HIPAA / Notice of Privacy Practices

We may use and disclose your health information in connection with your treatment, including any medications and services you receive. For example, we may disclose your health information to pharmacists, doctors, nurses, technicians, and other personnel involved in your care. We may also disclose your health information to third parties, such as hospitals, other pharmacies, and other health care facilities and agencies to facilitate the provision of health care services, medications, equipment and supplies you may need. This helps to coordinate your care and make sure that everyone who is involved in your care has the information that they need about you to meet your health care needs.

We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for products and services we provide. For example, we may disclose your health information to your insurer, pharmacy benefit plan, or other health care payer to describe the medication or health care equipment we have dispensed so that we can be paid.

We may use and disclose your health information for our health care operation. Health care operations are activities necessary for us to operate our health care businesses, including for example, reviews of health care professionals, insurance premium rating, legal and auditing functions, and business planning and management.

If you agree to the use or disclosure and in certain other situations, we may make the following uses and disclosures of your health information. We may disclose certain health information to your family, friends, and anyone else involved in your health care or who helps pay for your care. The health information we disclose would be limited to the health information that is relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment for your care. We may also make these disclosures after your death as authorized by law unless doing so is inconsistent with any prior expressed preference. We may use or disclose your information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or any other person responsible for your care regarding your general condition to the extent we have such information. We may also use or disclose your health information to disaster-relief organizations so that your family or other persons responsible for your care can be notified about your condition and status, to the extent we have such information.

There are a number of other specified purposes for which we may disclose a patient’s Protected Health Information without the patient’s prior consent (but with certain restrictions). Examples include:

i. To Business Associates. We may contract with third parties to perform certain services for us, such as billing, copying, or consulting services. These third-party service providers may need access to your health information to perform services for us or on our behalf. They are required by contract and by law to protect your health information and to only use and disclose it as necessary to perform the services for us or on our behalf.

ii. For public health activities. We may disclose your health information to public health agencies as authorized by law.

iii. To report situations where there may be abuse, neglect or domestic violence. We may disclose health information to the appropriate government authority if we believe you have been the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. We only make this disclosure if you agree or when we are required or authorized by law to make the disclosure.

iv. In connection with health oversight activities. We may disclose your health information to authorities and agencies for oversight activities allowed by law, including audits, investigations, inspections, licensure and disciplinary actions, or civil, administrative, and criminal proceedings, as necessary for oversight of the pharmacy, government programs, and civil rights laws.

v. In the course of judicial or administrative proceedings. We may disclose your health information in the course of certain administrative or judicial proceedings. For example, we may disclose your health information in response to a court order.

vi. In response to law enforcement inquiries. We may disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for certain specific purposes, such as reporting certain types of injuries to the extent we have such information.

vii. In the event of death. We may disclose your health information to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors so that they can carry out their duties.

viii. Where organ/tissue donations are involved. We may use and disclose your health information to organizations that handle procurement, transplantation, or banking of organs, eyes, or tissues.

ix. In support of research studies. Under certain circumstances, we may disclose your health information to researchers who are conducting a specific research project.  For certain research activities, an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Privacy Board may approve uses and disclosures of your health information without your authorization.

x. Where there is a serious threat to health and safety. If there is a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person, we may use and disclose your health information in a limited manner to someone able to help lessen the threat.

xi. Where a specialized government function is involved. In certain circumstances, HIPAA authorizes us to use or disclose your health information to authorized federal officials for the conduct of national security activities and other specialized government functions.

xii. If you are an inmate. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may disclose your health information to the correctional institution or law enforcement official to assist them in providing health care to you, protecting your health and safety or the health and safety of others, or providing for the safety of the correctional institution.

xiii. For workers’ compensation proceedings. We may disclose your health information as necessary to comply with laws related to workers’ compensation or other similar programs. when our records are being audited; when medical emergencies occur; and when we communicate with our patients orally or in writing about prescriptions, about generic drugs that may be appropriate for a patient’s treatment, or about alternative therapies.

xiv. Where required by law. We may disclose your health information when required by law to do so.   

You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of your health information. We may charge you a fee as authorized by law to meet your request. You may request access to your health information in a certain electronic form and format, if readily producible, or, if not readily producible, in a mutually agreeable electronic form and format. Further, you may request in writing that we transmit such a copy to any person or entity you designate. Your written, signed request must clearly identify such designated person or entity and where you would like us to send the copy.

We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited circumstances. If you are denied access to your health information, you may request that the denial be reviewed by a licensed health care professional chosen by us. The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied your request.  We will comply with the outcome of the review.

You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures of we have made of your health information within the 6 years preceding the request, except for disclosures made for the purposes of treatment, payment or health care operations and certain others. We are entitled to charge a reasonable cost-based fee. We will notify you of the costs involved and give you an opportunity to withdraw or modify your request before any costs have been incurred.

Upon written request explaining why the change should be made, you have a right to request that we amend or correct your health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for us. Under certain circumstances we may deny your request. If your request is denied, we will provide you with information about our denial and how you can file a written statement of disagreement with us that will become part of your medical record.

Upon written request, you have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information in a confidential manner such as by sending mail to an address other than the home address or using a particular telephone number. We will grant reasonable requests and will not ask you the reason for your request.

You have the right to request restrictions on how your health information is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or health care operations activities. However, we are not required to agree to your requested restriction, unless that restriction is regarding disclosure of health information to your health insurance company and: (i) the disclosure is for the purpose of carrying out payment or health care operations and is not otherwise required by law; and (ii) the health information pertains solely to a health care item or service for which you or another person (other than your health insurance company) paid for in full. If we agree to your requested restriction, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment.

You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive this Notice electronically. You may request we mail you a paper copy of this Notice by contacting our Privacy Officer in writing at the contact information below. A copy of this Notice is also available at our website here.

You have the right to file a complaint with our Privacy Officer if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. If you would like to file a complaint about our privacy practices and/or this Notice, you may do so by sending a written complaint outlining your concerns to our Privacy Officer to the address contained at the bottom of this page. You also have the right to complain to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Under no circumstances will you be retaliated against by this pharmacy for filing a complaint.