Effective Date: July 2024
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
You’re in control of your medical information! This document explains what happens to your medical records, including how we use them, share them with others, and how you can see them.
- Want a copy of your medical records?
- You can request them by email: patientinquiry@onmed.com. We can send them to you by secure e-mail or on paper, whichever you prefer.
- We’ll usually have your records or a summary ready within 30 days of your request. There might be a small fee to cover the cost of providing them.
- Spot a mistake in your medical records?
- Let us know by email at patientinquiry@onmed.com. We’ll review your request and, if we agree there’s a correction needed, we’ll update your records. It is important to note that we can’t erase what’s already documented, but we’ll add a note explaining the correction.
- Let us know how you prefer to hear from us!
- We’ll do our best to respect your wishes about how we contact you regarding your health information. This could include phone calls or texting.
- There are some situations where you can limit how we use or share your medical information.
- This applies to things related to treatment, billing and how we run our practice. However, there are times when the law requires us to share your information regardless of your request.
Here are some examples:
- We can share your information with your insurance company to process a bill.
- We can share your information with another doctor involved in your treatment.
- Curious about who we’ve shared your medical records with?
- You can request a list of who received your information and why, going back six years. The first request each year is free. There might be a charge for additional requests within the same year.
- Want another copy of this Notice?
- We can mail you a printed copy or you can view it online at our website: www.OnMed.com
- Someone else acting on your behalf?
- If you have a legal guardian or someone with a medical power of attorney for your health decisions, they can access your medical information and make choices about it on your behalf. We’ll need to confirm their legal authority first.
- Think we’ve violated your privacy rights?
- We take complaints seriously. You can let us know by email at patientinquiry@onmed.com, or you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Here is how to contact them: by email OCR at OCRMail@hhs.gov or call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights toll-free at: 1-800-368-1019, TDD: 1-800-537-7697.
- Just to be clear, we will never punish you in any way for filing a complaint.
- We can share your medical information with your consent.
- Your family, friends, or a caregivers;
- Your name might show up on a hospital list if you are ok with it; and
- We may share your medical information without your consent.
- In emergencies, like a disaster;
- If you can’t tell us what you want, or if you’re really hurt, we might share your information anyway because we want to help you.
- Sometimes we might call you to raise money.
- You can always say no, or you can even tell us to stop calling about this completely.
- We won’t sell your info!
- Or try to sell you stuff. We also won’t share any therapy information unless you sign a paper saying it’s okay.
- Treatment
- Example: A nurse treating you for an illness asks another nurse or doctor about your illness to help you get better.
- Internally
- Example: We use your medical information to help take care of you and decide on the best treatment.
- Billing
- Example: We give your health information to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your visit.
Who gets to see your medical information?
- We might also share your medical information in some special cases, like:
- Emergencies: If there is a fire or an accident, doctors might need to share your information to help you quickly.
- Helping Others Get Healthy: Sometimes doctors use medical information to learn more about diseases and how to keep everyone healthy. This is called research, and it helps doctors find cures and better treatments.
- Following the Rules: There are laws about keeping people safe and healthy. Sometimes we need to share your information to follow these laws.
- Helping People in need: If someone needs an organ transplant to get better, we might share your information to see if you could be a donor (with your permission, of course!).
- After Someone Passes Away: Sometimes, doctors need to share information with people who help families after someone passes away.
- Work Stuff: If you get hurt at work, your employer might need some of your medical information to help you get better.
- In Court: If there is a legal case, a judge might ask to see your medical information.
- Police Stuff: If the police are investigating a crime, they might ask for information.
- Remember, we won’t share your information unless we have to by law.