NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
David Hogg, ND
Naturopathic Wisdom
Effective Date: October 1, 2008
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.
This Notice applies to information and records
regarding your health care maintained at the office of David Hogg,
ND.
OUR PLEDGE REGARDING YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION
David Hogg, ND is committed to protecting
medical information about you. We create a record of the care
and services you receive at this office for use in your care and
treatment.
This Notice tells you about the ways in which
we may use and disclose medical information about you. It also
describes your rights and certain obligations we have regarding
the use and disclosure of your medical information.
We are required by law to:
* make sure that your medical information
is protected;
* give you this Notice describing our legal duties and privacy
practices with respect to medical information about you; and
* follow the terms of the Notice that is currently in effect.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
The following sections describe different
ways that we may use and disclose your medical information. For
each category of uses or disclosures we will describe them and
give some examples. Some information such as certain drug and
alcohol information, HIV information and mental health information
is entitled to special restrictions related to its use and disclosure.
David Hogg, ND abides by all applicable state and federal laws
related to the protection of this information. Not every use or
disclosure will be listed. All of the ways we are permitted to
use and disclose information, however, will fall within one of
the following categories.
For Treatment. We may use medical information
about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We
may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses,
technicians, students, or other health system personnel who are
involved in taking care of you in the health system. For example,
a doctor treating you for a broken leg may need to know if you
have diabetes because diabetes may slow the healing process. In
addition, the doctor may need to tell the hospital's food service
if you have diabetes so that we can arrange for appropriate meals.
We may also share medical information about you with other David
Hogg, ND personnel or non-David Hogg, ND providers, agencies or
facilities in order to provide or coordinate the different things
you need, such as prescriptions, lab work and x-rays. We also
may disclose medical information about you to people outside David
Hogg, ND who may be involved in your continuing medical care after
you leave David Hogg, ND such as other health care providers,
transport companies, community agencies and family members.
For Payment. We may use and disclose medical
information about you so that the treatment and services you receive
at David Hogg, ND or from other entities, such as an ambulance
company, may be billed to and payment may be collected from you,
an insurance company or a third party. For example, we may need
to give information to your health plan about surgery you received
at David Hogg, ND so your health plan will pay us or reimburse
you for the surgery. We may also tell your health plan about a
proposed treatment to determine whether your plan will cover the
treatment.
For Health Care Operations. We may use and
disclose medical information about you for David Hogg, ND operations.
These uses and disclosures are made for quality of care and medical
staff activities, David Hogg, ND health sciences education, and
other teaching programs. Your medical information may also be
used or disclosed to comply with law and regulation, for contractual
obligations, patients' claims, grievances or lawsuits, health
care contracting, legal services, business planning and development,
business management and administration, the sale of all or part
of David Hogg, ND to another entity, underwriting and other insurance
activities and to operate the health system. For example, we may
review medical information to find ways to improve treatment and
services to our patients. We may also disclose information to
doctors, nurses, technicians, medical and other students, and
other health system personnel for performance improvement and
educational purposes.
Appointment Reminders. We may contact you
to remind you that you have an appointment with David Hogg, ND.
Treatment Alternatives. We may tell you about
or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may
be of interest to you.
Health-Related Benefits and Services. We may
contact you about benefits or services that we provide.
Fundraising Activities. We may contact you
to provide information about David Hogg, ND sponsored activities,
including fundraising programs and events. We would only use contact
information, such as your name, address and phone number and the
dates you received treatment or services at David Hogg, ND.
News Gathering Activities. A member of your
health care team may contact you or one of your family members
to discuss whether or not you want to participate in a media or
news story. News reporters often seek interviews with patients
injured in accidents or experiencing particular medical conditions
or procedures. For example, a reporter working on a story about
a new cancer therapy may ask whether any of the patients undergoing
that therapy might be willing to be interviewed.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment
for Your Care. We may release medical information to anyone involved
in your medical care, e.g., a friend, family member, personal
representative, or any individual you identify. We may also give
information to someone who helps pay for your care. We may also
tell your family or friends about your general condition.
Disaster Relief Efforts. We may disclose medical
information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief
effort so that your family can be notified about your condition,
status and location.
As Required By Law. We will disclose medical
information about you when required to do so by federal or state
law.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety.
We may use and disclose medical information about you when necessary
to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health
and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.
Any disclosure would be to someone able to help stop or reduce
the threat.
Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are an organ
donor, we may release medical information to organizations that
handle organ procurement or organ, eye or tissue transplantation
or to an organ donation bank, as necessary to facilitate organ
or tissue donation and transplantation.
Military and Veterans. If you are or were
a member of the armed forces, we may release medical information
about you to military command authorities as authorized or required
by law. We may also release medical information about foreign
military personnel to the appropriate military authority as authorized
or required by law.
Workers' Compensation. We may use or disclose
medical information about you for Workers' Compensation or similar
programs as authorized or required by law. These programs provide
benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
Public Health Disclosures. We may disclose
medical information about you for public health purposes. These
purposes generally include the following:
* preventing or controlling disease (such
as cancer and tuberculosis), injury or disability;
* reporting vital events such as births and deaths;
* reporting child abuse or neglect;
* reporting adverse events or surveillance related to food, medications
or defects or problems with products;
* notifying persons of recalls, repairs or replacements of products
they may be using;
* notifying a person who may have been exposed to a disease or
may be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition;
* notifying the appropriate government authority if we believe
a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence
and make this disclosure as authorized or required by law.
Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose medical information
to governmental, licensing, auditing, and accrediting agencies
as authorized or required by law.
Legal Proceedings. We may disclose medical
information to courts, attorneys and court employees in the course
of conservatorship and certain other judicial or administrative
proceedings.
Lawsuits and Other Legal Actions. In connection
with lawsuits or other legal proceedings, we may disclose medical
information about you in response to a court or administrative
order, or in response to a subpoena, discovery request, warrant,
summons or other lawful process.
Law Enforcement. If asked to do so by law
enforcement, and as authorized or required by law, we may release
medical information:
* To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive,
material witness, or missing person;
* About a suspected victim of a crime if, under certain limited
circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person's agreement;
* About a death suspected to be the result of criminal conduct;
* About criminal conduct at David Hogg, ND; and
* In case of a medical emergency, to report a crime; the location
of the crime or victims; or the identity, description or location
of the person who committed the crime.
Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. In most circumstances,
we may disclose medical information to a coroner or medical examiner.
This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person
or determine cause of death. We may also disclose medical information
about patients of David Hogg, ND to funeral directors as necessary
to carry out their duties.
National Security and Intelligence Activities.
As authorized or required by law, we may disclose medical information
about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence,
and other national security activities.
Protective Services for the President and
Others. As authorized or required by law, we may disclose medical
information about you to authorized federal officials so they
may conduct special investigations or provide protection to the
President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state.
Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional
institution or under the custody of law enforcement officials,
we may release medical information about you to the correctional
institution as authorized or required by law.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION
ABOUT YOU
Your medical information is the property of
David Hogg, ND. You have the following rights, however, regarding
medical information we maintain about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy. With certain exceptions,
you have the right to inspect and/or receive a copy of your medical
information.
To inspect and/or to receive a copy of your
medical information, you must submit your request in writing to
The Privacy Management Office
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
If you request a copy of the information,
there is a fee for these services.
We may deny your request to inspect and/or
to receive a copy in certain limited circumstances. If you are
denied access to medical information, in most cases, you may have
the denial reviewed. Another licensed health care professional
chosen by David Hogg, ND will review your request and the denial.
The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied
your request. We will comply with the outcome of the review.
Right to Request an Amendment or Addendum.
If you feel that medical information we have about you is incorrect
or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information or add
an addendum (addition to the record). You have the right to request
an amendment or addendum for as long as the information is kept
by or for David Hogg, ND.
Amendment. To request an amendment, your request
must be made in writing and submitted to
The Privacy Management Office
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 297-6877
In addition, you must provide a reason that
supports your request. We may deny your request for an amendment
if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support
the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask
us to amend information that:
* Was not created by David Hogg, ND
* Is not part of the medical information kept by or for David
Hogg, ND;
* Is not part of the information which you would be permitted
to inspect and copy; or
* Is accurate and complete in the record.
Addendum. To submit an addendum, the addendum
must be made in writing and submitted to
The Privacy Management Office
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 297-6877
An addendum must not be longer than 250 words
per alleged incomplete or incorrect item in your record.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You
have the right to receive a list of certain disclosures we have
made of your medical information. To request this accounting of
disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to
The Privacy Management Office
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 297-6877
Your request must state a time period that
may not be longer than the six previous years and may not include
dates before April 14, 2003. You are entitled to one accounting
within any 12-month period at no cost. If you request a second
accounting within that 12-month period, there will be a charge
for the cost of compiling the accounting. We will notify you of
the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your
request at that time before any costs are incurred.
Right to Request Restrictions. You have the
right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information
we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health
care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on
the medical information we disclose about you to someone who is
involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as a
family member or friend. For example, you could ask that we not
use or disclose information to a family member about a surgery
you had. To request a restriction, you must make your request
in writing to
The Privacy Management Office
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 297-6877
In your request, you must tell us
1. what information you want to limit;
2. whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and
3. to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, only to
you and your spouse.
We are not required to agree to your request.
If we do agree, our agreement must be in writing, and we will
comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide
you emergency treatment.
Right to Request Confidential Communications.
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about
medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For
example, you may ask that we contact you only at home or only
by mail. To request confidential communications, you must make
your request in writing to
The Privacy Management Office
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 297-6877
We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You
have the right to a paper copy of this Notice. You may ask us
to give you a copy of this Notice at any time. Even if you have
agreed to receive this Notice electronically, you are still entitled
to a paper copy of this Notice.
Copies of this Notice are available throughout
David Hogg, ND, or you may obtain a copy at our website, www.uclahealth.org/privacypractices
CHANGES TO David Hogg, ND'S PRIVACY PRACTICES
AND THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change David Hogg,
ND's privacy practices and this Notice. We reserve the right to
make the revised or changed Notice effective for medical information
we already have about you as well as any information we receive
in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice throughout
David Hogg, ND. The Notice will contain the effective date on
the first page in the top right-hand corner. In addition, at any
time you may request a copy of the current Notice in effect.
QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS
If you have any questions about this Notice,
please contact:
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
If you believe your privacy rights have been
violated, you may file a complaint with David Hogg, ND or with
the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
To file a written complaint with David Hogg, ND contact:
David Hogg, ND
1101 S Winchester Blvd, Suite E157
San Jose, CA 95128
You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
OTHER USES OF MEDICAL INFORMATION
Other uses and disclosures of medical information
not covered by this Notice will be made only with your written
permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose medical
information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing,
at any time. If you revoke your permission, we will no longer
use or disclose medical information about you for the reasons
covered by your written permission. You understand that we are
unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with
your permission, and that we will retain our records of the care
provided to you as required by law.