Notice of Privacy Practices

1. Our commitment to your privacy

PULS is required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), to give you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI, and to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect. PHI is information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, the care you receive, or payment for that care.

This Notice applies to all PHI created or maintained by PULS and the clinicians who provide your care. If you have questions about it, contact our Privacy Officer at pulsbusinessllc@gmail.com or (208) 555-0147.

2. How we may use and disclose your health information

The following categories describe the ways we may use and disclose your PHI without a separate authorization from you. Not every use or disclosure will be listed, but every permitted use or disclosure falls within one of these categories.

3. For treatment

We use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, and manage your care. For example, our nurse practitioner reviews your intake and medical history to determine whether IV therapy or aesthetic treatment is appropriate, and our paramedic may access the information needed to administer care safely under the nurse practitioner's delegation. We may also share PHI with other providers involved in your care, such as your primary care physician or a pharmacy.

4. For payment

We use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for the services we provide. For example, we may use your information to process your payment through our payment processor, to bill you, or — if applicable — to provide documentation to a health plan or to verify coverage and eligibility.

5. For health care operations

We use and disclose your PHI to run our practice and ensure quality care. For example, we may use it to review and improve the quality of our services, to train staff, to maintain our records and inventory of medications and lots, to conduct compliance and audit activities, and for general business management.

6. Appointment reminders & related communications

• We may contact you to remind you of an appointment or to follow up after a visit. Reminders we send by email or text will not contain detailed health information.
• We may tell you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.

7. Individuals involved in your care

Unless you object, we may share PHI relevant to a person's involvement with a family member, friend, or other person you identify as involved in your care or payment for your care. We may also disclose PHI to notify (or help notify) such a person of your location or general condition. If you are not present or able to agree, we will use professional judgment to determine whether the disclosure is in your best interest.

8. Uses and disclosures that require your written authorization

Other uses and disclosures of your PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. In particular, the following require your authorization:

• Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes (if any are maintained).
• Uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes.
• Disclosures that constitute a sale of your PHI.
• Most uses and disclosures of PHI for fundraising (you may opt out of any fundraising communications).

9. Your right to revoke an authorization

If you give us an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. The revocation will stop any future uses or disclosures based on that authorization, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

10. Uses and disclosures permitted or required by law

We may use or disclose your PHI without your authorization in the following circumstances, subject to the requirements and limits of the law:

• When required by federal, state, or local law.
• For public health activities, such as preventing or controlling disease, reporting reactions to medications, or reporting to the Food and Drug Administration.
• To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence to authorities permitted by law to receive such reports.
• For health oversight activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure (including the Idaho Board of Nursing and other regulatory bodies).
• In response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, with appropriate safeguards.
• For law enforcement purposes as permitted by law, such as in response to a valid legal process or to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, or missing person.
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.
• For organ, eye, or tissue donation, where applicable.
• For research, when approved by an institutional review board or privacy board that has reviewed the research and approved a waiver, or as otherwise permitted by law.
• To avert a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or others.
• For specialized government functions, including military and veterans' activities and national security and intelligence activities.
• For workers' compensation or similar programs that provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
• To correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under custody, as permitted by law.
• For disaster relief efforts, to coordinate notification of your family or others involved in your care.

11. Your rights regarding your health information

You have the following rights with respect to the PHI we maintain about you. To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer in writing.

• Right to inspect and copy: You may inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI in our designated record set, in the form and format you request if readily producible. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. In limited circumstances we may deny access, and certain denials are reviewable.
• Right to request an amendment: If you believe PHI we maintain is incorrect or incomplete, you may request that we amend it. We may deny your request in certain cases, and you may submit a written statement of disagreement.
• Right to an accounting of disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures we made of your PHI, generally for the six years prior to your request, excluding disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, and certain others.
• Right to request restrictions: You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or to people involved in your care. We are not required to agree, except that we must agree to restrict disclosure to a health plan for a service you paid for in full out of pocket.
• Right to confidential communications: You may request that we communicate with you about your health matters in a certain way or at a certain location, and we will accommodate reasonable requests.
• Right to a paper copy of this Notice: You may obtain a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
• Right to be notified of a breach: You have the right to be notified following a breach of your unsecured PHI.

12. Our responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.
• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your PHI.
• 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 here unless you tell us we may in writing. If you tell us we may, you may change your mind at any time in writing.

13. Business associates

We may share your PHI with third parties — called business associates — that perform services on our behalf, such as our HIPAA-compliant intake and forms provider, secure hosting, and payment processing. We require each business associate, by written agreement, to appropriately safeguard your PHI.

14. Changes to this Notice

We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already have as well as any we receive in the future. The current Notice will be posted on our website and available at our point of care, and will show the effective date.

15. How to file a complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer at pulsbusinessllc@gmail.com or (208) 555-0147. You may also 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.

16. Contact & effective date

For questions about this Notice or to exercise any of your rights, contact the PULS Privacy Officer at pulsbusinessllc@gmail.com or (208) 555-0147.

This Notice is effective as of the 'last updated' date shown above.