Privacy, accessibility, and Notice of Privacy Practices

Website privacy

This public website is informational and is not a patient portal. We do not ask patients to upload completed medical intake forms or other protected health information through the website. For secure electronic return of medical forms or records, call (831) 281-3328 for instructions. Our web host and technical service providers may process ordinary technical information such as IP address, browser type, and server logs needed to deliver and protect the site.

Notice of Privacy Practices

Your information. Your rights. Our responsibilities. This notice explains how medical information about you may be used or shared, how you can access that information, and the privacy rights available to you.

Your privacy rights

You may ask to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other protected health information we maintain about you. We generally respond within the time required by law and may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted.

Amendments. If you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend it. We may deny a request in certain circumstances, but if we do, we will explain the reason in writing as required by law.

Confidential communications. You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as by mobile phone rather than home phone, or to send mail to an alternate address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Restrictions. You may ask us not to use or disclose certain information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not always required to agree. If you pay in full out-of-pocket for a service and ask us not to disclose that service to your health plan for payment or operations, we will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.

Accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request. The accounting does not include many routine disclosures, such as those for treatment, payment, health care operations, or disclosures you specifically authorized.

Personal representatives. If another person has legal authority to act for you, such as a guardian or health care agent, we will verify that authority before allowing that person to exercise your privacy rights.

Your choices

For certain disclosures, you may tell us what you want us to do. For example, you may tell us whether we may share relevant information with family members, friends, caregivers, or others involved in your care or payment for your care. If you are unable to tell us your preference, we may share limited information when permitted by law and when we believe doing so is in your best interest or needed to reduce a serious and imminent threat.

Written authorization is generally required for uses or disclosures of protected health information for marketing when HIPAA requires authorization, the sale of protected health information, and most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes. Coastal Wound Care and Physical Therapy, PC does not sell protected health information and does not use protected health information for fundraising activities.

How we typically use or share health information

Treatment. We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your care, including communication with physicians, therapists, nurses, wound care professionals, laboratories, imaging providers, pharmacies, home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, and other professionals involved in your treatment.

Payment. We may use and disclose health information to bill for services, obtain payment, verify coverage, obtain required authorizations, coordinate benefits, respond to payer audits, or pursue payment from you or another responsible party.

Health care operations. We may use and disclose health information for activities needed to operate the practice, including quality improvement, staff training, credentialing, compliance, auditing, legal and accounting services, patient safety, information technology, scheduling, customer service, and business planning.

Business associates. We may share information with vendors and service providers that perform services for us and need protected health information to do that work. When required, these organizations must sign agreements requiring them to safeguard your information.

Clinical photography, wound images, and telehealth

Clinical photographs and wound images created for evaluation, measurement, treatment, documentation, or care coordination are part of your medical record and are protected like other health information. Identifiable photographs will not be used for marketing or other purposes requiring authorization without your written permission. Research or educational uses will follow applicable law and any separate consent or authorization requirements.

Telehealth and electronic communications may involve electronic transmission of health information. We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards and approved systems intended to protect privacy and security. We document telehealth encounters in the medical record and limit access to authorized users.

Other uses and disclosures permitted or required by law

We may use or disclose information for public health and safety activities; health oversight; workers’ compensation and similar programs; qualifying law-enforcement or government requests; court or administrative proceedings; coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, or organ and tissue donation organizations; research when permitted by law; and other disclosures required by federal or California law.

Substance use disorder records

If we receive or maintain patient records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional federal confidentiality protections. We apply Part 2 protections when they apply to information in our possession.

California and other more protective privacy laws

California law may provide additional protections for certain medical information, including some mental health, substance use disorder, HIV/AIDS, genetic, minor-consent, and other specially protected information. When California law or another applicable law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we follow the more protective requirement.

Our responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.
• We use administrative, physical, and technical safeguards appropriate to our practice and the systems we use.
• We will notify affected individuals as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of their information.
• We must follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
• We will not use or disclose your information for purposes not described in this notice unless you authorize us in writing or another law permits or requires the use or disclosure.

Changes to this notice

We may change the terms of this notice and make the revised notice effective for all protected health information we maintain, including information created or received before the change. The current notice will be available upon request, at our office, and on this website.

Questions, requests, and complaints

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20201; telephone 1-877-696-6775; or through the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint website. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint with us or with HHS.

Accessibility

We aim to make this website usable with a keyboard and assistive technology, to respect reduced-motion preferences, and to maintain readable contrast. If you encounter an accessibility barrier, call (831) 281-3328 or email peter@coastalwoundpt.com and we will provide the information in another format.

Medical disclaimer

The information on this website is general education about physical therapy and wound management. It is not medical advice, does not create a provider-patient relationship, and should not replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician. Individual results vary; no outcome is promised or implied. For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.