Notice of Privacy Practices

Your rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your record

• You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Contact us to learn how to make a request.
• We will provide a copy or summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct your record

• You can ask us to correct health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
• We may deny your request in some circumstances, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

• You can ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at home, at work, or by cell phone, or to send mail to a different address.
• We will agree to reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

• You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our health care operations. We are not required to agree, and we may deny the request if, for example, it could affect your care.
• If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information with your health insurer for payment or health care operations. We will agree unless a law requires us to share the information.

Get a list of disclosures

• You can ask for an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before the date of your request, including who received the information and why.
• The accounting will not include certain disclosures, such as disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or disclosures you asked us to make. We will provide one accounting per year at no charge and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for another request within 12 months.

Get a copy of this notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. We will provide a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

• If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian or otherwise authorized to act as your personal representative, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
• We will verify that the person has authority to act for you before taking action.

File a complaint if you believe your rights were violated

• You may complain to us using the contact information below.
• You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by mailing a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint.
• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your preferences about what we share. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions as required by law.

You may tell us to

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.
• Share information in a disaster-relief situation.

If you cannot tell us your preference, such as when you are unconscious, we may share information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We will obtain your written permission before

• Using your information for most marketing purposes.
• Selling your information.
• Sharing most psychotherapy notes, if we maintain them.

Our uses and disclosures

We may use and share your health information in the following ways, subject to applicable law and our contractual obligations.

Treat you and support educational services

We may use your health information and share it with professionals involved in your treatment, evaluation, care coordination, or school-based services. For example, a speech-language pathologist may share relevant information with another authorized member of your care or educational team.

Run our organization

We may use and share your health information to operate our practice, improve services, supervise authorized personnel, conduct quality activities, and contact you when necessary.

Bill for services

We may use and share your health information to bill and receive payment from health plans, government programs, school systems, contracting organizations, or other responsible parties.

Help with public health and safety issues

We may share health information in situations permitted or required by law, such as preventing disease, reporting suspected abuse or neglect, reporting adverse reactions, or preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety.

Conduct research

We may use or share health information for research only as permitted by law and with any required authorization or approval.

Comply with the law

We will share information when state or federal law requires it, including with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if it requests information to assess our compliance with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

We may share health information with organ-procurement organizations when applicable.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

We may share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and government requests

We may use or share health information for workers’ compensation claims; for lawful law-enforcement purposes; with health-oversight agencies for authorized activities; or for special government functions such as military, national-security, or presidential protective services.

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We may share health information in response to a valid court or administrative order or, when permitted by law, in response to a subpoena.

Information protected by other laws

If Texas or federal law provides greater privacy protection or places stricter limits on a particular type of health information, we will follow the stricter law.

Substance use disorder records

To the extent we receive or maintain substance use disorder patient records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we will not use or disclose those records in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigation or proceeding against you without your written consent or a court order accompanied by a subpoena, as required by law.

Our responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We will notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and provide you with a copy.
• We will not use or share your information other than as described in this notice unless you authorize us in writing. If you authorize a use or disclosure, you may change your mind at any time by notifying us in writing.
• We will use reasonable safeguards and limit uses, disclosures, and requests to the minimum necessary when that standard applies.

Changes to this notice

We may change the terms of this notice, and the changes may apply to all information we maintain about you. An updated notice will be available upon request and posted on this website.

Questions, requests, and complaints