Appointment Reminders: We will use and disclose protected health information to contact and remind you about appointments. If you are not home, we may leave this information on your answering machine or in a message left with the person answering the phone.
Notification and Communication With Family: We may disclose your health information to notify or assist in notifying
a family member, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care about your location, your
general condition or, unless you had instructed us otherwise, in the event of your death. In the event of a disaster, we may disclose information to a relief organization so that they may coordinate these notification efforts. We may also disclose information to someone who is involved with your care or helps pay for your care. If you are able and available to agree or object, we will give you the opportunity to object prior to making these disclosures, although we may disclose this information in a disaster even over your objection if we believe it is necessary to respond to the emergency circumstances. If you are unable or unavailable to agree or object, our health professionals will use their best judgment in communication with your family and others.
Marketing: We may contact you to give you information about products or services provided by this practice, to
encourage you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to provide you with health related information that you may find
useful. You may contact our Privacy Officer to request that these materials not be sent to you.
Required By Law: We may use or disclose your protected health information to the extent that the use or disclosure is
required by law. The use or disclosure will be made in compliance with the law and will be limited to the relevant
requirements of the law. You will be notified, if required by law, of any such uses or disclosures.
Public Health: We may, and at times may be required by law, to disclose your health information to public health
authorities for purposes related to: preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability; reporting child, elder or
dependent adult abuse or neglect; reporting domestic violence; reporting to the Food and Drug Administration
problems with products and reactions to medications; and reporting disease or infection exposure. When we report
suspected elder or dependent adult abuse or domestic violence, we will inform you or your personal representative
promptly unless in our best professional judgment, we believe the notification would place you at risk of serious harm
or would require informing a personal representative we believe is responsible for the abuse or harm.
Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose protected health information to a health oversight agency for activities
authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections. Oversight agencies seeking this information include government agencies that oversee the health care system, government benefit programs, other government regulatory programs and civil rights laws.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose your health information in the course of any administrative
or judicial proceeding to the extent expressly authorized by a court or administrative order. We may also disclose
information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process if reasonable efforts have
been made to notify you of the request and you have not objected, or if your objections have been resolved by a court
or administrative order.
Law Enforcement: We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to a law
enforcement official for purposes such as identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing
person, complying with a court order, warrant, grand jury subpoena and other law enforcement purposes.
Coroners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation: We may disclose protected health information to a coroner or
medical examiner in connection with their investigations of deaths. We may also disclose protected health information
to a funeral director, as authorized by law, in order to permit the funeral director to carry out his/her duties. We may
disclose such information in reasonable anticipation of death. Protected health information may be used and
disclosed for cadaveric organ, eye or tissue donation purposes.
Public Safety: We may, and are sometimes required by law to, disclose your health information to appropriate persons
in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or the general public
Proof of Immunization: We will disclose proof of immunization to a school that is required to have it before admitting
a student where you have agreed to the disclosure on behalf of yourself or your dependent.
Specialized Government Functions: We may disclose your health information for military or national security purposes
or to correctional institutions or law enforcement officers that have you in their lawful custody.
Workers' Compensation: We may disclose your health information as necessary to comply with workers'
compensation laws. For example, to the extent your care is covered by workers' compensation, we will make periodic
reports to your employer about your condition. We are also required by law to report cases of occupational injury or
occupational illness to the employer or workers' compensation insurer.