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.
Introduction
This Notice of Privacy Practices describes the privacy practices of OrthoAlliance, including, but not limited to, any OrthoAlliance affiliated practice, surgery center and physical therapy facility (“OrthoAlliance” or “we”).
This Notice applies when services are provided within OrthoAlliance’s facilities, and/or when OrthoAlliance’s physicians are acting as part of one or more of the joint arrangements described below.
This Notice also:
We are required by law to protect the privacy of your information, to provide this Notice about our privacy practices, and to follow the privacy practices that are described in this Notice.
Protected Health Information
This Notice applies to health information – created or received by the physicians and staff of OrthoAlliance– that identifies you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental condition; the care provided; or the past, present or future payment for your health care. For example, your protected health information includes your symptoms, test results, diagnoses, treatment, health information from other providers, and billing and payment information relating to these services.
Uses and Disclosures of Your Protected Health Information Without Your Authorization Here are some examples of how we may use and disclose protected health information without your authorization (a written document that gives us permission to share your health information).
Treatment. We use and disclose your health information to provide treatment. For example:
Payment. We may use and disclose your health information for payment purposes. For example:
Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose your health information to carry out health care operations. For example, we use and disclose it to monitor and improve our health services. Also, authorized staff may look at portions of your record to perform administrative activities. We may also use a sign in sheet at the registration desk, as well as call you by name in the waiting room when your provider is ready to see you.
Train Staff and Students. We may use and disclose your information to teach and train staff and students. One example of this is when teaching physicians review patient health information with medical and other health care students.
Conduct Research. We may use and disclose your information without obtaining your signed authorization for research only if an Institutional Review Board (IRB) grants a waiver of authorization.
Contact You for Information. We may contact you by mail, email, text message, or phone for the purpose of reminding you about an appointment, the need to change an appointment, return your phone call, provide test results, inform you about treatment options or advise you about other health-related benefits and services. We may leave a message at the number you provided to us.
Joint Activities. Your health information may be used and shared by OrthoAlliance and other healthcare providers to further their joint activities and with other individuals or organizations that engage in joint treatment, payment, or health care operational activities with OrthoAlliance. Health information is shared when necessary to provide clinical care services, secure payment for clinical care services, and perform other joint health care operations such as peer review and quality improvement activities, and accreditation related activities.
Business Associates. Your health information may be used by OrthoAlliance and disclosed to individuals or organizations that assist OrthoAlliance or to comply with its legal obligations as described in this Notice. For example, we may disclose information to consultants who assist us in our business activities. These business associates must agree to protect the confidentiality of your information.
Other Uses and Disclosures. We also use and disclose your information to enhance health care services, protect patient safety, safeguard public health, ensure that our facilities and staff comply with government and accreditation standards, and when otherwise allowed or required by law. For example, we provide or disclose information:
Uses and Disclosures When You Have the Opportunity to Object
Disclosure to and Notification of Family, Friends, or Others. Unless you object, your health care provider will use their professional judgment to provide relevant protected health information to your family member, friend, or another person. This person would be someone that you indicate has an active interest in your care or the payment for your health care or who may need to notify others about your location, general condition, or death.
Fundraising. We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
Disclosure for Disaster Relief Purposes. We may disclose your location and general condition to a public or private entity (such as FEMA or the Red Cross) authorized by law to assist in disaster relief efforts.
Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization
Other than the uses and disclosures described in this Notice, we will not use or disclose your protected health information without your written authorization. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes and of protected health information for marketing purposes require your authorization. If you provide us with written authorization, you may revoke it at any time unless disclosure is required for us to obtain payment for services already provided or the law prohibits revocation. We cannot take back any uses or disclosures already made with said authorization.
Your Individual Rights Regarding Protected Health Information
You have rights related to the use and disclosure of your protected health information. To exercise any of the rights listed below, you may contact:
Privacy Officer – OrthoAlliance
500 E Business Way
Cincinnati, OH 45241
Business Phone: (513) 354-3700
Your specific rights are listed below:
You may limit the accounting to a specific time period, type of disclosure, or recipient. Your first accounting of disclosures in a calendar year is free of charge. Any additional request within the same calendar year requires a processing fee. We will provide you with the report within 60 days of receiving your request. We will provide the report in a form or format you request, if we can readily produce that form or format.
Uses and Disclosures Inconsistent with OrthoAlliance Privacy Practices
If your protected health information is used or disclosed in a manner that is not consistent with the practices described in this Notice, OrthoAlliance will notify you in writing of this breach. In some circumstances, our business associate may provide the notification.
Privacy Notice Changes
We reserve the right to change the privacy practices described in this Notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Notice effective for protected health information we already have as well as any information we may receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice at our facilities. In addition, you may request a copy of this Notice from our Privacy Officer. An electronic version of the Notice is posted on our affiliated offices’ websites.
Reviewed and effective as of January 2023.