Notice of Privacy Practices
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.
The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires all health care records and other individually identifiable health information used or disclosed to us in any form, whether electronically, on paper, or orally, be kept confidential. This federal law gives you, the patient, significant new rights to understand and control how your health information is used. HIPAA provides penalties for covered entities that misuse personal health information. As required by HIPAA, we have prepared this explanation of how we are required to maintain the privacy of your health information and how we may use and disclose your health information.
Without specific written authorization, we are permitted to use and disclose your health care records for the purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations.
Treatment means providing, coordinating, or managing health care and related services by one or more health care providers. For example, we may need to share information with other providers or specialists involved in the continuation of your care.
Payment means such activities as obtaining reimbursement for services, confirming coverage, billing or collection activities, and utilization review. for example, we disclose treatment information when billing a dental plan for your dental services.
Health Care Operations include the business aspects of running our practice. For example, patient information may be used for training purposes, or quality assessment.
Unless you request otherwise, we may use or disclose health information to a family member, friend, or other personal representative to the extent necessary to help with your healthcare or with payment for your healthcare. In addition, we may use your confidential information to remind you of appointments by sending reminder postcards and/or leaving messages at home and/or work. Any other uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke such authorization in writing and we are required to honor and abide by that written request, except to the extent that we have already taken actions relying on your authorization.
You have certain rights in regards to your protected health information, which you can exercise by presenting a written request to our Privacy Officer at the practice address listed below:
The right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of protected health information, including those related to disclosures to family members, other relatives, close personal friends, or any other person identified by you. We are, however, not required to agree to a requested restriction. If we do agree to a restriction, we must abide by it unless you agree in writing to remove it.
The right to request to receive confidential communications of protected health information from us by alternative means or at alternative locations.
The right to access, inspect and copy your protected health information.
The right to request an amendment to your protected health information.
The right to receive an accounting of disclosures of protected health information outside of treatment, payment and health care operations.
The right to obtain a paper copy of this notice from us upon request.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information.
This notice is effective as of April 15, 2003 and we are required to abide by the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices currently in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices and to make the new notice provisions effective for all protected health information that we maintain. Revisions to our Notice of Privacy Practices will be posted on the effective date and you may request a written copy of the Revised Notice from this office.
You have the right to file a formal, written complaint with us at the address below, or with the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Civil Rights, in the event you feel your privacy rights have been violated. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
For more information about our Privacy Practices, please contact Jay at:
Mission Terrace Dental
1794 San Jose Ave
San Francisco, CA 94112
(415) 586-3155
For more information about HIPAA or to file a complaint, please contact:
The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington D.C. 20201
877.696.6775 (toll-free)
Disclaimer
Phyllis Chen, D.D.S. makes this Web site available free to all users for the sole purpose of providing information on dental-related issues and to provide Internet access to dental-related resources. This site may not be used as a supplement for or alternative to professional health care, and is not intended to and does not warrant or guarantee the quality of any services of Phyllis Chen, D.D.S. or her staff.
Please do not use this site as a substitute for your dental or other health care. Please immediately consult with your doctor or other health care provider regarding any emergency medical conditions you may have. Do not use this site to disregard any professional health care advice, or delay seeking advice from a health care professional, because of something you read or see in this site. The accuracy of this Web site, information and resources identified are not warranted or guaranteed, or intended to substitute for professional health care advice, to contradict professional advice given, or for professional care of any kind. Phyllis Chen, D.D.S. expressly disclaims any implied warranty or representation about the information or accuracy, relevance, timeliness, completeness, or appropriateness for any particular purpose of any kind.
In no event shall Phyllis Chen, D.D.S. or her agent(s) and/or employee(s) be liable for any damages whatsoever of any kind, resulting from any loss arising out of or in any way connected with the use or performance of this site, with the delay or inability to use this site, or with the provision of or failure to make available any information, services, products, materials, or other resources contained on or accessible through this site. By using this website, you acknowledge and agree that the limitations set forth above are conditions to use of this site, and this site would not be provided to you absent such limitations.
Links to Other Internet Sites:
This site may also include links to other Internet sites. Be aware that Phyllis Chen, D.D.S. does not control, makes no guarantees about, and disclaims any express or implied representations or warranties about the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, completeness, or appropriateness for a particular purpose of the information or the resources contained on these or any other Internet sites. The inclusion of these links is merely for your convenience and is not intended and does not reflect our opinion or the importance of these other sites. Phyllis Chen, D.D.S. does not necessarily endorse in any manner any of the views expressed in, or products or services offered by, these other sites. All rights reserved