Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.
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.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
Your Choices
You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:
Our Uses and Disclosures
We may use and share your information as we:
Your Rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.
Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record
Ask us to correct your medical record
Request confidential communications
Ask us to limit what we use or share
Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information
Get a copy of this privacy notice
You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.
Choose someone to act for you
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
Your Choices
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:
In the case of fundraising:
Our Uses and Disclosures
How do we typically use or share your health information?
We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.
Treat you
We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.
Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks another doctor about your overall health condition.
Run our organization
We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.
Bill for your services
We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.
Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.
Business associates
We may disclose your information to certain third parties that perform services for us, such as management, billing, legal, accounting or consulting services. We require business associates to appropriately protect the privacy of your information.
Use of unsecure electronic communications
If you choose to communicate with us via unsecure electronic communication, such as regular email or text message, we may respond to you in the same manner in which you contacted us. In addition, if you provide your email address or cell phone number, we may send you emails or text messages related to appointment reminders, surveys, or other general informational communications. For your convenience, these messages may be sent unencrypted. Before using or agreeing to use of any unsecure electronic communication to communicate with us, note that there are certain risks, such as interception by others, misaddressed / misdirected messages, shared accounts, messages forwarded to others, or messages stored on unsecured, portable electronic devices. By choosing to correspond with us via unsecure electronic communication, you are acknowledging and agreeing to accept these risks. Additionally, you should understand that use of email or other electronic communications is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Email communications should never be used in a medical emergency.
Health Information Exchanges
We may share information that we obtain or create about you with other health care providers and other health care entities through Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) in which we participate, as permitted by law. HIEs help doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers provide quality care to you and helps us manage your care when more than one doctor is involved. To the extent permitted by law, your health information may be shared through the HIEs to provide faster access, better coordination of care, and to assist healthcare providers, health plans, and public health officials in making more informed decisions. To opt in or out of the HIEs, you generally must notify the HIE yourself. To obtain information on how to opt out of a HIE, please contact us at the information below.
How else can we use or share your health information?
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.
Help with public health and safety issues
We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
Do research
We can use or share your information for health research.
Comply with the law
We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.
Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.
Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.
Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
We can use or share health information about you:
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
Our Responsibilities
For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.
Changes to the Terms of this Notice
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our web site.
Effective Date of This Notice
The effective date of this Notice is November 1, 2024.
Contacting the Privacy Office
If you desire further information about your privacy rights, are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights or disagree with a decision that we made about access to your Protected Health Information, you may contact the Ally Clinics Privacy Office at: info@allyclinics.com or 888-858-2002.
