Our duties
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), to give you this notice, and to abide by its terms.
- We may change this notice, and the changes will apply to PHI we already have as well as new information. If we change it, we will post the new notice on our website and offer it to you at your next visit.
Your rights
You have the right to:
1. Get a copy of your medical record
Request to inspect or get paper/electronic copies of your record. We will provide a copy or a summary, usually within 30 days, and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
2. Ask us to correct your record
If you think information is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. If we deny your request, we'll tell you why in writing within 60 days.
3. Request confidential communications
Ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, a different phone number or mailing address). We will accommodate reasonable requests.
4. Ask us to limit what we use or share
You can ask us not to use or share certain PHI for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree, except when you pay in full out-of-pocket for a service and request that we not tell your health plan about that service.
5. Get a list of those with whom we've shared information
Request an accounting of disclosures for the six years prior to your request, excluding certain routine disclosures (e.g., for treatment, payment, operations).
6. Get a paper copy of this notice
You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
7. Choose someone to act for you
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your PHI.
8. File a complaint
You can complain to us or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) if you feel your rights are violated. We will not retaliate. (Contact information is in "Questions or complaints" below.)
How we may use and share your information
For treatment, payment, and healthcare operations (TPO)
- Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your care, and consult with or refer to other clinicians at your direction.
- Payment: To bill and receive payment from you or your health plan, if applicable.
- Healthcare operations: For practice management, quality assessment, training, auditing, and compliance.
Other permitted uses/disclosures (without your authorization)
We may use or share information as allowed or required by law, for example:
- Public health and safety: Reporting certain diseases, adverse events, or suspected abuse/neglect; preventing or reducing serious threats to health or safety.
- Health oversight and law: For audits, investigations, or regulatory activities; in response to a court or administrative order or certain subpoenas.
- Coroners/medical examiners, organ/tissue donation, workers' compensation, specialized government functions (e.g., military, national security).
- Research: Only with required approvals and safeguards, or with your authorization.
Psychotherapy notes
Psychotherapy notes (as defined by HIPAA) receive special protection and are not used or disclosed without your written authorization, except in very limited circumstances allowed by law. These are separate from general clinical documentation.
Uses and disclosures that require your written authorization
Your signed authorization is required for:
- Marketing (with limited exceptions),
- Sale of PHI, and
- Most uses/disclosures of psychotherapy notes.
You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing; revocation will not affect prior uses/disclosures already made in reliance on your authorization.
Accordance Precision Psychiatry, PLLC does not routinely request these authorizations; these uses are not part of our standard operations. You will be expressly notified if an exception occurs.
Your choices
You can tell us your preferences about what we share. For example, you may:
- Allow or limit sharing with family, caregivers, or others involved in your care.
- Opt out of fundraising communications, if we ever engage in fundraising (we do not at this time).
Our responsibilities and safeguards
- We are required to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI and to notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI as required by law.
- We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you authorize us in writing. If you authorize us, you may change your mind at any time by letting us know in writing.
Reproductive health information
HIPAA's 2024–2025 privacy rule update strengthens protections for PHI related to reproductive health care. In certain circumstances, we are prohibited from using or disclosing PHI for investigations or proceedings related to lawful reproductive health care, and specific requests may require an attestation that the use/disclosure is not for a prohibited purpose. Our NPP and policies reflect these requirements.
Examples specific to a psychiatry practice
- Care coordination: With your consent or as permitted by law, we may communicate with your therapist, primary care clinician, or other specialists to coordinate treatment.
- Collateral contacts: If you identify supports (e.g., a parent/partner), we will follow your preferences and applicable law when sharing information.
- Disclosures to avert serious harm: We may disclose limited information to help prevent a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Records we keep
Your record may include visit notes, diagnoses, medications, test results, care plans, and communications. Psychotherapy notes, if created, are stored separately as described above.
Electronic communications and vendors
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect PHI, and we enter Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with vendors who handle PHI on our behalf (e.g., EHR, secure messaging, telehealth). We do not sell PHI.
Questions or complaints
- Contact us: md@accordancepsych.com
- Contact HHS/OCR: You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. See instructions at hhs.gov/ocr/privacy or call 1-800-368-1019 (TDD: 1-800-537-7697). We will not retaliate for filing a complaint.
How to get a copy of this Notice
You can download a PDF copy of this notice from our website or request a paper copy at any time.
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