HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICE

Atlas Diagnostics and its employees take responsibility to protect patient rights seriously. That is why we emphasize protecting the privacy and security of our patient’s data. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Atlas Diagnostics is required by law to maintain the privacy of health information that identifies patients, called protected health information (PHI), and to provide patients with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding PHI. Atlas Diagnostics applies safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information and sets limits and conditions on the uses and disclosures that may be made of such information without patient authorization.

This Notice of Privacy Practice Describes How Medical Information About Patients May Be Used And Disclosed And How Patients Can Access This Information.

As permitted under HIPAA, the following categories explain the types of uses and disclosures of PHI that Atlas Diagnostics may make. Some of the uses and disclosures described may be limited or restricted by state laws or other legal requirements, for example, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA).

For treatment — Atlas Diagnostics may use or disclose PHI for treatment purposes, including disclosure to physicians, nurses, medical students, pharmacies, and other health care professionals who provide you with health care services and/or are involved in the coordination of your care, such as providing your physician with your laboratory test results.

For payment — Atlas Diagnostics may use or disclose PHI to bill and collect payment for laboratory services we provide. For example, Atlas Diagnostics may provide PHI to your health plan to receive compensation for the health care services provided to you.

For emergency circumstances and notifications — If you are present and capable, Atlas Diagnostics will obtain your agreement to use and/or disclose PHI about you during an emergency event to notify or assist in the notification of a family member, your representative, or another person responsible for your care regarding your location, general condition, or death. Otherwise, Atlas Diagnostics may exercise its professional judgment based on the circumstances and use and disclose PHI for your safety.

Individuals involved in your care or payment for your care — Atlas Diagnostics may disclose PHI to a person involved in your care or helps pay for your care. As federal and state law allow, we may disclose minors’ PHI to their parents or legal guardians.

Business associates — Atlas Diagnostics may disclose PHI to its business associates to perform certain business functions or provide certain business services to Atlas Diagnostics. We may use another company to perform billing services on our behalf. All of our business associates are required to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of your PHI. In addition, at the request of your health care providers or health plan, Atlas Diagnostics may disclose PHI to their business associates to perform certain business functions or health care services on their behalf. For example, we may disclose PHI to a business associate of Medicare for medical necessity review and audit.

Disclosure for judicial and administrative proceedings — Under certain circumstances, Atlas Diagnostics may disclose your PHI during a judicial or administrative proceeding, including in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful processes.

Law enforcement — Atlas Diagnostics may disclose PHI for law enforcement purposes. As required by law, Atlas Diagnostics must disclose your PHI if required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

Public Health — Atlas Diagnostics may disclose PHI for public health activities. These activities generally include 1) disclosures to a public health authority to report, prevent or control disease, injury, or disability; 2) disclosures to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition, and 3) disclosures to an employer about an employee to conduct medical surveillance in certain limited circumstances concerning work-place illness or injury. For more information, see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Health oversight activities — Atlas Diagnostics may disclose PHI to a health care oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, civil, administrative, or criminal investigations and proceedings/actions, inspections, licensure/disciplinary actions, or other activities necessary for appropriate oversight of the health care system, government benefit programs, and compliance with regulatory requirements and civil rights laws.

Correctional institution — Atlas Diagnostics may disclose an inmate’s or other individual’s PHI when requested by a correctional institution or law enforcement official for health, safety, and security purposes.

Research — Atlas Diagnostics may use and disclose PHI for research purposes. Researchers may view limited data or records to identify patients who may qualify for their research project or other similar purposes, so long as the researchers do not remove or copy any of the PHI. Before we use or disclose PHI for any other research activity, one of the following will happen: 1) a special committee will determine that the research activity poses minimal risk to privacy and that there is an adequate plan to safeguard PHI, or 2) the researcher will be provided only with information that does not identify you directly.

Workers’ compensation — As authorized by applicable laws, Atlas Diagnostics may use or disclose PHI to comply with workers’ compensation or other similar programs established to provide work-related injury or illness benefits.

De-identified Information and Limited Data Sets — Atlas Diagnostics may use and disclose health information that has been “de-identified” by removing specific identifiers, making it unlikely that you could be identified. Atlas Diagnostics also may disclose limited health information contained in a “limited data set .”The limited data set does not contain any information that can directly identify you.

Atlas Diagnostics is committed to providing patients with quality health care in a confidential manner in accordance with applicable laws. These standards apply to Atlas Diagnostics’ interaction with its patients, other health care providers, consultants, applicable regulatory bodies responsible for overseeing the laboratories’ operations, and public and private third-party payors (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid, managed care companies, and HMOs. Atlas Diagnostics requires all personnel to maintain the confidentiality and security of a patient’s health information in accordance with state and federal standards. 

Patient’s Rights:

Patients have the right to get an electronic or paper copy of their medical records. A copy or a summary of health information is usually provided within ten business days of receiving the patient’s written request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.   

We will provide a list of any disclosure and why at the patient’s written request for six years before the date of the request. We’ll provide one summary per year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you request an additional summary within 12 months.

The patient can give someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise the patient’s rights and make choices about the patient’s health information. We will ensure the person has this authority and can act for the patient before we take any action.

If you feel your right have been violated, contact Privacy Officer at Maria@atlasdiagnostics.us

You can 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 https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of your rights described in this notice, you must send a written request to HIPAA Privacy Officer, Atlas Diagnostics 926 S Elmora Ave Elizabeth, NJ 07202.

For billing and/or insurance information updates, contact Customer Service at 908-469-0696 or by contacting the Patient Billing Department using the phone number indicated on the billing invoice.

Our Responsibilities summary:

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We will let you know promptly if a breach may have compromised your information’s privacy or security.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy.
• We will only use or share your information if you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind anytime. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

For more information, see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

Changes to the Terms of this Notice:

Atlas Diagnostics is required to abide by the terms of our notice currently in effect. We will immediately update this notice when changes are made and post the information on our website.  

Effective Date of Notice: December 1, 2022