HIPAA Policy
G&S Medical Associates, LLC
This policy establishes G&S Medical Associates, LLC’s commitment to protecting the privacy of our patients’ protected health information (PHI) as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and its Security Rule and Privacy Rule.
Applicability
This policy applies to all employees, volunteers, trainees, and business associates of G&S Medical Associates, LLC who have access to PHI.
Definitions
Covered Entity: A health plan, healthcare provider, or healthcare clearinghouse that transmits, receives, or maintains PHI.
Protected Health Information (PHI): Individually identifiable information relating to an individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, the provision of healthcare to the individual, or payment for the provision of healthcare to the
individual.
Minimum Necessary Standard: Using or disclosing only the minimum amount of PHI necessary to accomplish the intended purpose.
Business Associate: A person or organization that performs functions or activities on behalf of a covered entity and involves access to PHI.
Patient Rights
G&S Medical Associates, LLC recognizes and respects the following rights of patients regarding their PHI:
- Right to Access: Patients have the right to access, review, and copy their medical records upon submitting a written request.
- Right to Amend: Patients have the right to request an amendment to their medical records if they believe the information is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: Patients have the right to request a list of disclosures of their PHI.
- Right to Request Restrictions: Patients have the right to request restrictions on how their PHI is used or disclosed.
- Right to Request Confidential Communications: Patients have the right to request that communications about their PHI be conducted in a specific way (e.g., sending mail to a specific address).
Uses and Disclosures of PHI
G&S Medical Associates, LLC may use or disclose PHI for the following purposes without written authorization:
- Treatment: To provide healthcare services to the patient.
- Payment: To obtain payment for the services provided.
- Healthcare Operations: To support the business activities of G&S Medical Associates, LLC, such as conducting quality improvement activities or fraud detection.
- Public Health Activities: To report certain diseases or conditions to public health authorities.
PHI may be used or disclosed with written authorization for other purposes, such as releasing information to family members, for research purposes, or for marketing.
Minimum Necessary Standard
G&S Medical Associates, LLC will strive to use and disclose only the minimum necessary amount of PHI to accomplish the intended purpose. This applies to all uses and disclosures of PHI, including those permitted without written authorization.
Security Measures
G&S Medical Associates, LLC has implemented a comprehensive HIPAA Security Rule compliance program to protect PHI. This program includes:
- Administrative Safeguards: Policies and procedures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI.
- Physical Safeguards: Physical measures to protect electronic and paper PHI, such as access controls and encryption.
- Technical Safeguards: Technological measures to secure electronic PHI, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
Employee Training
All employees will be trained on HIPAA requirements, including their obligations to protect PHI, upon hire and annually thereafter. Training will cover topics such as the minimum necessary standard, permissible uses and disclosures, and security measures.
Breach Notification
G&S Medical Associates, LLC will comply with all HIPAA breach notification requirements in the event of a security breach involving PHI. This includes notifying affected individuals and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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