Notice of Privacy Practices

1. How Health Information is Used and Disclosed

We are permitted by federal law to use and disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI) for the following purposes:

• Treatment: We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care and personalized treatment planning. For example, your psychiatrist may share information with your therapist to coordinate care.
• Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI so that treatment and services you receive may be billed to, and payment collected from, you, an insurance company (such as NYCE PPO), or a third party.
• Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for routine operations, such as quality assessment, clinician evaluation, and administrative activities necessary to run our practice.
• Required Disclosures: We will disclose your PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
• Permitted Uses: In specific circumstances, we may disclose PHI to prevent a serious threat to health or safety, for public health activities, in response to a court order, or to specialized government functions.

2. Patient Rights Regarding Health Information

Under HIPAA (45 CFR §164.520), you have the following rights regarding your health information:

• Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI. Requests must be submitted in writing.
• Right to Amend: If you believe your health information is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. We may deny your request if the information was not created by us or is already accurate and complete.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we made of your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, and health care operations.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the PHI we use or disclose for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree to your request unless it involves a disclosure to a health plan for items paid out-of-pocket in full.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location (e.g., only via secure portal or personal email).

3. How to File Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

• Filing with NYCE Telehealth: Contact our Privacy Officer using the information provided below. We request that all complaints be submitted in writing.
• Filing with HHS: You may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Visit www.hhs.gov/ocr for instructions.

4. Contact Information for Privacy Officer

If you have questions about this Notice, require further information, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact: