HIPAA

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

The privacy of your medical information is important to us. You may be aware that U.S. government regulators established a privacy rule ("HIPAA") governing protected health information.This notice tells you about how it may be used, and about certain rights that you have.

Use and Disclosure of Protected Information

Federal law provides that we may use your medical information (protected health information) for treatment of you, without further specific notice to you, or written authorization by you. For example, if we refer you to a specialist, we may provide laboratory or test data to that specialist except for information concerning HIV/AIDS.

Federal law provides that we may use your medical information to obtain payment for our services without further specific notice to you or written authorization by you.For example: Under your health plan we are required to provide them with diagnosis code for your visit and a description of the services rendered.

Federal law provides that we may use your medical information for health care operations without further specific notice to you or written authorization by you. For example: our accountants may see your name, dates of treatment and procedure codes during audits of our books. We may also use your information for financial services, quality assurance, risk reduction and claim management purposes with our medical liability insurer.

We may use your medical information, without further specific notice to you or written authorization by you where:

1. Required by law
2. Required for public health purposes
3. Required by a health oversight agency for oversight activities authorized by law, such as the Dept. of Health, Office of Professional Discipline, or Office of Professional Medical Conduct
4. Required by law in judicial or administrative settings
5. Required for law enforcement purposes by a law enforcement official
6. Required by a coroner or medical examiner
7. Permitted by law to a funeral director
8. Permitted by law for organ donation purposes
9. Permitted by law to avert a serious threat to health or safety
10. Permitted by law and required by military authorities if you are a member of the Armed Forces of the United States

New York State law provides additional protection for information regarding HIV/AIDS. We will continue to follow New York State law with respect to such information.

We may contact you by mail or phone at your residence to remind you of appointments or to provide information about treatment alternatives. Unless you instruct us otherwise, we may leave a message for you on any answering device or with any person who answers the phone at your residence.

You can make reasonable request in writing for us to use alternative methods of communicating with you in a confidential manner.This can be noted on the Patients Acknowledgement of Privacy Notice that will be placed in your chart after you sign it.

Other uses or disclosures of your medical information will be made only with your written authorization. You have the right to revoke any authorization that you give.

Rights That You Have

You have the right to request that we place additional restrictions on our use of disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to such restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement (except in an emergency).

You have the right to inspect and obtain copies of your medical information (a reasonable fee will be charged).

You have the right to request amendment to your medical information. Such request must be in writing, and must state the reason for the requested amendment. We will notify you as to whether we agree or disagree with he requested amendment. If we disagree with any requested amendment, we will further notify you of your rights.

You have the right to request an accounting of any disclosures we make of your medical information, except for: disclosures we make to you, or to carry out treatment, payment or healthcare operations, or as requested by your written authorization, or for emergency or notification purposes, or for national security or intelligence purposes as permitted by law, or to correctional facilities or law enforcement officials as permitted by law or disclosures made before April 14, 2003.

Obligations The We Have

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health information and to provide individuals with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.We are required to abide by the terms of this notice as long as it is currently in effect.

We reserve the right to revise this notice, and to make a new notice effective for all protected health information we obtain.Any revised notice will be posted in our office, and copies will be available there.

Questions and Complaints

If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated,you should call the matter to our attention by sending a letter describing the cause of your concerns to Privacy Officer, Patricia Cook. She may be contacted at the address listed here. If you have any other questions concerning our privacy policy, please feel free to call, 212-807-7720.