Notice of Privacy Practices

Use and Disclosure of your health care information

We will not disclose your private health information without your authorization except in the following situations:

• Treatment: We may use and disclose your health information to other healthcare professionals within our practice, while providing, coordinating, or managing your health care needs including treatment, payment or healthcare operations. An example of this would be an exam by an acupuncturist or related services by other healthcare professionals.
• Payment: We expect payment at the time services are rendered, but for your benefit we will upon request disclose your healthcare information for your reimbursement from your health care plan. Such as an itemized billing statement, containing diagnosis, date of injury or condition, and codes which describe the health care services rendered.
• Workers Compensation: We may disclose your health information as necessary to comply with State Workers' Compensation Laws.
• Emergencies: We may disclose your health information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, or another person responsible for your care about your medical condition in the event of an emergency, or of your death.
• Public Health: As required by law, we may disclose your health information to public health authorities for purposes related to: preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability, reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting domestic violence, reporting to the FDA problems with products and reactions to medications, and reporting disease or infection exposure.
• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose your health information in the course of any administrative or judicial proceedings in response to a court or administrative order.
• Law Enforcement: We may disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for purposes such as identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person, complying with a court order or subpoena, and other law enforcement purposes.
• Deceased Persons: We may disclose your health information to coroners or medical examiners.
• Organ Donation: We may disclose your health information to organizations involved in procuring, banking, or translating organs and tissues.
• Research: We may disclose your health information to researchers conducting research that has been approved by an Institutional Review Board.
• Public Safety: It may be necessary to disclose your health information to appropriate persons in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or to the general public.
• Specialized Government Agencies: We may disclose your health information for military, national security, prisoner and government benefits purposes.
• Marketing: We may contact you for marketing or fundraising purposes, as described below:
  • As a courtesy to our patients, we may call your home, usually the day prior to your scheduled appointment to remind you of your appointment time. If you are not at home, we leave a reminder message on your voicemail, answering machine, or with the person answering the phone. No personal health information will be disclosed during this recording or message other than the date and time of your scheduled appointment along with a request to call our office if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.
  • It is our practice to participate in charitable events to raise awareness, food donations, gifts, money, etc. During these times we may send you a letter, post card, invitation or call your home to invite you to participate in the charitable activity. We will provide you with information about the type of activity, the dates and times, and request your participation in such an event. It is not our policy to disclose any personal information about your condition for the purpose of our sponsored fundraising events.

Change of Ownership: In the event that Scott Turpin of Alpine Eastern Medicine LLC Chinese Medicine is sold or merged with another organization, your health information record will become the property of the new owner.

Your Health Information Rights

• You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information, including those related to disclosures to family members, other relatives, personal friends, or any other person specified by you. We are not required to agree to your request, however if we do agree, we are bound by our agreement except when otherwise required by law, in emergencies, or when the information is necessary to treat you.
• You have the right to have your health information received or communicated through an alternate method or sent to an alternative location other than the usual method of communication or delivery, upon your request. For example communication only to your home rather than to your work.
• You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information that may be used to make decisions about you, including patient medical records and billing records. You must submit your request in writing. We will charge you reasonable cost-based fee expenses such as copies and staff time. The fee is $25.00 for 10 pages or less; additional fee of $1.00 per page for pages 11-60, 50 cents per page for pages 61-400. The base fee must be paid at the time of the request and the balance paid at the time of pick-up.
• You may request an amendment to your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, as long as the information is kept by our practice. You must submit your amendment request in writing. You must also provide a reason that supports your request for amendment. Please be advised, however, that we are not required to agree to amend your protected health information. If your request is denied you will be provided with a written explanation of our denial reason(s) and information about how you can disagree with the denial.
• You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your protected health information made by Scott Turpin of Alpine Eastern Medicine LLC Chinese Medicine.
• You have a right to a paper copy of this our privacy practices at any time.

Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices

• Scott Turpin of Alpine Eastern Medicine LLC Chinese Medicine reserves the right to amend this notice of privacy practices at any time in the future, and will make the new provisions effective for all information that it maintains. Until such an amendment is made, Scott Turpin of Alpine Eastern Medicine LLC Chinese Medicine is required by law to comply with this notice.
• Scott Turpin of Alpine Eastern Medicine LLC Chinese Medicine is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information. If you have questions about any part of this notice or it you want more information about your privacy rights, please ask your practitioner.
• Complaints: Complaints about your Privacy rights or how Scott Turpin of Alpine Eastern Medicine LLC Chinese Medicine has handled your health information should be directed to the Owner by calling 720-515-8072. If the Owner isn't available please make an appointment in person or by telephone for a conference within 2 working days. If you are not satisfied with the manner in which this office handles your complaint, you may submit a formal complaint to:

  DHHS, Office of Civil Rights
  200 Independence Avenue, SW
  Room 509F HHHF
  Washington, VA 20201

If you have any Questions regarding this Notice of Privacy Practices, please ask your practitioner.