Privacy Policy
HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 which applies to the storage and/or electronic transmissions of patient related information, and is intended to ensure patient confidentiality for all healthcare related information.
Your Speech Matters PLLC is required by state and federal laws to protect the confidentiality of your health information. The confidential information that we obtain as we deliver services to you is called “protected health information”. We can use and disclose your protected health information as is illustrated below:
We are permitted to use protected health information to provide treatment and to help us coordinate services among Your Speech Matters PLLC personnel and with others involved in your care such as family members, your pharmacist, suppliers of medical equipment, and your physician; or we can use your information to recommend an alternative treatment to you or to notify you of any additional services that may be recommended.
We are permitted to use protected health information to obtain payment such as including your health information on invoices and insurance forms to collect payment. We may also need to obtain prior approval from the entity that reimburses us for our services and explain your need for the services that we will provide to you.
We are permitted to use protected health information for health care operations to evaluate and improve the quality of services or to write new guidelines to provide more effective care; to conduct supervision of employees or evaluate their performance; to train our employees; to determine satisfaction with our services; for general business planning and development; or for business management and general administrative activities.
For the aforementioned reasons of sharing protected health information to provide treatment, obtain payment, or for health care operations, written consent or permission is not needed by the patient. However, if the information is to be used for any purpose other than those identified, a written statement from the patient or the authorized representative saying that we may share information is needed.
You, as the patient, have the following rights regarding the use and disclosure of the protected health information:
The right to request restrictions or limitations on how your personal history/information is used. For example, you can ask that your information is not shared with a particular family member. Your Speech Matters PLLC personnel cannot agree to or refuse a specific patient’s request for restrictions. Your Speech Matters PLLC personnel may end a restriction if we believe it puts you or your health at risk. You can decide to end a restriction yourself at any time. The patient needs to make this request in writing and submit it to the Your Speech Matters PLLC.
The right to select the way in which you receive information from us (i.e. have all correspondence mailed to a PO Box or to a specific family member’s address). A written request needs to be submitted to the Your Speech Matters PLLC.
The right to ask to see your health information, to copy it, or revise it. A written request needs to be submitted to the Your Speech Matters PLLC.
The right to request a record of all the times we share your personal history or information other than those used for treatment, payment, or operations. A written request needs to be submitted to the Your Speech Matters PLLC.
There are some important exceptions to requiring an authorization stated in the federal regulation. We can provide your protected health information to representatives in the following capacity without your written permission:
To public health authorities- local or national
To a government representative responsible for responding to concerns about abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as permitted by law
For judicial or administrative proceedings
To a HIPPA compliant third party
For law enforcement purposes
To funeral directors, coroners, and medical examiners
For purposes or organ or tissue donation
To avert a serious threat to health or safety
For special government functions such as national security
For purposes of worker’s compensation
If you believe that your confidentiality has been violated, you can contact Your Speech Matters PLLC at 214-699-9843 to file a complaint. We want to hear your concerns, and you will not be retaliated against if you file a complaint.
This Privacy Policy at Your Speech Matters PLLC is in effect as of August 13th, 2024. We welcome your questions, as the privacy of our protected information is one of our most important promises to you.