Who We Are
Clarity Health PLLC is a Professional Limited Liability Company organized under the laws of West Virginia, providing direct primary care and longevity medicine services. As a healthcare provider, we are a Covered Entity under HIPAA and are required to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to abide by the terms of this Notice.
This Notice applies to all protected health information created or received by Clarity Health PLLC in connection with your care.
What is Protected Health Information (PHI)?
Protected Health Information (PHI) is any individually identifiable health information that we create, receive, maintain, or transmit in connection with providing or paying for healthcare. This includes information about:
- Your physical or mental health condition, past, present, or future
- Healthcare services provided to you
- Payment for those services
PHI includes information in any form — paper, electronic, or oral — that could be used to identify you. This includes your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, medical record number, account numbers, photographs, and any other unique identifiers.
How We May Use & Disclose Your PHI
We may use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization in the following circumstances, as permitted or required by HIPAA:
Treatment, Payment & Healthcare Operations
For Treatment
We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, and manage your medical care. This includes sharing information with other healthcare providers involved in your treatment. For example, we may share your medical history with a specialist to whom we refer you, or share your information with an emergency department if you require emergency care.
For Payment
Because Clarity Health is a direct pay practice, we do not bill your insurance for membership fees. However, we may use and disclose your PHI to process payment for membership fees, ancillary services, and medications. We may also provide you with documentation needed to seek reimbursement from your insurance for eligible services.
For Healthcare Operations
We may use your PHI for our internal business operations, including:
- Quality assessment and improvement activities
- Training of healthcare professionals
- Business planning and management
- Compliance and legal activities
- Patient safety activities
Other Permitted Uses & Disclosures
HIPAA also permits us to use or disclose your PHI without your written authorization in the following situations:
- As required by law — when required by federal, state, or local law, including court orders and subpoenas
- Public health activities — to public health authorities to prevent or control disease, report vital statistics, or comply with mandatory reporting laws
- Abuse or neglect reporting — to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Health oversight activities — to government agencies conducting audits, investigations, or licensure proceedings
- Judicial and administrative proceedings — in response to a court order or subpoena
- Law enforcement — in limited circumstances as required or permitted by law
- Serious threats to health or safety — to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others
- Workers' compensation — as authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with workers' compensation laws
- Coroners and medical examiners — to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death
- Research — under specific conditions that protect patient privacy
- Business associates — to vendors and partners who assist us in our operations, subject to Business Associate Agreements that require them to protect your PHI
Uses & Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes not described in this Notice, including:
- Marketing purposes — we will not use your PHI for marketing without your authorization
- Sale of PHI — we will never sell your PHI
- Psychotherapy notes — if applicable, separate authorization is required for any use or disclosure of psychotherapy notes
- Most other uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted under HIPAA
You have the right to revoke an authorization at any time by submitting a written request to us, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on the authorization.
Our Commitment: Clarity Health will never sell your protected health information. We do not use your PHI for advertising or marketing without your explicit consent.
Your Rights Regarding Your PHI
You have the following rights with respect to your protected health information. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer.
Right to Access
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI that we maintain in a designated record set. We will provide access within 30 days of your request. A reasonable cost-based fee may apply for copies.
Right to Amend
You have the right to request that we amend your PHI if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances but will notify you of any denial and your right to appeal.
Right to an Accounting
You have the right to request a list (accounting) of disclosures we have made of your PHI during the six years prior to your request, with certain exceptions including disclosures for treatment, payment, and operations.
Right to Restrict
You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI. We are not required to agree to a requested restriction, except in certain circumstances involving disclosures to health plans when you pay out of pocket in full.
Right to Confidential Communications
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your PHI by alternative means or to alternative locations. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Right to a Paper Copy
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice at any time upon request, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically.
Electronic Access to PHI
If your PHI is maintained in an electronic health record, you have the right to receive an electronic copy of your PHI and to direct us to transmit it to a person or entity of your choosing. We will provide this access through our patient portal (Atlas MD) or by other secure electronic means.
Our Duties
Clarity Health PLLC is required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of your PHI
- Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI
- Notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI
- Abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect
- Not use or disclose your genetic information for underwriting purposes
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already have about you as well as any PHI we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice in our office and on our website. The Notice will contain the effective date at the top of the first page. You may request a copy of any revised Notice at any time.
Breach Notification
If we discover that your unsecured PHI has been used or disclosed in an unauthorized manner that compromises the security or privacy of your information, we are required by law to notify you. We will notify you within 60 days of discovering the breach unless a law enforcement exception applies.
Notification will include:
- A description of what happened, including the date of the breach and discovery
- The types of PHI involved
- Steps you should take to protect yourself
- What we are doing to investigate, mitigate harm, and prevent future breaches
- Contact information for questions
If a breach affects 500 or more individuals in West Virginia, we will also notify the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and may be required to notify prominent media outlets.
How to File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with Clarity Health or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
To file a complaint with Clarity Health:
Contact our Privacy Officer in writing at the address below, or via email.
To file a complaint with HHS Office for Civil Rights:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Online: www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
Toll-Free: 1-800-368-1019
TTY: 1-800-537-7697
Contact Our Privacy Officer
For questions about this Notice, to exercise your HIPAA rights, or to file a complaint, please contact our designated Privacy Officer:
Dr. Ronald C. Best, Jr.
Privacy Officer
Clarity Health PLLC
Shepherdstown, West Virginia 25443
Email: privacy@clarityhealth.com
Phone: [Practice Phone Number]
Fax: [Practice Fax Number]
You may also request a paper copy of this Notice at any time by contacting our office. This Notice is available in our practice and upon request.