NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice"“) is adopted to ensure that Clear Water Health PC, doing business as Precise Pediatrics (“Company,” “we,” “us,” “our”) fully complies with all federal and state privacy protection laws and regulations. This notice describes how and why we might collect, store, use and/or share (“process”) your information when you use our services (“Services”), such as when you visit our website at www.precisepediatrics.com, or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice, or engages with us in other related ways — including any sales, marketing, or events. THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW THE PATIENT’S HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

This Notice takes effect January 1, 2024, and will remain in effect until it is amended or replaced.

Precise Pediatrics reserves the right to change its privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided that such changes are permitted by applicable law. Precise Pediatrics reserves the right to make the changes to its privacy practices and the new terms of its Notice effective for all protected health information (“PHI”) that it maintains, including medical information created or received before Precise Pediatrics made the changes.

The patient may request a copy of this Notice (or any subsequent revised Notice) at any time. For more information about Precise Pediatric’s privacy practices, or for additional copies of this Notice, please contact us using the information listed at the end of this Notice.

Precise Pediatrics collects PHI from the patient and stores it in an account file, which file comprises the patient’s medical records. The medical record is the property of Precise Pediatrics, but the information belongs for the patient.

Information We Collect

• Your email address

• Your phone number (when you opt in to receive SMS messages)

• Consent to send SMS messages (when you opt in to receive SMS messages)

Uses of Your Information (not PHI)

We use your information to:

• Send you SMS messages you’ve opted in to receive

• Provide updates, promotions, or other relevant content based on your preferences

Sharing Your Information (not PHI)

We do NOT share your email address, phone number or SMS opt-in information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Your Rights

You can opt out of receiving email marketing messages and/or SMS messages at any time by replying with “STOP” to any message we send you.

Data Security

We implement reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access or disclosure.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI

Precise Pediatrics may use and disclose the patient’s PHI for treatment, payment, and health care operations. The following are examples of the types of uses and disclosures of the patient’s PHI that may occur. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive, but to describe the types of uses and disclosures that may be made by Precise Pediatrics.

• Treatment: Precise Pediatrics may use and disclose the patient’s PHI to provide, coordinate or manage the patient’s healthcare and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of the patient’s health care with a third party. For example, Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to the patient. Precise Pediatrics may also disclose PHI to other physicians who may be treating the patient. For example, the patient’s PHI may be provided to a physician to whom the patient has been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat the patient.  In addition, Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI from time to time to another physician or health care provider (e.g., a specialist or laboratory) who, at the request of the patient’s physician, becomes involved in the patient’s care by providing assistance with the patient’s health care diagnosis or treatment to the patient’s physician.

• Payment: The patient’s PHI may be used, as needed, to obtain payment for the patient’s health care services. This may include certain activities that the patient’s health insurance plan may undertake before it approves or pays for the health care services Precise Pediatrics recommends for the patient, such as: making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, reviewing services provided to the patient for protected health necessity, and undertaking utilization review activities. For example, obtaining approval for a hospital stay may require that the patient’s relevant PHI be disclosed to the health plan to obtain approval for the hospital admission.

• Health Care Operations: Precise Pediatrics may use or disclose, as needed, the patient’s PHI in order to conduct certain business and operational activities. These activities include, but are not limited to: quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of students, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities.  For example, Precise Pediatrics may use or disclose the patient’s PHI, as necessary, to contact the patient by telephone or mail to remind the patient of his or her appointment. Precise Pediatrics may share the patient’s PHI with third party "business associates" that perform various activities (e.g., billing, transcription services) for the practice. Whenever an arrangement between Precise Pediatrics and a business associate involves the use or disclosure of the patient’s PHI, Precise Pediatrics shall have a written contract that contains terms that protect the privacy of the patient’s PHI. Precise Pediatrics may use or disclose the patient’s PHI, as necessary, to provide the patient with information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to the patient. Precise Pediatrics may also use and disclose the patient’s PHI for other marketing activities. For example, the patient’s name, address and email address may be used to send him or her a newsletter about Precise Pediatrics and the services Precise Pediatrics offers. Precise Pediatrics may also send the patient information about products or services that it believes may be beneficial to the patient. The patient may contact Precise Pediatrics to request that these materials not be sent to the patient.

• Uses and Disclosures Based On The Patient’s Written Authorization: Other uses and disclosures of the patient’s PHI will be made only with the patient’s authorization, unless otherwise permitted or required by law as described herein. The patient may give Precise Pediatrics written authorization to use the patient’s PHI or to disclose it to anyone for any purpose. If the patient gives Precise Pediatrics an authorization, the patient may revoke it in writing at any time. The patient’s revocation will not affect any use or disclosures permitted by the patient’s authorization while it was in effect. Without the patient’s written authorization, Precise Pediatrics shall not disclose the patient’s health care information except as described in this Notice.

• Others Involved in the Patient’s Health Care: Unless the patient objects, Precise Pediatrics may disclose to a member of the patient’s family, a relative, a close friend or any other person the patient identifies, the patient’s PHI that directly relates to that person's involvement in the patient’s health care. If the patient is unable to agree or object to such a disclosure, Precise Pediatrics may disclose such information as necessary if it determines, in its sole discretion, that it is in the patient’s best interest based on Precise Pediatrics’s professional judgment. Precise Pediatrics may use or disclose PHI to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative or any other person that is responsible for the patient’s care of the patient’s location, general condition or death.

• Marketing: Precise Pediatrics may use the patient’s PHI to contact the patient with information about treatment alternatives that may be of interest to the patient. Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI to a business associate to assist it in these activities. Unless the information is provided to the patient by a general newsletter or in person, the patient may opt out of receiving further such information by notifying Precise Pediatrics using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice.

• Research; Death; Organ Donation: Precise Pediatrics may use or disclose the patient’s PHI for research purposes in limited circumstances. Precise Pediatrics may disclose the PHI of a deceased person to a coroner, protected health examiner, funeral director or organ procurement organization for certain purposes.

• Public Health and Safety: Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI to the extent necessary to avert a serious and imminent threat to the patient’s health or safety, or the health or safety of others. Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI to a government agency authorized to oversee the health care system or government programs or its contractors, and to public health authorities for public health purposes.

• Health Oversight: Precise Pediatrics may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations and inspections. Oversight agencies seeking this information include government agencies that oversee the health care system, government benefit programs, other government regulatory programs and civil rights laws.

• Abuse or Neglect: Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI to a public health authority that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect. In addition, Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI if it believes, in its sole discretion, that the patient has been a victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence to the governmental entity or agency authorized to receive such information. In this case, the disclosure will be made consistent with the requirements of applicable federal and state laws.

• Food and Drug Administration: Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI to a person or company required by the Food and Drug Administration to report adverse events, product defects or problems, biologic product deviations; to track products; to enable product recalls; to make repairs or replacements; or to conduct post marketing surveillance, as required.

• Criminal Activity: Consistent with applicable federal and state laws, Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI, if it believes, in its sole discretion, that the use or disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public. Precise Pediatrics may also disclose PHI if it is necessary for law enforcement authorities to identify or apprehend an individual.

• Required by Law: Precise Pediatrics may use or disclose the patient’s PHI when required to do so by law. For example, Precise Pediatrics must disclose the patient’s PHI to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upon request for purposes of determining whether it is in compliance with federal privacy laws. Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI when authorized by workers' compensation or similar laws.

• Process and Proceedings: Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process, under certain circumstances. Under limited circumstances, such as a court order, warrant or grand jury subpoena, Precise Pediatrics may disclose the patient’s PHI to law enforcement officials.

• Law Enforcement: Precise Pediatrics may disclose limited information to a law enforcement official concerning the PHI of a suspect, fugitive, material witness, crime victim or missing person. Precise Pediatrics may disclose the PHI of an inmate or other person in lawful custody to a law enforcement official or correctional institution under certain circumstances. Precise Pediatrics may disclose PHI where necessary to assist law enforcement officials to capture an individual who has admitted to participation in a crime or has escaped from lawful custody.

Patient Rights

• Access: The patient has the right to look at or get copies of the patient’s PHI, with limited exceptions. The patient must make a request in writing to the contact person listed herein to obtain access to the patient’s PHI. The patient may also request access by sending a letter to Precise Pediatrics at the address at the end of this Notice. If the patient requests copies, Precise Pediatrics may charge the patient a reasonable fee to locate and copy the patient’s PHI, and postage if the patient wants the copies mailed to him or her. If the patient prefers, Precise Pediatrics can prepare a summary or an explanation of the patient’s PHI for a fee. Contact Precise Pediatrics using the information listed at the end of this Notice for a full explanation of its fee structure.

• Accounting of Disclosures: The patient has the right to receive a list of instances in which Precise Pediatrics or its business associates disclosed the patient’s PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, health care operations and certain other activities after January 1, 2022. After January 1, 2022, the accounting will be provided for the past three (3) years. Precise Pediatrics will provide the patient with the date on which it made the disclosure, the name of the person or entity to whom it disclosed the patient’s PHI, a description of the PHI disclosed, the reason for the disclosure, and certain other information. If the patient requests this list more than once in a rolling 12-month period, Precise Pediatricsmay charge the patient a reasonable, cost-based fee for responding to these additional requests. Contact Precise Pediatrics using the information listed at the end of this Notice for a full explanation of its fee structure.

• Restriction Requests: The patient has the right to request that Precise Pediatrics places additional restrictions on its use or disclosure of the patient’s PHI. Precise Pediatrics is not required to agree to these additional restrictions, but if it does, it will abide by such agreement (except in an emergency). Any agreement Precise Pediatrics may make to a request for additional restrictions must be in writing signed by a person authorized to make such an agreement on its behalf. Under no circumstances shall Precise Pediatrics be bound unless such agreement is memorialized in writing.

• Confidential Communication: The patient has the right to request that Precise Pediatrics communicate with the patient in confidence about the patient’s PHI by alternative means or to an alternative location. The patient must make his or her request in writing. Precise Pediatrics must accommodate the patient’s request if it is reasonable, specifies the alternative means or location, and continues to permit Precise Pediatrics to bill and collect payment from the patient.

• Amendment: The patient has the right to request that Precise Pediatrics amend the patient’s PHI. The patient’s request must be in writing, and it must explain why the information should be amended. Precise Pediatrics may deny the patient’s request if it did not create the information the patient wants amended or for certain other reasons, in its sole discretion. If Precise Pediatrics denies the patient’s request, it will provide him or her a written explanation. The patient may respond with a statement of disagreement to be appended to the information he or she wanted amended. If Precise Pediatrics accepts the patient’s request to amend the information, it will make reasonable efforts to inform others, including people or entities the patient names, of the amendment and to include the changes in any future disclosures of that information.

• Electronic Notice: If the patient receive this Notice on thePrecise Pediatrics website or by electronic mail (e-mail), he or she is entitled to receive this Notice in written form. Please contact Precise Pediatrics using the information listed at the end of this Notice to obtain this Notice in written form.

Questions and Complaints

If the patient wants more information about Precise Pediatrics’s privacy practices or has questions or concerns, please contact Precise Pediatrics using the information below. If the patient believes that Precise Pediatrics may have violated his or her privacy rights, or the patient disagrees with a decision Precise Pediatrics made about access to his or her PHI or in response to a request he or she made, the patient may complain using the contact information below. The patient also may submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Precise Pediatrics supports the patient’s right to protect the privacy of his or her PHI. Precise Pediatrics will not retaliate in anyway if the patient chooses to file a complaint with Precise Pediatrics or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For further information, please contact:

Clear Water Health PC d/b/a Precise Pediatrics
4 Park Plaza Suite 201
Wyomissing, PA 19610
United States
Phone: 610-546-2336
Fax: 484-546-2336
E-mail: hello@precisepediatrics.com