UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTH RECORD & INFORMATION: Each time you visit a hospital, physician, or other healthcare provider, a record of your visit is made. Typically, this record contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment, and a plan for future care or treatment. This information, often referred to as your health or medical record, serves as a basis for planning your care and treatment and serves as a means of communication among the many health professionals who contribute to your care. Understanding what is in your record and how your health information is used helps you to ensure its accuracy, better understand who, what, when, where, and why others may access your health information, and make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.
YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION RIGHTS: Unless otherwise required by law your health record is the physical property of Psychological and Life Skills Associates, P.C. You have the right to request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information, and request amendments to your mental health record. This includes the right to obtain a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon request, inspect, and obtain a copy of your mental health record. You may obtain an accounting of disclosures of your mental health information, request communications of your mental health information by alternative means or at alternative locations, revoke your authorization to use or disclose mental health information except to the extent that action has already been taken.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES: Psychological and Life Skills Associates, P.C. is required to maintain the privacy of your mental health information, and in addition, provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you. We must abide by the terms of this notice, notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction, accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations. We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected mental health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will mail a revised notice to the address you have provided. We will not use or disclose your mental health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice.
EXAMPLES OF DISCLOSURES FOR TREATMENT, PAYMENT, AND HEALTH OPERATIONS
We will use your mental health information for treatment: Information obtained by your therapist will be recorded in your record and used to determine the course of treatment that should work best for you.
We will use your mental health information for payment. For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. The information on or accompanying the bill may include information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis, relevant history, and treatment given.
Law enforcement: We may disclose mental health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena. Federal law makes provision for your mental health information to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a work force member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public. We will attempt to contact you first to see if you consent to such release.
Child Abuse: If we have reason to suspect that a child is abused or neglected, we are required by law to report the matter immediately to the Virginia Department of Social Services. We will discuss this with you as appropriate.
Abuse of Elderly or Incapacitated Adults: When we have reason to suspect that an incapacitated adult (e.g. someone who is not able to advocate for himself or herself) is being abused, neglected or exploited, we are required by law to make a report and provide relevant information to the Virginia Department of Social Services. You will be notified of this action unless your therapist believes that it would put you at risk of serious harm.
Health Oversight: The Virginia Board of Health Professions, including the Boards of Psychology, Social Work, and Counseling, has the power to subpoena relevant records should we be the focus of an inquiry.
Judicial or Administrative Proceedings (Court Orders): If you are involved in a court proceeding and a request is made for information about your treatment, we will not release information without your written authorization. If we receive a Subpoena for your records (of which you have been served, along with the proper notice required by state law) we are required to respond. We will attempt to contact you first to see if you consent to such release. If you object, you may file a motion, with the clerk of the court to move to quash (block) the subpoena. If you pursue this, notify your therapist as soon as possible. We are then required to place your records in a sealed envelope and provide them to the clerk of the court so that the court can determine whether the records should be released.
Serious Threat to Health or Safety of Others: If you communicate to us a specific and immediate threat to cause serious bodily injury or death to an identified or to a readily identifiable person, and we believe you have the intent and ability to carry out that threat immediately or imminently, we must take steps to protect the threatened person.
Danger to Self: Your therapist can break confidentiality if you (or your child) are in imminent danger of hurting yourself, in order to keep you (or your child) safe. This may include notifying emergency personnel.
Worker’s Compensation: If you file a worker’s compensation claim, we are required by law, upon request, to submit your relevant PHI to you, your employer, the insurer, or a certified rehabilitation provider.
Debt Collection: Your name can be reported to a collection agency and/or a credit bureau if you fail to pay your bill. You will be notified before such a report is made.
Legal Defense: Disclosure may be made if a therapist must arrange for legal consultation if a patient takes legal action against a therapist.
Effective Date: This notice will be effective on April 14, 2003
Modification & Amendment: This notice may be modified or amended by other documents, upon notification from your healthcare provider.
To obtain more information, or if you have any questions about this form, please contact our privacy officer:
Dr. Christopher T. Haley
13885 Hedgewood Drive #245
Woodbridge, VA 22193
(703)490-0336