The Episcopal Counseling Center

HIPAA 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.

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations (TPO) and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. "Protected health information" is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or other condition and related care services.

Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information:
 Your PHI may be used and disclosed by your therapist, our office staff and others outside our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you, to pay your mental health care bills, to support the operation of the therapist's practice, and any other use required by law.

Treatment: We will use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your care with a third party. For example we would disclose your PHI as necessary to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.

Payment: Your PHI will be used as needed to obtain payment for your mental health care services. For example, obtaining approval for additional therapy sessions may require that your relevant PHI be disclosed to your health insurance company.

Mental Health Care Operations: We may use or disclose, only on an as needed basis, your PHI to support the business activities of your therapist's practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of registered therapist interns, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, if your therapist is a registered mental health intern, your PHI would be disclosed to the Clinical Supervisor for that therapist. We may also call you by your first name in the waiting room when your therapist is ready to meet with you. We may use or disclose your PHI, as necessary, to contact you regarding scheduled appointments, such as if an appointment time needs to be changed due to an emergency.

We may use or disclose your PHI in the following situations without your authorization: These situations include as required by law: abuse or neglect of a child, mentally impaired individual, or senior citizen; when the therapist is concerned you may be of harm to yourself or another individual; or when there is a valid court order compelling us to release records or witness testimony. Also included under HIPAA is the right to disclose without your authorization: Public Health issues - communicable diseases, Food and Drug Administration requirements, Worker's Compensation, and when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of section 164.500.

Other Permitted and required Use and Disclosures will be made only with your written consent, authorization or opportunity to object unless required by law.

You may revoke this authorization at any time in writing except to the extent that your therapist or the therapist's practice has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.