Privacy Notice

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
This Notice describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully. This Notice describes the privacy practices of PWASC and the physicians who provide services to patients at this surgery center.
PATIENT HEALTH INFORMATION
HOW WE USE YOUR PATIENT HEALTH INFORMATION
TREATMENT
PAYMENT
HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS
SPECIAL USES
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES
We may use or disclose identifiable health information about you for other reasons, even without your consent. Subject to certain requirements, we are permitted to give out health information without your permission for the following purposes:
Required by Law: We may be required by law to report gunshot wounds, suspected abuse or neglect or similar injuries and events.
Public Health Activities: As required by law, we may disclose vital statistics, diseases, information related to recalls of dangerous products and similar information to public health authorities.
Health Oversight: We may be required to disclose information to assist in investigations and audits, eligibility for government programs and similar activities.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose information in response to an appropriate subpoena or court order.
Law Enforcement Purposes: Subject to certain restrictions, we may disclose information required by law enforcement officials.
Deaths: We may report information regarding deaths to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors and organ donation agencies.
Serious threat to health or safety: We may use and disclose information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.
Military and Special Government Functions: If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release information as required by military command authorities. We may also disclose information to correctional institutions or for national security purposes.
Research: PWASC conducts no research.* Workers Compensation: We may release information about you for workers compensation or similar programs providing benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
In any other situation, we will ask for your written authorization before using or disclosing any identifiable health information about you. If you choose to sign an authorization to disclose information, you can later revoke that authorization to stop any further uses and disclosures.
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
You have the following rights with regard to your health information. Please contact the person listed below to obtain the appropriate form for exercising these rights.
Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to such restriction, but if we do agree, we must abide by those restrictions.
Confidential Communications: You may ask us to communicate with you confidentially by, for example, sending notices to a special address or not using postcards to remind you of appointments.
Inspect and Obtain Copies: In most cases, you have the right to look at or get a copy of your health information. There may be a small charge for the copies.
Amend Information: If you believe that information in your record is incorrect, or if important information is missing, you have the right to request that we correct the existing information or add the missing information.
Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of instances where we have disclosed health information about you for reasons other than treatment, payment or health care operations.
OUR LEGAL DUTY
CHANGES IN PRIVACY PRACTICES
RECENT CHANGES
- Patients will be notified in the event of a breach of their Protected Health Information and informed of the actions being taken by this facility, our Business Associates and/or their sub-contractors.
- Patients will be notified in the event of a breach of their Protected Health Information and informed of the actions being taken by this facility, our Business Associates and/or their sub-contractors. Patients have the right to request that an insurance company/health plan not be informed of treatment that was paid for in full by the individual, self-pay.
- At PWASC no patients’ PHI will ever be used for marketing, fund raising or research purposes.
- Other uses of Health Information: Other uses and disclosures of health information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written authorization. If you provide us permission to use or disclose health information about you, you may revoke that authorization, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose health information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization. You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your authorization, and that we are required to retain our records of the care that we provided to you.
COMPLAINTS
If you are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we made about your records, you may contact the person listed below. You also may send a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The person listed below will provide you with an appropriate address upon request. You will not be penalized in any way for filing a complaint.
CONTACT PERSON
If you have any questions, requests, or complaints please contact the facility privacy officer and administrator, Bill Stacey, by calling 703-369-8525.
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
PWASC and the physicians who practice here are independent contractors and do not hereby assume any liability for the services conducted of the other.
EFFECTIVE DATE
The effective date of this notice is September 22, 2005. Revision: 7-25-2016