HIPAA Privacy and Security Policy
Last updated and effective as of 11th July 2020
Commitment to Your Privacy
PhyPal enforces the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information; The HIPAA Security Rule sets the national standards for the security of electronic protected health information. In summary, your health information will not be shared without your prior consent.”
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.
PHYPAL is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your protected health information (‘PHI’). PHI is information about you that may be used to identify you (such as your name, social security number or address), and that relates to (a) your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition, (b) the provision of health care to you, or (c) your past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care. In conducting its business, PHYPAL will receive and create records containing your PHI. PHYPAL is required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI.
PHYPAL agrees to abide by the terms of this Notice while it is in effect. This current Notice takes effect on July 12, 2020 and will remain in effect until PHYPAL replaces it. PHYPAL reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, as long as the changes are in compliance with applicable law. If PHYPAL changes the terms of this Notice, the new terms will apply to all PHI that it maintains, including PHI that was created or received before such changes were made. If PHYPAL changes this Notice, it will post the new Notice on its Web site and will make the new Notice available upon request.
Uses and Disclosures of PHI
PHYPAL may use and disclose your PHI in the following ways:
Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations. PHYPAL is permitted to use and disclose your PHI for purposes of (a) treatment, (b) payment and (c) health care operations. For example:
1. Treatment: PHYPAL may disclose your PHI to another physician or health care provider for purposes of a consultation or in connection with the provision of follow-up treatment.
2. Payment: PHYPAL may use and disclose your PHI to your health insurer or health plan in connection with the processing and payment of services and other charges.
3. Health Care Operations: PHYPAL may use and disclose your PHI in connection with its health care operations, such as providing customer services and conducting quality review assessments. PHYPAL may engage third parties to provide various services for PHYPAL. If any such third party must have access to your PHI in order to perform its services, PHYPAL will require that third party to enter an agreement that binds the third party to the use and disclosure restrictions outlined in this Notice.
Authorization. PHYPAL is permitted to use and disclose your PHI upon your written or recorded tele-phonic authorization, to the extent such use or disclosure is consistent with your authorization. You may revoke any such authorization at any time. As Required by Law. PHYPAL may use and disclose your PHI to the extent required by law.
Special Circumstances
The following categories describe unique circumstances in which PHYPAL may use or disclose your PHI:
1. Public Health Activities: PHYPAL may disclose your PHI to public health authorities or other governmental authorities for purposes including preventing and controlling disease, reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting domestic violence and reporting to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the quality, safety and effectiveness of a regulated product or activity. PHYPAL may, in certain circumstances disclose PHI to persons who have been exposed to a communicable disease or may otherwise be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition.
2. Health Oversight Activities: PHYPAL may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for authorized activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing and disciplinary actions relating to the health care system or government benefit programs.
3. Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: PHYPAL may disclose your PHI, in certain circumstances, as permitted by applicable law, in response to an order from a court or administrative agency, or in response to a subpoena or discovery request.
4. Law Enforcement: PHYPAL may, under certain circumstances, disclose your PHI to law enforcement officials, such as for purposes of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person.
5. Decedents: PHYPAL may, under certain circumstances, disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors for purposes such as identification, determining the cause of death and fulfilling duties relating to decedents.
6. Organ Procurement: PHYPAL may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI for the purposes of organ donation and transplantation.
7. Research: PHYPAL may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI that is necessary for research purposes.
8. Threat to Health or Safety: PHYPAL may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI if necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
9. Specialized Government Functions: PHYPAL may, in certain situations, use and disclose PHI of persons who are, or were, in the Armed Forces for purposes such as ensuring proper execution of a military mission or determining entitlement to benefits. PHYPAL may also disclose PHI to federal officials for intelligence and national security purposes.
Rights Regarding Your PHI
You have the following rights regarding the PHI maintained by PHYPAL:
1. Confidential Communication: You have the right to receive confidential communications of your PHI. You may request that PHYPAL communicate with you through alternate means or at an alternate location, and PHYPAL will accommodate your reasonable requests. You must submit your request in writing to PHYPAL.
2. Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of PHI for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request that PHYPAL restrict its disclosures of PHI to only certain individuals involved in your care or the payment of your care. You must submit your request in writing to PHYPAL.PHYPAL is not required to comply with your request. However, if PHYPAL agrees to comply with your request, it will be bound by such agreement, except when otherwise required by law or in the event of an emergency.
3. Inspection and Copies: You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. You must submit your request in writing to PHYPAL. PHYPAL may impose a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor and supplies associated with your request. PHYPAL may deny your request to inspect and/or copy your PHI in certain limited circumstances. If that occurs, PHYPAL will inform you of the reason for the denial, and you may request a review of the denial.
4. Amendment: You have a right to request that PHYPAL amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is maintained by PHYPAL. You must submit your request in writing to PHYPAL and provide a reason to support the requested amendment. PHYPAL may, under certain circumstances, deny your request by sending you a written notice of denial. If PHYPAL denies your request, you will be permitted to submit a statement of disagreement for inclusion in your records.
5. Accounting of Disclosures: You have a right to receive an accounting of all disclosures PHYPAL has made of your PHI. However, that right does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment or health care operations, disclosures made to you about your treatment, disclosures made pursuant to an authorization, and certain other disclosures. You must submit your request in writing to PHYPAL and you must specify the time period involved (which must be for a period of time less than six years from the date of the disclosure). Your first accounting will be free of charge. However, PHYPAL may charge you for the costs involved in fulfilling any additional request made within a period of 12 months. PHYPAL will inform you of such costs in advance, so that you may withdraw or modify your request to save costs.
6. Paper Copy: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice from PHYPAL at any time upon request. To obtain a paper copy of this notice, please contact PHYPAL by calling 1.866.674.9725
7. Complaint: You may complain to PHYPAL and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services if you believe that your privacy rights have been violated. To file a complaint with PHYPAL, you must submit a statement in writing to PHYPAL ATTN: Security Officer 5608 17th Avenue NW #906, Seattle, WA 98107.