The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that provides privacy protections and patient rights with regard to the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) used for the purpose of treatment, payment, and health care operations. This Notice explains HIPAA rights and its application to your PHI with Sinahi Wellness PLLC in greater detail. For more information, please visit: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html

Privacy Practices

Sinahi Wellness PLLC is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your protected health information (PHI). Our privacy practices concerning your PHI include:

• We will safeguard the privacy of your health information that we have created or received as required by law.

• We will explain how, when, and why we use and/or disclose your health information.

• We will comply with the provisions of this notice and only use and/or disclose your health information as described in this notice.

• We will provide notice of a breach of unsecured health information in accordance with the law. 

Your Protected Health information

Your “protected health information” (PHI) broadly includes any health information, oral, written or recorded, that is created or received by us, other healthcare providers, and health insurance companies or plans, that contains data, such as your name, address, social security or patient identification number, and other information, that could be used to identify you as the individual patient who is associated with that health information.

Use/Disclosure of Your Health Information

For Treatment – We may use and disclose your health information internally in the course of your treatment for the purpose of providing, coordinating, or managing your health care treatment and related services. 

For Payment – We may use and disclose your health information to bill and obtain payment for services provided to you. This includes sharing your PHI with insurance companies or other entities as necessary to process your payments or facilitate the reimbursement for services provided. In cases of unpaid fees, we may disclose your PHI to attorneys, courts, collection agencies, or consumer reporting agencies as needed to pursue the collection of outstanding balances. 

For Operations – We may use and disclose your health information as part of our internal operations.  For example, this could mean a review of records to assure quality, efficiency, and efficacy of services. We may also use your information to tell you about services, educational activities, and programs that we feel might be of interest to you. There are also some services provided in our organization through our business associates (lawyer, accountant, bookkeeper, office service provider, outside billing/claims agencies, etc.). For example, we may use a copy service to make copies of your medical record. When we hire companies to perform these services, we may disclose your health information to these companies so that they can perform the job we have asked them to perform. To protect your health information, however, we require the business associate to appropriately safeguard your health information. We may also use or disclose your health information for other general administrative activities. 

For Contacting You – We may use and disclose your health information to contact you regarding various aspects of your care, including appointment reminders, document requests, survey requests, billing matters, or other general communications. We may contact you by mail, telephone, email, text message, or through the SimplePractice online portal, provided you have given us your contact information, such as your physical address, email address, and/or phone number, or have signed up for the SimplePractice portal. Please be aware that while we take measures to protect your privacy, there may be some security risks associated with electronic communication. By providing your contact information and engaging in these forms of communication, you acknowledge these risks. You have the right to request changes to how we communicate with you at any time. If you prefer a specific form of communication or have concerns about your privacy, please inform us and we will accommodate your preferences whenever possible. 

For Emergencies –  In the event of an emergency, such as your therapist’s death, incapacity, or inability to provide services, we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to other professionals or emergency contacts to ensure the continuity of your care. This may include sharing necessary information with healthcare providers or individuals who can assist in ensuring your well-being during such an emergency. Additionally, if you experience an emergency during a session, we may contact the emergency contacts you have provided to us on file in order to ensure your safety and well-being. Any such disclosures will be made with the goal of addressing urgent needs and providing appropriate care and support in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

Limits on Confidentiality

In general, Sinahi Wellness PLLC only releases information about your treatment to others if you sign a written authorization form that meets certain legal requirements imposed by HIPAA. However, there are certain situations where we are permitted or required to disclose information without your consent or authorization, and in some of these cases, you may not have the opportunity to agree or object. If such a situation arises, we will restrict the disclosure to only the necessary parties and share only the minimum information required.

Reasons We May Have to Release Your Information Without Authorization: 

Abuse/Neglect - The law requires that we report to the Department of Social Services and/or law enforcement if we know or have reason to believe that a child, elderly person, disabled individual, or vulnerable individual has been or will be abused or neglected or if we know or have reason to believe that a client or other named individual is the perpetrator, observer, or actual victim of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of a child. In such cases, we are required to cooperate with requests from the Department of Social Services and/or law enforcement to release relevant information or treatment records.

Serious Threat to Safety - We may use and disclose your health information if we know or have reason to believe that there is clear and immediate probability of serious or grave physical harm to you, other individuals, or society at large. This may include communication of information to a potential victim, a family member, and/or law enforcement to help prevent and/or reduce the threat. 

Judicial/Administrative Proceedings - We may use and disclose your health information pursuant to a subpoena (with your written consent), court order, administrative order, lawsuit, tribunal order, discovery request, or other lawful processes. 

Death of Client - In the event of your death, your protected health information (PHI) may be shared with individuals or entities involved in the administration of your estate, as necessary, in accordance with applicable laws. This may include sharing information with your personal representative, family members, or other authorized parties who are handling your affairs. Any such disclosures will be made in compliance with HIPAA regulations and will be limited to the information necessary for the proper management of your estate.

Emergencies -  In the event of an emergency, such as your therapist’s death, incapacity, or inability to provide services, we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to other professionals or emergency contacts to ensure the continuity of your care. This may include sharing necessary information with healthcare providers or individuals who can assist in ensuring your well-being during such an emergency. Additionally, if you experience an emergency during a session, we may contact the emergency contacts you have provided to us on file in order to ensure your safety and well-being. Any such disclosures will be made with the goal of addressing urgent needs and providing appropriate care and support in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

Workers Compensation Claim - Your health information may be shared for purposes related to workers' compensation claims. If you are seeking or receiving treatment for a work-related injury or illness, we may disclose necessary PHI to your employer’s workers' compensation insurance provider, third-party administrators, or other relevant parties involved in the claims process. This disclosure is made to facilitate the determination of benefits, processing of claims, or coordination of care related to your work injury, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Law Enforcement - Your health information may be shared with law enforcement when required by law or to comply with specific law enforcement purposes. This includes situations such as responding to a court order, subpoena, or warrant, reporting certain types of crimes, or when there is a legal obligation to disclose information related to abuse, neglect, or a public safety concern. Any disclosures will be made in compliance with applicable laws and will be limited to the minimum necessary information required to fulfill the legal request.

Specialized Government Functions - We may use or disclose health information if a government agency is requesting the information within its appropriate legal authority. 

Business Associate Services - We may disclose the minimum necessary health information to our business associates that perform functions on our behalf or provide us with services if the information is necessary for such functions or service. Our business associates sign agreements to protect the privacy of your information and are not allowed to use or disclose any information other than as specified in our contract. 

Other Individuals Involved in Your Care -We may use or disclose your health information to other individuals involved in your care (ex. family, friends, etc.) if you are present and give verbal permission.

Your Rights

Under HIPAA, you are entitled to certain rights with respect to your health information. The following is an overview of your rights:

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice – You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice upon request. We will make available a copy of this Notice to you no later than the date you first receive service from us. You may also obtain a copy of this Notice at any time from our website www.sinahiwellness.com. 

Right to Receive Confidential Communications by Alternative Means and at Alternative Locations – You have the right to request confidential communications of your health information through alternative methods or to alternative locations, as long as these accommodations are reasonable. For example, you may request that we contact you at your work phone number or only through email. Requests must be made in writing. 

Right to Request Restrictions – You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to your requested restrictions, however, if we do agree we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide emergency treatment or is legally required to be disclosed. We require that all requests for restrictions be in writing and specify (1) the information to be restricted, (2) the type of restriction being requested, and (3) to whom the limits apply. You must also state a reason for the request. We will respond in writing to all requests within 30 days or receipt.

Right to Inspect and Copy – You have the right to inspect and/or obtain a copy of your health information.  Records must be requested in writing and release of information may be required. We will respond to you within 30 days of receiving your written request.  Please note, there is a copying fee charge of $1.00 per page in addition to the cost of mailing or other supplies associated with your request. If we refuse your request for access to your records, you will receive a denial in writing describing the reason for denial and your rights to a review of our denial. 

Right to Amend – If you believe the information in your records is incorrect and/or missing important information, you can ask us to make certain changes or amend your health information.  Your request must be made in writing and must explain your reason(s) for the amendment(s). We will respond to you within 30 days of receiving your written request.  If we refuse your request for amendment, you will receive a denial in writing describing the reason for denial and your rights to a review of our denial. 

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures – You have the right to receive a written list of certain disclosures made of your health information. You may ask for disclosures made up to six years before your request. Requests must be made in writing and will be responded to within 60 days. The list will include the date of the disclosure, the name (and address, if available) of the person or organization receiving the health information, a brief description of the health information disclosed, and the purpose of the disclosure. We are not required to provide accountings of disclosures for the following purposes: (a) treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, (b) disclosures pursuant to your authorization, (c) disclosures to you, (d) to other healthcare providers involved in your care, (e) for national security or intelligence purposes, (f) to correctional institutions. The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free. For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list. 

Right to Notification - You have a right to be notified if there is a breach in our protection of your health information. If there is a breach, we will follow HIPAA guidelines and notify you within reasonable timelines.  

Our Duties

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. We reserve the right to change the privacy policies and practices described in this notice. Unless we notify you of such changes, however, we are required to abide by the terms currently in effect.  If we revise our policies and procedures, we will provide you with a revised notice and make the revised copy available on our webpage: www.sinahiwellness.com

Complaints

If you are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights, or you disagree with a decision we made about access to your records, you may contact us at info@sinahiwellness.com, contact the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/),  or contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/what-to-expect/index.html) We will not retaliate against you for exercising your right to file a complaint. 

You can request to receive a paper copy of this notice. If you have any questions regarding this Notice or your privacy rights, please contact us at info@sinahiwellness.com.