HIPAA Privacy Notice

Effective Date: 1 Dec 2024

VIP Medical Weight Loss Clinics is committed to safeguarding the privacy of your health information. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and protect your health information, as well as your rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Please read this notice carefully.

How Your Health Information May Be Used

We use your health information, also known as Protected Health Information (PHI), for the following purposes:

Treatment: We may use and disclose your PHI to provide medical treatment to you, including coordinating your care with other healthcare providers involved in your weight loss and health management.
Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for the services provided to you. This includes submitting claims to your insurance or other health plans, contacting them for payment authorization, and related billing activities.
Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for healthcare operations, such as quality improvement, administrative activities, and staff training to help improve the quality of care we provide.
Appointment Reminders and Health Communications: We may contact you to remind you of upcoming appointments, and provide information about products, services, and treatments that may be of interest to you.

Patient Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the following rights regarding your health information:

Right to Access Your Medical Records: You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. To request access to your records, please submit a written request to our office.
Right to Request Amendments: If you believe that any of your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request an amendment to your records.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of disclosures of your PHI made by our practice. This includes disclosures made for purposes other than treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.
Right to Request Restrictions: You can request restrictions on how your PHI is used or disclosed. We are not required to agree to all requests, but we will consider them carefully.
Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location to protect your privacy, such as contacting you by mail instead of by phone.
Right to File a Complaint: If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with our practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

How We May Disclose Your Health Information

We may disclose your PHI to third parties in the following situations:

With Your Consent: In most cases, we will obtain your consent before disclosing your PHI to third parties.
As Required by Law: We may disclose your PHI when required by federal, state, or local law, such as to comply with mandatory reporting requirements to public health authorities, law enforcement agencies, or other governmental entities.
For Public Health Activities: We may disclose your PHI to public health authorities for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.
For Legal and Administrative Purposes: We may disclose your PHI to law enforcement, legal advisors, or other authorities if required for legal purposes, including in response to a subpoena, court order, or other lawful process.
Healthcare Business Associates: We may disclose your PHI to certain third-party vendors that assist with our operations, such as billing or medical records storage, under agreements to protect the privacy of your information.

Confidentiality Measures

We take steps to protect your health information, both electronically and physically. These measures include:

Electronic safeguards: We use secure electronic systems to store and transmit your PHI, and all systems are protected by encryption and firewalls.
Physical safeguards: Access to your records is restricted to authorized personnel only, and physical security measures are in place to protect your information.
Training and procedures: Our staff is trained on the importance of maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA rules.

How You Will Be Notified of Changes to This Privacy Notice

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Notice at any time to reflect changes in our privacy practices or in response to changes in the law. If we make any significant changes, we will post the updated notice on our website and provide it to you upon request.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, your rights, or if you wish to exercise any of your rights regarding your health information, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Privacy Officer
VIP Medical Weight Loss Clinics
Paul Martinez
561-4219-3812
contact@vipmedicalweightloss.com