This notice describes how your medical information may be used or disclosed and how you can gain access to it. Please read this notice carefully.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a federal program that requires strict confidentiality for all your personal health information. That includes all your medical and dental information used or disclosed by us in any form, whether electronic, written, or verbal. The Act gives you significant rights to understand and control how your health information is used. The Act also provides penalties for the misuse of Protected Health Information (PHI).
PHI is any information about you, including demographic data that identifies you and your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, as well as related healthcare services. This Privacy Policy describes how we may use or disclose your PHI to provide treatment, payment, or healthcare operations or other purposes that are permitted or required by law. This policy also describes your rights to access and control your PHI.
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Your PHI may be used or disclosed by our physician, office staff, or others involved in your care and treatment, whether providing healthcare services to you, paying your healthcare bills, supporting the operation of our practice, or any other lawful use.
Treatment: We will use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. This includes the coordination or management of your healthcare by a third party. For example, your PHI may be given to a physician you have been referred to in order to ensure that he or she has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.
Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose your PHI to support our business activities. These activities may include quality assessment, employee review, and conducting or arranging other business activities. We may also use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your physician. We may call you by name in our reception area when your physician is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your PHI, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment. We may phone your home and leave a message (on an answering machine or with the person answering the phone) to remind you of an upcoming appointment, the need to schedule a new appointment, or to call our office. We may also mail a postcard reminder or letter to your home address. Please tell us if you prefer that we call or contact you at another phone number or location.
We may use or disclose your PHI under the following circumstances without your authorization. These include, as required by law:
- public health issues
- communicable diseases
- health oversight
- abuse or neglect
- Food and Drug Administration requirements
- legal proceedings
- law enforcement
- coroners, funeral directors and organ donation
- medical research
- criminal activity; prison inmates
- military activity and national security
- Workers’ Compensation
Required Uses and Disclosures: The law requires us to disclose to you when we are investigated by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to determine our compliance with HIPAA. Other permitted and required uses and disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization, or opportunity to object unless required by law. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time except to the extent that your physician or the physician’s practice has taken action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in your authorization.
Payment: Your PHI will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for healthcare services. For example, obtaining approval for a hospital stay may require that your relevant PHI be disclosed to your health insurance plan to obtain approval for a hospital admission or a health-related procedure.
Your Rights
You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. Under federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records:
- psychotherapy notes
- information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or use in civil, criminal, or administrative actions or proceedings
- PHI that is subject to law prohibiting access to said PHI
You have the right to request a restriction of your health information. This means you may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. You may also request nondisclosure of any part of your PHI to family members or friends who may be involved in your care or for notification purposes described in these Privacy Practices. Your request must state the specific restriction and to whom you want the restriction to apply.
Your physician is not required to agree to your requested restriction. If your physician believes it is in your best interests to permit use and disclosure of your PHI, your PHI will not be restricted. You then have the right to use another healthcare professional.
You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice from us, upon request, even if you have agreed to accept this Notice alternatively (e.g., electronically).
You have the right to have your physician amend your PHI. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us, and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal. You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your PHI.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and will inform you of any changes. You then have the right to object or withdraw as provided in this Notice.
Complaints
You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us. You may file a complaint by notifying our privacy officer at our office and main telephone number. We will not retaliate against you for exercising your right to file a complaint.
This Notice was published and is effective on or before 6/1/2010.
Main Office:
143 Asheland Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
Telephone: 828.258.9191
Website Privacy Policy
Website Information We Collect
When you visit this website, limited technical information may be collected automatically by our web server to operate and secure the website. This information may include:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type
- Date and time of access
- Pages requested
- Basic technical information necessary to deliver website content
This website does not use contact forms, appointment request forms, or analytics services that collect or profile visitor behavior.
Cookies and Website Functionality
This website uses only cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for the operation and performance of the website. These technologies may be used to:
- Deliver website content efficiently
- Improve page loading through caching
- Maintain basic website functionality
- Protect the security of the website
- The website does not use advertising or behavioral tracking cookies.
If a cookie consent banner is presented, it is intended to inform visitors about the website’s use of cookies and provide any choices required by applicable law.
How We Use Information
Any limited technical information collected during your visit is used solely to:
- Operate and maintain the website
- Improve website performance and reliability
- Protect against unauthorized access or malicious activity
- Comply with applicable legal obligations
We do not sell personal information or use website visitor information for advertising or marketing purposes.
Information Sharing
We do not sell or rent personal information collected through this website.
Limited technical information may be processed by service providers that host, secure, or maintain the website solely for the purpose of providing those services. These providers are contractually required to safeguard information in accordance with applicable law.
Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information associated with this website. These measures include encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure hosting environments, access controls, and other reasonable security practices appropriate for the information maintained.
While we take reasonable precautions to protect information, no method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Data Retention
Technical website logs and similar operational information are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to maintain the security, operation, and performance of the website or as otherwise required by law.
Your Privacy Choices and Rights
Depending on your state of residence, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information under applicable privacy laws. These rights may include requesting access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information where applicable.
Because this website does not collect personal information through forms or visitor tracking, these rights may be limited with respect to information collected through the website itself.
Questions regarding your privacy rights may be directed to the contact information provided below.
Children’s Privacy
This website is intended for a general audience and is not directed toward children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through this website.
Third-Party Websites
This website may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external websites. Visitors should review the privacy policies of any third-party websites they visit.
Changes to This Website Privacy Policy
We may update this Website Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The revised policy will become effective when posted on this website. Please review this page periodically for updates.
Contact Us
If you have questions regarding this Website Privacy Policy or your privacy rights, please contact:
Asheville Women’s Medical Center
143 Asheland Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
Telephone: 828.258.9191
