We use and disclose health information about you for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. For example:

Treatment: We may use or disclose your health information to the members of the healthcare team responsible for your treatment within our practice, as well as other physicians or healthcare providers providing treatment to you.

Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you.

Regular Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing, or credentialing activities.

Communication With Family: We will use good judgment in disclosing to a family member or any other person you identify health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment related to your care.

Persons Involved In Care: We may use and disclose health information to notify, or assist in the notification of a family member, personal representative, or other person responsible for your care, information about your general condition, status, and location. If you are present, then prior to use or disclosure of your health information, we will provide you with an opportunity to object to such uses or disclosures. In the event of your incapacity or emergency circumstances, we will disclose health information based on a determination using our professional judgment disclosing only health information that is directly relevant to the person’s involvement in your healthcare. We will also use our professional judgment and our experience with common practice to make reasonable inferences of your best interest in allowing a person to pick up filled prescriptions, medical supplies, x-rays, or other similar forms of health information.

Marketing: We may use health information to contact you with information about treatment alternatives or health related benefits that may be of interest to you.

Appointment Reminders: We may use or disclose health information to provide you with appointment reminders (such as voicemail messages, postcards, or letters).

Public Health or Safety: Under South Carolina law, we may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat either to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.

Required by Law: We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

Workers’ Compensation: We may release health information about you for workers’ compensation or similar programs.

Abuse or Neglect: We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence or the possible victim of other crimes.

National Security: We may disclose to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel under certain circumstances. We may disclose to authorized federal officials health information required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities.

Law Enforcement: We may disclose health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena.

Correctional Institution: If you are an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose to the institution or its agents health information that is needed for your health or the health and safety of other individuals.

Access: You have the right to view or receive a copy of your health information, with limited exceptions. You may request that we provide copies in a format other than photocopies. We will use the format you request unless we cannot practicably do so. [You must submit your request in writing to obtain access to your health information. You may obtain a form to request access by using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice. If you request a copy of the information, we will charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for expenses such as copying, mailing, staff time, and supplies (i.e. disks, etc.). If you prefer, we will prepare a summary or an explanation of your health information for a fee.] 45 CFR 164.524

Disclosure Accounting: You have the right to request a list of instances in which we or our business associates disclosed your health information for purposes, other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations and certain other activities, for the last 6 years, but not before April 14, 2003. You must submit your request in writing. 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. 45 CFR 164.528

Restriction: You have the right to request that we place additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information. You must make your request in writing, indicating what information you want to limit, whether you want to limit our use or disclosure, and to whom you want the limits to apply. We are not required to agree to these additional restrictions and may not be able to comply, but if we do agree, we will abide by that agreement (except in an emergency). 45CFR 164.522

Alternative Communication: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information by alternative means or to alternative locations. You must make your request in writing. Your request must specify how or where you wish us to contact you, and provide satisfactory explanation how payments will be handled under the alternative means or location you request.

Amendment: You have the right to request that we amend your health information. (Your request must be in writing, and it must explain why the information should be amended.) Any amendment must be dated and signed by you and notarized. We may deny your request under certain circumstances. 45 CFR 164.528

Electronic Notice: If you receive this Notice on our Web site or by electronic mail (e-mail), you are entitled to receive this Notice in written form.

CONTACT INFORMATION