A. Your Privacy: Frontline Medical pLLC “Frontline Medical”(Doing Business as Altius Performance Medicine) is required by law to maintain confidential Protected Health Information (PHI) and to provide patients with a notice of legal duties and privacy practices with respect to their PHI. This notice advises you as a Patient regarding our privacy practices, legal rights, and summarizes how Frontline Medical is allowed to use and disclose PHI. Frontline Medical is required to abide by the terms of this notice which are currently in effect. In most situations, we may use this information as described without patient authorization and without opportunity to object; however, there are some situations where we may use this information only after we first obtain patient written authorization if required by law. We are required by law to provide each patient with the following information: -How we may use and disclose your PHI -Your privacy rights in your PHI -Our duties concerning the use and disclosure of your PHI The terms of this notice apply to pertinent records contained within patient PHI which are both created and/or stored within our practice. Frontline Medical reserves the right to amend or revise this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any amendment or revision to this notice will be in effect for all patient medical records recreated, stored, and maintained previously, and for all patient medical records created in the future. Frontline Medical will post a copy of our current Notice of Privacy Practices in our offices in a visible location at all times, on our website, and by request. A Patient may request a copy of our most current Notice of Privacy Practices at any time by contacting our practice directly.
B. Notice in Case of Breach: Frontline Medical is required by law to notify patients in the event of a breach of PHI when this information has been, or is reasonably believed, to have been accessed, used, or disclosed in violation of privacy regulations.
C. We may disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI) in the following ways: Treatment: Frontline Medical may use your PHI for treatment and evaluation of recommended treatment protocols, such as in the coordination, provision, or management of healthcare services by one or multiple healthcare providers, third parties, referrals to and from outside facilities, and consultations between healthcare providers within our clinic and outside facilities when directly related to patient care; for example, using imaging studies or laboratory testing results to help guide diagnosis and treatment. Any medical providers within our practice may use or disclose your PHI in order to treat, coordinate treatment, coordinate lab orders, coordinate imaging orders, and coordinate medication orders. Treatment coordinators may include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and/or nurses. Non-clinical staff, i.e patient care coordinators, may access PHI not for treatment recommendations, but to coordinate and facilitate licensed medical provider orders. In addition, we may be required to disclose your PHI to others permitted to assist in your care; i.e. spouse, children, or parents. Payment: Frontline Medical is a direct payment clinic who does not accept medical insurance. Frontline Medical will only disclose the minimum information necessary for payment purposes, such as name and contact information alone. Treatment Alternative: Frontline Medical may use and disclose PHI to inform you of treatment options and alternative treatment options when needed.
Appointment/Refill/Lab Reminders and Other Communications: Frontline Medical may use and disclose contact information including phone numbers and email information contained within medical information to remind you about appointments, lab orders, and to send links for virtual appointments. We may use and disclose medical information through email, text message, or voicemail. This communication may also be done in person. Frontline Medical may use and disclose your PHI to contact you about medical services or treatments which may be of interest to you. Business Operations: Frontline Medical may use and disclose PHI to operate as a clinic, refine processes, and improve business operations and patient experiences.
D. Disclosure of Use of Protected Health Information: Frontline Medical is permitted to use Protected Health Information (PHI) without written authorization or opportunity to object in certain situations which may include: To coordinate with another healthcare provider or entity for health-related information. For healthcare fraud and abuse detection, or otherwise, for activities related to compliance with laws. For use in obtaining payment for provided services. To convey information to family, friends, or other individuals who are authorized through either verbal or written consent. To public health authorities in situations which require reporting by law (death, birth, diseases required by law, public health investigations required by law, child abuse or neglect, adult abuse or neglect, or domestic violence). This also includes reporting product defects or to notify a person about possible exposure to a communicable disease as required by law. If a patient is an organ donor, we may release PHI to organizations that process organ procurement or organ, tissue, or eye transplantation, or to an organ donation bank in order to facilitate organ donation and transplantation. To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors for the purpose of identifying a deceased patient to determine the cause of death. To avert a threat to the health and safety of a patient, person, or community at large. For law enforcement investigations in limited situations, such as, when a warrant has been issued for the purpose of locating a suspect or to stop a crime. For judicial court orders or in response to a court subpoena. For military, national defense, and security or other special government functions. For worker’s compensation and in compliance with worker’s compensation laws. For health oversight purposes, including government investigations, audits, inspections, disciplinary proceedings, and other judicial actions pursued by government laws to oversee healthcare operations. For any other use, with exception of what is disclosed above, PHI will only be disclosed with written authorization. The written authorization must include the specific information which is approved to be disclosed, to whom it may be disclosed, and when/how we may disclose it. Authorization may be revoked by the patient at any time in writing. E. Patient rights and further information regarding Protected Health Information (PHI). Frontline Medical will allow patients to exercise the following rights: The right to amend written PHI. This request may be denied by Frontline Medical if the information is deemed inaccurate, incomplete, or wasn’t created by Frontline Medical. The right to access, copy or inspect PHI. We maintain PHI in a secure electronic format. Copies can be provided in both physical copy form and digital copy form. The right to request certain disclosures of PHI made in the past 6 years. Frontline Medical is not required to provide an accounting of information used or disclosed for purposes of treatment, payment, or healthcare functions. Frontline Medical is not required to provide an accounting regarding uses of PHI for which prior authorization has been obtained in writing. The right to restrict the use and disclosures of an individual’s PHI. Any request must be in writing. If the information is required in order to provide emergency treatment, then we may use PHI in order to facility emergency care.
