Purpose: Profound Hospice Care (“PHC”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our patients’ and families’ personal and medical information.

Scope: This policy applies to all PHC employees, contractors, and volunteers who can access patient and family information.

Privacy Practices:

1. Notice: We provide this Notice of Privacy Practices to our patients and families, which explains how we use and disclose their information.
2. Authorization: We obtain authorization from our patients and families before using or disclosing their information for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
3. Use and Disclosure: We only use and disclose patient and family information for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and as required or permitted by law.
4. Safeguards: We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect patient and family information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
5. Access: Patients and families can access, inspect, and copy their medical records.
6. Amendment: Patients and families can request amendments to their medical records.
7. Accounting: We provide accounting for patient and family information disclosures upon request.
8. Complaints: Patients and families may file complaints regarding our privacy practices with us or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

HIPAA Notice:

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a federal law requiring strict confidentiality of your health information. This encompasses all medical and dental information we share or use, whether electronic, written, or verbal. HIPAA grants you significant rights to understand and control how your health information is used:

1. Protected Health Information (PHI): We protect PHI, which includes individually identifiable health information.
2. Use and Disclosure: We use and disclose PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, as required or permitted by law.
3. Patient Rights: Patients have the right to:

    – Request restrictions on use and disclosure

    – Request confidential communications

    – Inspect and copy their PHI

    – Amend their PHI

    – Receive an accounting of disclosures

    – File complaints

4. PHC’s Responsibilities:

    – We are required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI

    – We must provide this Notice to our patients and families

    – We must abide by the terms of this Notice

Texas Specific Requirements:

1. Texas Health and Safety Code: We comply with the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 241, Subchapter L, regarding the privacy and security of patient and family information.
2. Texas Medical Records Privacy Act: We comply with the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, Chapter 241, Subchapter M, regarding the privacy and security of medical records.

Changes to this Policy: We reserve the right to change this policy at anytime. You have the right to object or withdraw as provided in this Notice.

Contact Us: If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please call our Privacy Officer at +1 512 698 5751.