Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.
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.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that establishes national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how American Liver & Metabolic Center may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI) and explains your rights regarding your medical records.
Your medical records, billing information, and any data that identifies you
You have rights over how your health information is used and shared
Federal law requires us to maintain privacy of your PHI
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a federal law that protects your medical records and health information. Think of it as a legal shield that keeps your medical information private and secure.
We keep your medical information secure and private
You decide who can see your health information
Federal law requires us to protect your privacy
To provide your medical care, coordinate with other doctors, and give you the best treatment
To bill you or your insurance company for the medical services we provide
To improve our services, train staff, and make sure we're giving you quality care
Want more details? See our complete Privacy Notice for the full legal explanation.
For a complete list, see our full Privacy Notice.
You have the right to inspect and receive an electronic or paper copy of the Protected Health Information (PHI) that we maintain about you in our designated record set.
How to request: Submit your request in writing to our Compliance Officer. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies. We will respond within 30 days.
You have the right to request that we amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. Your request must be in writing and include the reason for the amendment.
Note: We may deny your request if the information was not created by us, is not part of our records, is accurate and complete, or is not available for inspection.
You can request a list (accounting) of the times we have shared your PHI for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
Cost: We will provide one accounting per year for free. Additional requests within 12 months may incur a reasonable, cost-based fee.
You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Self-Pay Patients: If you pay in full out-of-pocket for a service, you can request that we not share that information with your health insurer. We must agree to this request.
You have the right to request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location to protect your privacy. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your PHI.
You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You may file a complaint with our Compliance Officer or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services.
We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for services provided.
We may use your PHI for quality assessment, staff training, and compliance programs.
Certain uses require your prior written authorization:
You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing.
American Liver & Metabolic Center is required by law to:
In the event of a breach of your unsecured Protected Health Information, we are required by law to notify you. A breach is defined as the acquisition, access, use, or disclosure of PHI in a manner not permitted by HIPAA that compromises the security or privacy of the information.
We may share your PHI with third-party "business associates" who perform services on our behalf, such as billing companies, IT service providers, or consultants. These business associates are required by law and by contract to protect your information.
We require all business associates to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) that obligates them to safeguard your PHI, report any breaches, and comply with HIPAA regulations.
In addition to federal HIPAA requirements, Massachusetts state law provides additional protections for your health information. Where state law provides greater protection than HIPAA, we will follow the more protective standard.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. Any changes will apply to all information we have about you. The revised Notice will be:
The effective date of this Notice is shown at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Notice periodically.
We are required to obtain your written acknowledgment that you have received this Notice of Privacy Practices. If you are a new patient, you will be asked to sign an acknowledgment form at your first visit.
Your signature acknowledges only that you received this Notice - it does not authorize us to use or disclose your information. If you refuse to sign, we will document that we attempted to obtain your acknowledgment. Your refusal will not affect your ability to receive treatment.
Office for Civil Rights
For our complete privacy policy including detailed information about data collection, cookies, and website privacy:
View Complete Privacy Notice