HIPAA

1. Introduction

At Astra Knee Pain Center, we are committed to protecting the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). 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.

2. Our Legal Duty

We are required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), and its implementing regulations, to:

• Maintain the privacy of your PHI.
• Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI.
• Abide by the terms of this notice currently in effect.
• Notify you in the event of a breach of unsecured PHI.

3. Your Patient Rights

You have the following rights with respect to your PHI:

• Right to inspect and copy: You may request access to your PHI that Astra Knee maintains. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and postage.
• Right to amend: You may request that Astra Knee amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request under certain circumstances.
• Right to an accounting of disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures Astra Knee has made of your PHI.
• Right to request restriction of certain uses and disclosures: You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or operations; however, we are not required to agree to your requested restriction except in certain limited circumstances.
• Right to request confidential communications: You may ask that we communicate with you in a certain way or at a certain location (e.g., only at work or via encrypted email). We will accommodate reasonable requests.
• Right to a paper copy of this notice: You may ask for and receive a paper copy of this notice even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

4. How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI

We may use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization for the following purposes:

• Treatment: We may use or disclose your PHI to provide you with medical treatment or services. For example, your therapist, physician, or other provider at Astra Knee may share your information with other providers regarding your care.
• Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for services we provide. For example, we may give your health plan the necessary information so it will pay for care.
• Health care operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for operations of the practice — such as quality assessment and improvement activities, training, accreditation, and licensing.
• Notification and communication with family: Unless you object, we may use or disclose your PHI to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care about your location, general condition, or death.
• Required by law: We may disclose your PHI when required by federal, state, or local law.
• Public health: For public health activities (e.g., disease reporting, FDA regulation, oversight).
• Health oversight: For audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, or disciplinary actions by health oversight agencies.
• Judicial and administrative proceedings: In response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, or discovery request.
• Law enforcement: Under certain conditions to law enforcement officials.
• Research: Under certain conditions if the research has been approved and safeguards are in place.
• Coroners, funeral directors, organ donation: To coroners or funeral directors, or for organ procurement.
• Serious threat to health or safety: When necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat.
• Military and veteran activities, national security, and intelligence activities: As required or permitted by law.
• Workers’ compensation: For workers’ compensation or other similar programs.

5. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization

Uses and disclosures of your PHI for any purpose other than those listed above will be made only with your written authorization. For example:

• Marketing communications (unless the communication qualifies for an exception under HIPAA).
• Sale of PHI.

You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on your authorization.

6. Safeguards for Your PHI

We maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your PHI from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. We regularly evaluate our policies and the effectiveness of our safeguards.

7. Breach Notification

In the event of a breach of unsecured PHI, we will notify you as required by HIPAA and applicable state laws. We will also provide information about what occurred and what you can do to protect yourself.

8. Effective Date and Changes to This Notice

This notice is effective as of the date stated at the top. We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice at any time, provided the changes are permitted by applicable law. We will post the revised notice on our website and make paper copies available upon request.

9. Contact Information

If you have questions about this notice or wish to exercise your rights described above, please contact us at:

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

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