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Privacy Policy

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
OVERVIEW
This notice will tell you about the ways South Florida Psychiatry (“Practice,” “we,” or
“us”) may disclose health information about you and will also describe your rights and
certain obligations that we have regarding the use and disclosure of your health
information. South Florida Psychiatry is a behavioral health group that is operated
across multiple legal entities which are referred to by the HIPAA Privacy Rule as an
"organized health care arrangement." South Florida Psychiatry has relationships with
the providers listed on this website and provides services via telehealth and at the
service delivery sites of the providers listed on this website. South Florida Psychiatry's
legal entities share protected health information with each other, as necessary to carry
out South Florida Psychiatry's treatment, payment and health care operations. All of the
legal entities that comprise South Florida Psychiatry agree to comply with the terms of
this Notice of Privacy Practices.
We are required by law to: make sure that health information that identifies you is kept
private; give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your
health information; notify you following a breach of your unsecured protected health
information; and follow the terms of the notice that are currently in effect. Although this
notice is being provided to you electronically, and by signing an acknowledgment of
receipt of this notice, you consent to the provision of this notice electronically, you have
the right to request a paper copy of this notice. We reserve the right to change our
privacy practices and the terms of this notice at any time. You may obtain a copy of the
revised notice on this website. This notice is effective as of February 8, 2021.
HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS USED
We may use and disclose your health information for the purposes of providing services
and quality care. For the avoidance of doubt, providing treatment services, collecting
payment and conducting healthcare operations are all necessary activities for quality
care. State and federal laws allow us to use and disclose your health information for
these purposes.
Here are some helpful examples, but this list is not exhaustive:
 Using your information for providing treatment. For example, If your treating
provider cannot prescribe medications but wants to refer you to a prescriber in
your insurance network, he or she may use your health information for the
purpose of referring you to a prescriber who is affiliated with the Practice.

o The Practice or its business associates may use and disclose health
information in order to verify your insurance and coverage.

 Example of using and disclosing your health information for collecting payment
o The Practice or its business associates will submit claims for
reimbursement to your insurance company in order for them to pay us for
the services we provide to you, which requires using your health
information.

 Examples of using and disclosing your health information for healthcare
operations
o The Practice or its business associates will use and disclose your health
information for the review of treatment procedures, and may use it to
review documentation to ensure provider compliance.

For uses and disclosures for purposes other than treatment, payment and operations,
we are required to have your written authorization, unless the use or disclosure falls
within an exception, such as those described below. Most uses and disclosures of
psychotherapy notes (as that term is defined in the HIPAA Privacy Rule), uses and
disclosures for marketing purposes, and disclosures that constitute the sale of Personal
Information require your authorization. Authorizations can be revoked at any time to
stop future uses/disclosures except to the extent that we may have already taken any
action in reliance on your authorization.
DISCLOSURES THAT CAN BE MADE WITHOUT AN AUTHORIZATION
 Emergencies. Sufficient information may be shared to address an immediate
emergency you are facing.
 Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose your personal health
information in the course of a judicial or administrative proceeding in response to
a valid court order or other lawful process, including if you were to make a claim
for Workers Compensation.
 Public Health Activities. If we felt you were an immediate danger to yourself or
others, we may disclose health information about you to the authorities, as well
as alert any other person who may be in danger.
 Child/Elder Abuse. We may disclose health information about you related to the
suspicion of child and/or elder abuse or neglect.
 Criminal Activity or Danger to Others. We may disclose health information if a
crime is committed on our premises or against our personnel, or if we believe
there is someone who is in immediate danger.
 Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose health information to a health
oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These activities might include
audits or inspections and are necessary for the government to monitor the health
care system and assure compliance with civil rights laws. Regulatory and
accrediting organizations may review your case record to ensure compliance
with their requirements. The minimum necessary information will be provided in
these instances.

 Business Associates. The Practice 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
services. For example, the Practice contracts with a vendor for filing claims with
insurance companies. In the process of filing claims, that organization will come
into contact with your information. All of 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.
 Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose health
information for research. We may permit researchers to look at non-identifying
information to help them plan research projects.
 Marketing. We may send you newsletters or information about services we
provide in which we feel you might be interested. You may at any time request
that your name be removed from our mailing list.
 Scheduling appointments. We may email or call you to schedule or remind you of
appointments.
YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
1. Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to look at or get copies of your
health information, with limited exceptions. Your request must be in writing. If
you request a copy of the information, a reasonable charge may be made for the
costs incurred.
2. Right to Amend. 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. We have the right to deny your request under
certain circumstances.
3. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to receive a list of
instances in which we have disclosed your health information for a purpose other
than treatment, payment, or health care operations. To request an accounting of
disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to the Privacy Officer. Such
accountings remain available for six years after the last date of service at the
Practice.
4. Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or
limitation on the health information we use or disclose about you. For example,
you could ask that we not share information with an insurance company, in which
case you would be responsible to pay in full for the services provided. While you
are in treatment, a written request should be made with your therapist. To
request a restriction after therapy is completed, you must make your written
request to the Privacy Officer. We are not required to agree to your request, but
we will consider the request very seriously. If we agree, we will abide by our
agreement unless the information is needed in an emergency or by law.
5. Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request
that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a
certain location. For example, you may ask that we contact you only by mail or at

work. You must make this request in writing and it must specify the alternative
means or location that you would like us to use to provide you information about
your health care. We will make every attempt to accommodate reasonable
requests.
6. Right to File Complaints. You may complain to us and to the Secretary of Health
and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You
may file a complaint with us by contacting the Privacy Officer at compliance at
southfloridapsychiatry@outlook.com or (786) 637–0907. You will not be
retaliated against for filing a complaint. You may also contact the Privacy Officer
for further information about this notice.


EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGES
Some of our patients prefer to communicate with their provider via email or text
message. Email and text messages have inherent privacy and security risks, and you
should be aware of those before using emails and text messages. Errors in
transmission or interception of messages can occur. Your email or text message is not
a secure communication between you and your treating provider. At your health care
provider’s discretion, your email or text message any and all responses may become
part of your medical record. Additionally, for urgent or an emergency situation, you
should not rely on email communication with providers affiliated with the Practice. In
those situations, you should call 911.