Pope Family Dentistry, P.C.

Michael C. Pope, DMD & Lindsay B. Pope, DMD

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

If you have any questions about this Notice please contact our Privacy Officer or any staff member in our office.

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out your treatment, collect payment for your care and manage the operations of this clinic. It also describes our policies concerning the use and disclosure of this information for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. "Protected Health Information" (PI-11) is information about you, including demographic information that may identify you, that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.

We are required by Federal law to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices. We may change the terms of our notice at any time. The new notice will be effective for all protected health information that we maintain at that time. You may obtain revisions to our Notice of Privacy Practices by accessing our website, calling the office and requesting that a revised copy be sent to you in the mail or asking for one at the time of your next appointment.

A. Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information

By applying to be treated in our office, you are implying consent to the use and disclosure of your protected health information by your doctor, our office staff and others outside of our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing health care services to you. Your protected health information may also be used and disclosed to bill for your health care and to support the operation of the practice.

Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information Based Upon Your Implied Consent

Following are examples of the types of uses and disclosures of your protected health care information we will make, based on this implied consent. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive but to describe the types of uses and disclosures that may be made by our office.

Treatment: We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with a third party that has already obtained your permission to have access to your protected health information. For example, we would disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to another physician who may be treating you. Your protected health information may be provided to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.
 
In addition, we may disclose your protected health information from time-to-time to another physician or health care provider (e.g., a specialist or laboratory) who, at the request of your doctor, becomes involved in your care by providing assistance with your health care diagnosis or treatment.

Payment: Your protected health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services. This may include certain activities that your health insurance plan may undertake before it approves or pays for the health care services we recommend for you such as making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, reviewing services provided to you for medical necessity, and undertaking utilization review activities. For example, obtaining approval for procedures may require that your relevant protected health information be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for those services.

Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose, as needed, your protected health information in order to support the business activities of this office. These activities may include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities and staff training.

For example, we may disclose your protected health information to interns or precepts that see patients at our office. In addition, we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your doctor. Communications between you and the doctor or his assistants may be recorded to assist us in accurately capturing your responses. We may also call you by name in the reception area when your doctor is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment.

We will share your protected health information with third party "Business Associates" that perform various activities (e.g., billing, transcription services for the practice). Whenever an arrangement between our office and a Business Associate involves the use or disclosure of your protected health information, we will have a written agreement with that Business Associate that contains terms that will protect the privacy of your protected health information.

We may use or disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to provide you with information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. We may also use and disclose your protected health information for other internal marketing activities. We may also send you information about products or services that we believe may be beneficial to you. You may request that these materials not be sent to you.

Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information That May Be Made With Your Written Authorization

Other uses and disclosures of your protected health information will be made only with your written authorization, unless otherwise permitted or required by law as described below.

For example, with your written, signed authorization, we may use your demographic information and the dates that you received treatment from our office, as necessary, in order to contact you for fundraising activities supported by our office.

You may revoke any of these authorizations, at any time, in writing, except to the extent that your doctor or the practice has taken an action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in the authorization.
PDF Download - Patient Privacy Form