Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective March 30, 2024

This notice describes how medical information about patients may be used and disclosed, and how patients can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Sustained Recovery is committed to providing you with quality healthcare services. An important part of that commitment is protecting your health information according to law. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes your rights and our duties under Federal Law. Protected Health Information (PHI) is information about you that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health condition; the provision of healthcare services; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of healthcare services to you. 

Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Records

The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records maintained by Sustained Recovery is protected by Federal law and regulations. Generally, we cannot say to someone other than staff that you are a patient or disclose any information identifying you as an alcohol or drug abuser unless you consent in writing, the disclosure is allowed by a court order, or the disclosure is made to medical personnel in a medical emergency or to qualified personnel for research, audit, or program evaluation. Violation of the Federal law and regulations by the treatment center is a crime. Suspected violations may be reported to appropriate authorities in accordance with Federal regulations. 

Federal law and regulations do not protect any information about a crime committed by you pertaining to your treatment or against Sustained Recovery employees or about any threat to commit such a crime. 

Federal law and regulations do not protect any information about suspected child abuse or neglect from being reported under State law to appropriate State or local authorities. 

See 42 CFR part 2 for Federal regulations. 

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct your medical record

You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.

If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will mail you a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us via our information. You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
Share information in a disaster relief situation.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

Marketing purposes.
Sale of your information.
Most sharing of psychotherapy notes.

In the case of fundraising: We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.

Our Uses and Disclosures
How do we typically use or share your health information?

The following notice is about how and when we may use and share medical information about you in order to provide health care, get payment for that health care, and to run out business. We typically use and share your health information in the following ways. We do not need your authorization (permission) to use your medical information during the following times:

Treat you

We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you. Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks another doctor about your overall health condition.

Run our organization

We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services. 

Bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues

We can share health information about you for certain situations such as: 

Preventing disease.
Helping with product recalls.
Reporting adverse reactions to medications.
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.
Do research

We can use or share your information for health research.

Comply with the law

We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

We can use or share health information about you:

For workers’ compensation claims.
For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official.
With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law.
For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services.
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Our Responsibilities

Sustained Recovery respects the privacy of your medical information, also known as Protected Health Information (PHI). Information we keep about you includes: (a) a record of care that you are given each time you visit; (b) outside information we are given about you, (c) information to get payment for our services. PHI may be kept on paper, electronically on a computer, or kept by other media. You can request and we will provide access to the medical information that we keep. We will work with you to provide this in a medium that you request.

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information. If required by law, we will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information. We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.

We will not use or share your information other than as described in this Notice unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

Changes to the terms of this notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.

For questions, requests for information, more information about our privacy policy or concerns, please contact use: info@sustained-recovery.com.

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