Notice of Privacy Practices

DISCLOSURES

This Joint Notice of Privacy Practices (Notice) describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully. The Notice is being provided to you on behalf of New Pathways, its medical staff and other providers (collectively referred to herein as “we” or “our”). This Notice provides detailed information about how we may use and disclose your health information with or without authorization as well as more information about your specific rights with respect to your health information.

This Notice is being provided to you as a requirement of two federal laws: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) 42 U.S.C. §1320d et seq., 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 & 164, and the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2, 42 CFR Part 2 (“Part 2”).

New Pathways is committed to protecting the confidentiality of your health information. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI). Under these laws, New Pathways may not say to a person outside New Pathways that you are a patient in the clinic, nor may New Pathways disclose any information identifying you as an alcohol or drug abuser, or disclose any other PHI except as permitted by federal law. Your PHI means any written and oral health information about you, including demographic data that can be used to identify you. This is health information that is created or received by your health care provider, and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition.

New Pathways is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and report to you any breach of unsecured PHI. New Pathways is also required to provide you with this Notice of New Pathway's duties and privacy practices and shall abide by terms of this Notice as may be amended from time to time. New Pathways reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the new Notice provisions effective for all future PHI that New Pathways maintains.

We are also required to notify you of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI and abide by the practices of this Notice, unless more stringent laws or regulations apply. This Notice applies to all New Pathways: services, programs, health-care professionals, medical staff and volunteers.

New Pathways must obtain your written consent before it can disclose information about you for payment, treatment or healthcare purposes. You may revoke any such written consent in writing, except to the extent that Ideal Option has already acted on it.

However, federal law permits New Pathways to disclose information without your written permission for the following:

  • To appropriate authorities to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

  • For research, audit or evaluation.

  • To medical personnel in a medical emergency.

  • As allowed by a court order.

  • Pursuant to an agreement with a person or agency (i.e. a qualified service organization/business associate) that provides services to New Pathways.

  • A qualified service agreement must be in place before New Pathways will disclose any patient information with a business associate.

  • To report a crime committed against New Pathways personnel or on New Pathways properties.


New Pathways is obligated to obtain your specific written consent to disclose any information about your health in a manner which is not described above.

New Pathways reserves the right to disclose the fact that you have applied for treatment from a New Pathways facility, to a parent/guardian/other authorized person if New Pathways determines that you lack capacity because of extreme youth or mental or physical condition to make a rational decision whether to consent to disclosure to your parent, guardian or other authorized person and your situation poses a substantial threat to your life or physical well-being or that of any other person that may be reduced by communicating relevant facts to your parent or guardian.


YOUR RIGHTS

You have the following rights regarding your health information:

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

  • Request in writing to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information pertaining to you.

  • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

(Under federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records: psychotherapy notes; information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding; and PHI that is subject to a law that prohibits access to PHI. Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to have a decision to deny access reviewed.)

Request confidential communications

  • Request New Pathways to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.

  • We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests made in writing.

Choose someone to act for you

  • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.

  • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. — New Pathways is not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.

  • If you pay for a service or healthcare item out-of-pocket in full, you can request that we not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. — We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

Get a list of those with whom we have shared information

  • You can request for a summary (accounting) of the occurrences we have shared your health information for five years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why it was shared.

  • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We will provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Request a correction of your medical record

  • Request New Pathways to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete.

  • We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing.

Get a copy of this privacy notice

  • New Pathways will provide a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

  • You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting New Pathways, 1203 US Hwy. 98 Suite 4F, Daphne, AL 36526 calling 251.298.7458, or visiting www.newpathwayssolutions.com

  • You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1.877.696.6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.

  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.


This Notice is effective May 1, 2021