PRIVACY PRACTICES

This notice describes how your medical information may be used and disclosed and how to access this information.

How We May Use or Disclose Health Information
ORIMtec and its associated health care providers may use health information for diagnostic purposes, to obtain payment for diagnostics, for administrative purposes, and to evaluate the quality of care.

Diagnostics: We may use health information to provide medical services. For example, information obtained by a health care provider, such as a physician or neurotechnologist or other person providing health services, will record information in the patient’s record that is related to his or her treatment. This information is necessary for health care providers to determine what treatment the patient should receive or to help protect against neurological deficits during surgery.

Payment: We may use and disclose health information to others for purposes of receiving payment for treatment and services received. For example, a bill may be sent to the patient or a third-party payor such as an insurance company or health plan. The information on the bill may contain information that identifies the patient, the diagnosis, and treatment or supplies used in the course of treatment.

Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose health information for operational purposes. For example, patient health information may be disclosed to members of the medical staff, risk or quality improvement personnel, and others to:

• Evaluate the performance of our staff.
• Assess the quality of care and outcomes in a specific case and similar cases.
• Learn how to improve our facility and service.
• Determine how to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the health care we provide.

Appointments: We may use your information to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to the treating physician.

As Required by Law: We may use and disclose information about you as required by law. For example, we may disclose information for the following purposes:

• For judicial and administrative proceedings pursuant to legal authority
• To report information related to victims of abuse, neglect or domestic violence
• To assist law enforcement officials in their law enforcement duties

Public Health: Health information may be used or disclosed for public health activities such as assisting public health authorities or other legal authorities to prevent or control disease, injury, or disability, or for other health oversight activities.

Decedents: Health information may be disclosed to funeral directors or coroners to enable them to carry out their law enforcement duties

Organ/Tissue Donation: Health information may be used or disclosed for cadaveric organ, eye or tissue donation purposes.

Research: We may use patient health information for research purposes when an institutional review board or privacy board that has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of patient health information has approved the research.

Health and Safety: Patient health information may be disclosed to avert a serious threat to the health of safety of patient or any other person pursuant to applicable law.

Government Functions: Patient health information may be disclosed for specialized government functions such as protection of public officials or reporting to various branched of the armed services.

Workers’ Compensation: Patient health information may be used or disclosed in order to comply with laws and regulations related to workers’ compensation.

Other Uses: Other uses and disclosure will be made only with the patient’s written authorization and may revoke the authorization except to the extent we have taken action in reliance on such.

Patient Health Information Rights
The patient has the right to:

• Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information as provided by 45 CFR § 164.522. However, the organizations noted above are not required to agree to a requested restriction.
• Obtain a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon request.
• Inspect and obtain a copy of your health record as provided for in 45 CFR § 164.524.
• Amend health record as provided in 45 CFR § 164.526.
• Request communications of patient health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.
• Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken.
• Receive an accounting of disclosures made of patient health information as provided by 45 CFR § 164.528.

Complaints
Patient may complain to any one of the above listed organizations and to the Department of Health and Human Services, if patient believes his or her privacy rights have been violated. Patient will not be retaliated against for filing complaint.

Our Obligation Under This Joint Notice
Law requires us to:

• Maintain the privacy of protected health information.
• Provide patient with a notice or our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.
• Abide by the terms of this notice.
• Notify patient if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction on how your information is used or disclosed.
• Accommodate reasonable requests made by patient to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.
• Obtain written authorization to use or disclose patient’s health information for reasons other than those listed above and permitted under law.

We reserve the right to change our information practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. The revised notice will be made available by written communication.

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