Notice of Privacy Practices

Rafail Shnayder DO PA (“we,” “us,” or “the Practice”) is committed to protecting the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your PHI and your rights regarding it. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI, to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, 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 health, the health care you receive, or payment for that care. It may include your name, address, date of birth, contact information, and medical and billing information.

Treatment. We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, and manage your care, including sharing information with other providers involved in your treatment.

Payment. We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and obtain payment for the health care services and items you receive. This may include activities such as determining eligibility or coverage and billing you or, where applicable, a third party responsible for payment.

Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose your PHI for operations such as quality assessment, staff review, scheduling, and administrative functions.

Business Associates. We may disclose your PHI to third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as our practice-management and electronic health record platform and our billing and payment processors. We require these business associates to appropriately safeguard your PHI under written agreements.

Appointment Reminders and Health-Related Communications. We may contact you by phone, text, email, or mail with appointment reminders and information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services. You may opt out of certain communications.

We may use or disclose your PHI without your authorization where permitted or required by law, including: as required by law; public health activities; reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; health oversight activities; judicial and administrative proceedings; law enforcement purposes; coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors; organ and tissue donation; research approved under applicable law; to avert a serious threat to health or safety; workers’ compensation; and specialized government functions such as military and national security activities.

Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. This includes most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses and disclosures for marketing, and any sale of PHI. You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already relied on it.

Certain information receives additional protection under federal and Florida law, such as substance use disorder treatment records, HIV/AIDS information, and mental health information. We will follow those additional requirements where they apply.

• Request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures. We are not required to agree, except we must agree to a request to restrict disclosure to a health plan for a service you paid for in full out of pocket.
• Request confidential communications by alternative means or at an alternative location.
• Inspect and copy your PHI, including an electronic copy where readily producible.
• Request an amendment if you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete.
• Request an accounting of certain disclosures we have made.
• Obtain a paper copy of this Notice on request, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
• Be notified if a breach of your unsecured PHI occurs.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information below.

We are required to maintain the privacy of your PHI, provide this Notice, abide by its terms, and notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI. We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for all PHI we maintain. If we make a material change, we will post the revised Notice in our office and on our website and make it available on request.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us using the contact information below, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. The current Notice is available in our office and on our website, and copies are available on request.