Florida Digestive Health Specialists, LLP (FDHS) is required by applicable federal and state laws to:
This document explains how Florida Digestive Health Specialists, LLP, may use and share your Protected Health Information (PHI), which can identify you. Unless specified below, we will only use or disclose your Health Information with your written consent. You can revoke this consent at any time by contacting our Compliance Officer in writing.
For Treatment. FDHS may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services as recommended by your FDHS provider. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with a third party or other physicians who may currently be involved with your medical care or whom it may be determined by your medical condition to be required for medical care for the purposes of diagnosis and treatment (i.e., laboratory, hospital, or other facility).
For Payment. FDHS may use and disclose PHI to obtain payment for your health care services. This may include providing copies of the pertinent medical record to your health insurance plan in order to determine eligibility and benefits, obtaining pre-authorization on your behalf for recommended medical services, reviewing medical services provided to you to confirm medical necessity, and other health plan utilization review activities. For example, obtaining approval for a hospital admission may require disclosing your relevant PHI to the health plan.
For Health Care Operations. FDHS may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI) to facilitate standard business and operational activities. These activities include, but are not limited to, daily clinic operations such as scheduling appointments, sending appointment reminders, maintaining your medical records, and coordinating your medical care between departments.
Additionally, these activities encompass care coordination, case management, and quality assessment and improvement initiatives, as allowed by law. For instance, we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk, call you by name in the waiting room when your doctor is ready to see you, or contact you by phone or mail to ensure continuity of care or for related purposes.
Sharing your PHI with you. FDHS must give you access to your own PHI. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI in the form and format you request, including an electronic copy, if it is readily producible in that form and format. If the PHI is not readily producible in the requested form or format, it will be provided in a readable alternative form or format. We will act on your request for access within 30 days of receipt, unless a lawful extension applies. Any fees charged will be reasonable and cost-based, as permitted by law.
Automated Call or Text Messages (SMS). FDHS, including our affiliates and/or vendors, may call or text (SMS) you by using an automatic telephone dialing system and/or an artificial voice. The calls/texts may be about appointment reminders, appointment confirmations, treatment options, health-related benefits and services, and to gather feedback regarding your experience. Messages are operational and care-related only (not marketing). Message frequency varies; message and data rates may apply. Consent & Opt Out: Patients may opt out at any time; reply STOP to opt out; reply HELP for assistance.
Sharing your PHI with a Third-Party. FDHS may share your PHI with third-party “Business Associates” that perform certain activities (i.e., billing, transcription services) for our company. Whenever an arrangement between FDHS and a Business Associate involves “permissible use” of your PHI, your PHI is protected by a Business Associate Agreement that contains terms that will protect your PHI.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. Unless you object, FDHS may share your protected health information (PHI) with family members, close friends, or emergency contacts involved in your healthcare. If you cannot agree or object, we may disclose information in your best interest. We may also notify those responsible for your care about your location, general condition, or death.
Any other uses and disclosures of your PHI will be made only with your written authorization, unless otherwise permitted or required by law as described below. You may give us written authorization to use or disclose your PHI to anyone for any purpose. Your written authorization may be revoked in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect any use or disclosure permitted by your authorization while it was in effect.
Without your written authorization, we will not disclose your health care information except as described in this notice. Health information that has been properly de-identified is not protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule and may be used for research and other statistical purposes.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. Unless you object, we may disclose to a member of your family, a relative, a close friend, or any other person you identify your Protected Health Information that directly relates to that person’s involvement in your health care. If you cannot agree or object to such a disclosure, we may disclose such information as necessary if we determine it is in your best interest based on our professional judgment.
Research, Death, Organ Donation: Your de-identified PHI may be used or disclosed for research purposes in specific situations. It may also be shared with a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director, or organ procurement organization under certain conditions.
Public Health and Safety: Your PHI may be shared to prevent serious threats to your health or safety, or to the health or safety of others. It can also be disclosed to government health agencies and public health authorities as needed.
Health Oversight: Your PHI may be shared with health oversight agencies as permitted by law. This includes activities such as audits, investigations, and inspections. These oversight agencies may consist of government organizations that regulate the healthcare system, oversee government benefit programs, manage other regulatory programs, and enforce civil rights laws.
Abuse or Neglect: Your PHI may be shared with a public health authority that is legally permitted to receive reports of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. This disclosure will be made in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Your PHI may be disclosed to disclose PHI to entities regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as required, for reporting adverse events or product issues, tracking and recalling products, making repairs or replacements, and conducting post‑marketing surveillance.
Criminal Activity: In accordance with applicable state and federal laws, we may disclose your PHI if we believe it is necessary to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to someone’s health or safety, or to the public. Additionally, we may share PHI if it is required to assist law enforcement in identifying or apprehending an individual.
Required by Law: Your PHI may be disclosed when required by law. For example, we must disclose your PHI to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upon request to determine whether we are in compliance with privacy laws. We may disclose your PHI when authorized by Workers’ Compensation or other similar laws.
Process and Proceedings: Your PHI may be disclosed to law enforcement under certain legal circumstances, such as court orders or subpoenas. FDHS can share PHI of inmates with law enforcement or correctional institutions when necessary. We may also disclose PHI to help capture individuals involved in a crime or who have escaped custody.
Disaster Relief: To respond to an inquiry from a disaster relief organization seeking your PHI to coordinate your care or to notify family or friends of your location or condition during a disaster.
The following uses and disclosures of your PHI will be made only with your written authorization:
For certain types of Protected Health Information (PHI), both federal and state laws require enhanced privacy protections. We can only disclose this information with your written permission, except when specifically permitted or required by law. This includes PHI that pertains to:
You have the following rights regarding the health information we have about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and copy your Health Information used for decisions about your care or payment, including medical and billing records (excluding psychotherapy notes). To request this information, submit your request in writing to your physician’s Administrator. We have 30 days to fulfill your request and may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing. No fee will be charged if you need the information for Social Security Act benefits or similar programs. Requests may be denied in certain situations, but you can request a review of the denial by an unrelated licensed healthcare professional, and we will comply with their decision.
Right to an Electronic Copy of Electronic Medical Records. If your PHI is stored electronically (such as in an electronic medical record or electronic health record), you have the right to request an electronic copy of your record. You can ask for this copy to be sent to you or to another individual or entity. We will make every effort to provide access to your PHI in the form or format you request, as long as it can be easily produced in that manner. If we cannot provide your PHI in the requested format, we will give it to you in our standard electronic format or, if you prefer, as a readable hard copy. Please note that we may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for the labor involved in transmitting the electronic medical record.
You Have the Right to Get Notice of a Breach. You have the right to be informed promptly if your PHI becomes unsecured and is subject to a breach. This notification will detail the nature of the breach, the types of information involved, and the steps that are being taken to address the situation. Additionally, you will be provided with information on how to protect yourself from any potential harm resulting from the breach. Your privacy and security are of utmost importance, and we are committed to keeping you informed should any incident occur.
Right to Amend. If you feel that the PHI we have is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend it. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for our office. To request an amendment, you must make your request in writing to the administrator of your physician’s office.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we made of your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, and healthcare operations for which you provided written authorization. To request an accounting of disclosures, you must make your request in writing to the administrator of your physician’s office.
Right to Request Restrictions. You can request restrictions on your PHI we use or share for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. You can limit what we disclose to someone involved in your care, like a family member or friend. For example, you may ask us not to share details about a specific diagnosis with your spouse. To make a request, please submit it in writing to your physician’s office administrator. We are not required to agree to your request unless it pertains to information for which you have paid “out-of-pocket.” If we agree, we will comply with your request unless emergency treatment is required.
Out-of-Pocket Payments. If you paid out-of-pocket (or in other words, you have requested that we not bill your health plan) in full for a specific item or service, you have the right to ask that your PHI with respect to that item or service not be disclosed to a health plan for purposes of payment or health care operations, and we will honor that request.
Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you by mail or at work. To request confidential communications, you must write to the office administrator at your physician’s office. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
You Have the Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy. You may obtain a copy of this notice from our website, www.fdhs.com.
We reserve the right to change this notice, and the new version will apply to both the Health Information we currently have and any information we receive in the future. The effective date will be stated on the first page of the notice.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated or disagree with a decision regarding your PHI access, please submit your concerns in writing to the FDHS Compliance Officer. You can also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by email, fax, or mail at the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20201.
More information is available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/ . No retaliation will occur for filing a complaint.
Florida Digestive Health Specialists
10920 Technology Terrace
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211
Phone: 941.757.4810
Email: complianceofficer@fdhs.com
We are excited to announce our new location in South Tampa!
Dr. John Isaac Delgado has joined our team and is now welcoming patients at FDHS South Tampa GI. He is also accepting new patients.
For more information about our services, to schedule an appointment, or to learn more about Dr. Delgado’s expertise, please visit FDHS South Tampa GI. We look forward to serving the South Tampa community!
For more information, please visit FDHS South Tampa GI.
