to Confidential Communications


You may request that we contact you at a specific location or in a specific manner.

We will honor all reasonable requests.


6. Right to a Paper Copy


You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time.


Changes to This Notice


We may change this notice at any time. All changes apply to existing and future medical information. The current notice will always be posted in our office and available upon request.


Breach Notification


If your medical information is ever improperly accessed, used, or disclosed, we will investigate and notify you if a breach has occurred. We will also explain steps you should take to protect yourself.


Complaints


If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:


Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Associates, PA
Attn: Privacy Officer
224 High House Road, Suite 100
Cary, NC 27513


You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.


Other Uses of Medical Information


Any uses or disclosures not covered in this notice will be made only with your written authorization.


You may revoke your authorization at any time by submitting a written request to our Privacy Officer.


Revocation applies to future disclosures and does not affect information already released.