NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

RYNK Chiropractic

12360 Lake City Way NE Suite 410

Seattle, WA 98125

(206) 708-2586

Effective Date: 11/19/2024

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THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. 

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If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact our office listed above.

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WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE

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This notice applies to our employees, staff, and other personnel.

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YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

This notice applies to the information and records we have about you, your health, health status, and the health care and services you receive from RYNK Chiropractic. Your health information may include information created and received by RYNK Chiropractic, may be in the form of written or electronic records or spoken words, and may include information about your health history, health status, symptoms, examinations, test results, diagnoses, treatments, procedures, prescriptions, related billing activity, and similar types of health-related information. We are required by law to give you this notice. It will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you and describes your rights and our obligations regarding the use and disclosure of that information. 

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HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

We may use and disclose health information for the following purposes:

For Treatment. We may use health information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose health information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, staff or other personnel who are involved in taking care of you and your health. For example, your doctor may be treating you for a heart condition and may need to know if you have other health problems that could complicate your treatment. The doctor may use your medical history to decide what treatment is best for you. The doctor may also tell another doctor about your condition so that doctor can help you provide you with the most appropriate care. Different personnel in our organization may share information about you and disclose information to people who do not work for RYNK Chiropractic in order to coordinate your care, such as scheduling lab work and ordering x-rays. Family members and other health care providers may be part of your medical care outside this office and may require information about you that we have. We will request your permission before sharing health information with your family or friends unless you are unable to give permission to such disclosures due to your health condition.

For Payment. We may use and disclose health information about you so that the monetary compensation for the treatment and services you receive at RYNK Chiropractic may be collected from you or another party. 

For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose health information about you in order to run RYNK Chiropractic and ensure that you and our other patients receive quality care. For example, your medical records may be used in the evaluation of services, and the appropriateness and quality of chiropractic treatment we provide. Other persons in the office may overhear some of your protected medical information during the course of care in the open treatment area. Should you need to speak with the doctor at any time in private, a place for these conversations will be provided upon request. 

For Contacting You and Appointment Reminders. We may use your address, phone number, e-mail to contact you with notifications, billing inquiries, treatment alternatives, and other health-related information. If contacting you by phone, we may leave a message. Text messages will only be sent if you opt in to receive them, as outlined in the Messaging Consent and Privacy section.

MESSAGING CONSENT AND PRIVACY

• □ Yes, I agree to receive text messages from RYNK Chiropractic, which may include reminders or confirmations. Message and data rates may apply. Opt out anytime by replying “STOP” or “Unsubscribe.”

• □ No, I do not want to receive text messages from RYNK Chiropractic. See this document for details on our Privacy Policy.

Electronic Disclosure. We may use and disclose your medical information electronically. For example, your medical information is maintained on an electronic health record. If another requests a copy of your medical record for treatment purposes, we may forward such records electronically. 

As Required by Law. We will disclose medical information about you when required to do so by federal or state laws or regulations. 

Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose health information to a health oversight agency for audits, investigations, inspections, or licensing purposes. These disclosures may be necessary for certain state and federal agencies to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.

Research. We may use and disclose health information about you for research projects that are subject to a special approval process. We will ask you for your permission if the researcher will have access to your name, address or other information that reveals who you are, or will be involved in your care at the office.

Lawsuits and Disputes.  We may disclose health information as required by law for lawsuits, disputes, and law enforcement.

Law Enforcement. We may release health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process, subject to all applicable legal requirements. 

Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. We may release health information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death.

Family and Friends. We may disclose relevant health information to family or friends involved in your care, with your consent or as permitted by law. 

Public Health Risks. We may disclose health information about you for public health reasons in order to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; or report births, deaths, suspected abuse or neglect, non-accidental physical injuries, reactions to medications or problems with products.

Workers’ Compensation. We may release health information about you for workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.

 

OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES OF HEALTH INFORMATION

We will not use or disclose your health information for any purpose other than those identified in the previous sections without your specific, written authorization. Examples of disclosures requiring your authorization include disclosures to your partner, your spouse, your children and your legal counsel. We also will not use or disclose your health information for the following purposes without your specific, written authorization:

Marketing. This does not include face-to-face communication about products or services that may be of benefit to you. We may contact you to provide information about health-related products or services that are related to you.   

 

USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT REQUIRE US TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT 

 

Unless you object, we may disclose your protected health information to a member of your family, a relative, a close friend or any other person you identify that directly relates to that person’s involvement in your health care. If you are unable to agree or object to such a disclosure, we may disclose such information in your best interest as we deem necessary based on our professional judgment. We will provide you with an opportunity to agree or object to such a disclosure whenever we can practically do so.

 

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION

 

You have the following rights regarding medical information collected and maintained about you:

Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and copy your health information, such as medical and billing records, that we keep and use to make decisions about your care. You must submit a written request to RYNK Chiropractic office manager in order to inspect and/or copy records of your health information. You have the right to request a copy of your health information in electronic form if we store your health information electronically.

Right to Amend. If you believe health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment as long as the information is kept by RYNK Chiropractic. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to RYNK Chiropractic. We may deny your request for an amendment if your request is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny or partially deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:  o We did not create, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment; o Is not part of the health information kept by RYNK Chiropractic; o Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or o Is accurate and complete. 

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures.” This is a list of the disclosures we made of medical information about you for purposes other than treatment, payment, health care operations, when specifically authorized by you and a limited number of special circumstances involving national security, correctional institutions and law enforcement. To obtain this list, you must submit your request in writing to RYNK Chiropractic. It must state a time period, which may not be longer than six (6) years. Your request should indicate in what form you want the list (for example, on paper or electronically). The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free. 

Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail. We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.

Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information we use or disclose about you for treatment or payment. You also have the right to request a limit on the health information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for it, like a family member or friend. We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment or we are required by law to use or disclose the information. To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing and submit to RYNK Chiropractic. 

Right to Receive a Copy of this Document. You have a right to obtain a copy of this document upon request. 

 

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

We reserve the right to change this notice, and to make the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. Should our information practices change, we will post the current notice in our office and on our website. You are entitled to a copy of the notice currently in effect.

 

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services at:

 

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

2201 Sixth Ave – Mail Stop RX-11

Seattle, WA 98121

(206) 615-2290; (206) 615-2296 (TDD)

(206) 615-2297 FAX

 

You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.