HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP)

1. Our Legal Duties

Stay Strong Physical Therapy ("Practice," "we," "our," "us") is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and applicable state law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information ("PHI"), to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI. We must abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect.

2. How We May Use and Disclose PHI Without Your Written Authorization

We are permitted to use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes:

2.1 Treatment

We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and related services, including consultations and referrals between health‑care providers.

2.2 Payment

Because we operate on a direct‑pay basis, "payment" includes activities to obtain or provide reimbursement for services, such as issuing superbills, determining eligibility for HSA/FSA payment, and billing and collection activities authorized by you.

2.3 Health‑Care Operations

We may use or disclose PHI for quality assessment, practitioner performance reviews, training, licensing, accreditation, and other administrative activities necessary to run our Practice.

2.4 Required or Permitted by Law

We may disclose PHI when required or authorized by federal, state, or local law, judicial or administrative proceedings, law‑enforcement requests, or other legally compelled disclosures.

2.5 Public Health and Safety

We may disclose PHI to public‑health authorities for the purpose of controlling disease, injury, or disability, and to prevent or reduce a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.

2.6 Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence

We may disclose PHI to government authorities if we reasonably believe a patient is a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, to the extent the disclosure is required or permitted by law.

2.7 Health Oversight Activities

We may disclose PHI to a health‑oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure actions.

2.8 Workers’ Compensation

We may disclose PHI as necessary to comply with state workers’‑compensation laws.

2.9 Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors

We may disclose PHI to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death, or to funeral directors to carry out their duties.

2.10 Organ and Tissue Donation

If you are an organ donor, we may disclose PHI to facilitate organ‑procurement or transplantation.

2.11 Military and Veterans

If you are a member of the armed forces, we may disclose PHI as required by military command authorities.

2.12 Correctional Institutions

If you are an inmate, we may disclose PHI to the institution as necessary for your health and the safety of others.

2.13 Business Associates

We may disclose PHI to contractors, service providers, and other "business associates" who perform services on our behalf, provided they agree in writing to safeguard your information.

3. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes not listed above, including:

• Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes (if any).

• Uses and disclosures for marketing purposes.

• Disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI.

You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent we have already relied on it.

4. Your Rights Regarding PHI

You have the following rights concerning your PHI.

4.1 Right to Inspect and Copy

You may inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI in a designated record set. We may charge a reasonable fee for copies. We will provide an electronic copy if you request it and we maintain the information electronically.

4.2 Right to Request an Amendment

If you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you may request a written amendment. We may deny your request if we did not create the record or if we determine the record is accurate and complete.

4.3 Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a list ("accounting") of certain non‑routine disclosures of your PHI made in the six years prior to your request. The first accounting in a 12‑month period is free; a reasonable fee may apply for additional requests.

4.4 Right to Request Restrictions

You may request restrictions on our use or disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health‑care operations, and disclosures to family members. We are not required to agree, except for restrictions on disclosures to a health plan when you have paid out‑of‑pocket in full.

4.5 Right to Confidential Communications

You may request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location (e.g., only via secure email). We will accommodate reasonable requests.

4.6 Right to Receive a Copy of This Notice

You may obtain a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.

4.7 Right to Breach Notification

You have the right to be notified in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI.

4.8 Right to File a Complaint

You may file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

5. Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the new Notice applicable to all PHI we maintain. The revised Notice will be posted on our site here.

6. Complaints and Contact Information

If you have questions about this Notice or wish to exercise any rights herein, please contact info@staystrongphysicaltherapy.com.

You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Instructions are available at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.