Puyana Plastic Surgery
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.
WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE
This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes the privacy practices of Puyana Plastic Surgery (“Puyana Plastic Surgery,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), and applies to all protected health information (“PHI”) created, received, maintained, or transmitted by Puyana Plastic Surgery.
This Notice applies to all members of our workforce, including physicians, nurses, medical staff, administrative staff, contractors, trainees, and any other personnel who handle your medical information.
Other health care providers involved in your care (such as hospitals, laboratories, imaging centers, or other physicians) may have different privacy practices or notices.
OUR LEGAL DUTIES AND PRIVACY COMMITMENT
We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information.
By law, we are required to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your PHI
Provide you with this Notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices
Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect
Protected Health Information (PHI) includes information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, the provision of health care to you, or payment for health care services.
USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PHI
FOR TREATMENT, PAYMENT, AND HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS (“TPO”)
By receiving care at Puyana Plastic Surgery, you consent to the use and disclosure of your PHI for the following purposes:
For Treatment
We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your medical treatment. Examples include:
Using prior medical history to diagnose or treat a condition
Sharing PHI with other physicians, specialists, or facilities involved in your care
For Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for services provided. Examples include:
Submitting claims to your insurance carrier
Communicating with insurers for coverage determinations or prior authorizations
For Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI for operational purposes necessary to run our practice. Examples include:
Quality assessment and improvement activities
Staff training and performance evaluation
Audits, compliance reviews, and licensing requirements
OTHER PERMITTED USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PHI
(Authorization Not Required)
Business Associates
We may disclose PHI to third parties who perform services on our behalf (such as billing, IT, legal, auditing, or accreditation services). These “Business Associates” are required by law and contract to safeguard your PHI.
Appointment Reminders
We may contact you to remind you of appointments. You may request confidential communications by submitting a written request to our office.
Individuals Involved in Your Care
We may disclose PHI to family members, friends, personal representatives, or others involved in your care or payment for care, unless you object. If you are unable to object, disclosures may be made in your best interest using professional judgment.
Emergency Situations
We may use or disclose PHI during emergency treatment situations. We will attempt to obtain acknowledgment of this Notice as soon as practicable afterward.
Health-Related Benefits and Services
We may inform you about treatment alternatives, health-related services, or benefits that may be of interest to you.
Required by Law
We may disclose PHI when required by federal, state, or local law, or when required by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for compliance investigations.
Communicable Diseases
We may disclose PHI to individuals or authorities authorized by law if you may have been exposed to or are at risk of spreading a communicable disease.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose PHI to health oversight agencies for audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, or disciplinary actions.
Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence
We may disclose PHI to appropriate authorities if we believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, as permitted by law.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
We may disclose PHI related to adverse events, product defects, recalls, or post-market surveillance.
Lawsuits and Disputes
We may disclose PHI in response to court orders, subpoenas, discovery requests, or other lawful processes.
Law Enforcement
We may disclose PHI to law enforcement officials as required by law or to prevent serious threats to health or safety.
National Security and Military Activity
Disclosures may be made for Armed Forces personnel, national security, intelligence activities, or protection of public officials.
Coroners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation
PHI may be disclosed for identification, cause of death, funeral arrangements, or organ donation purposes.
Research
PHI may be disclosed for approved research purposes with appropriate privacy safeguards.
Criminal Activity
We may disclose PHI to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat or to assist law enforcement in identifying or apprehending individuals.
Workers’ Compensation
PHI may be disclosed for Workers’ Compensation or similar programs.
USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING AUTHORIZATION
Uses or disclosures of PHI not described above require your written authorization, including:
Marketing purposes
Sale of PHI
You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except for disclosures already made.
Psychotherapy notes and certain sensitive information (such as HIV/AIDS status, substance abuse records, genetic information, or mental health information) may receive additional protection under federal or state law and may require separate authorization.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI
You have the following rights. All requests must be made in writing.
Right to Inspect and Copy
You may inspect and obtain copies of your medical and billing records, subject to limited exceptions. Fees may apply.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of PHI. We are not required to agree but will comply if we do.
Right to Confidential Communications
You may request alternative methods or locations for communications.
Right to Amend
You may request correction of PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures made in the past six (6) years.
Right to a Paper Copy
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you receive it electronically.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this Notice and apply changes to existing and future PHI. The current Notice will always be available on our website and will include a “Last Updated” date.
COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
Puyana Plastic Surgery 550 Biltmore Way, Suite 120 Coral Gables, FL 33134
You may also file a complaint with: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions regarding this Notice, please contact our Office Manager at Puyana Plastic Surgery.