Privacy Policy

ARE MY MEDICAL RECORDS CONFIDENTIAL?

Kelly R. Overcasher Aud Inc. DBA as Ohio Audiology Associates, (Ohio AuD) is committed to our patients; 'right to privacy.' All information regarding your condition, diagnosis or treatment is strictly confidential & will only be released with your consent to your primary care physician, family, friends, employers, attorneys or insurance companies.

HIPAA

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES IN THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED & DISCLOSED & HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

During your treatment at Ohio AudD members of its staff may gather information about your medical history & your current health. This notice explains how that information may be used & shared with others. It also explains your privacy rights regarding this kind of information. The terms of this notice applies to health information created or received by Ohio Aud. We are required by law to make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private, to give you this notice of our legal duties & privacy practices with respect to medical information about you, if requested, & follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

Your medical information may be used & disclosed for the following purposes:

Treatment: We may use your information to provide, coordinate & manage your care & treatment. For example, an Ohio AuD staff member may share your medical information with another health care provider for a consultation or a referral.

Payment: We may use & disclose medical information about you so that the treatment & services you receive may be billed to & payment may be collected from you, an insurance company, or another third party. For example, we may need to give your health plan information about treatment you received at Ohio AuD, so that your health plan will pay for or reimburse you for treatment.

Health Care Operations: We may use & disclose medical Information about you for Ohio AuD health care operations. Health care operations are the uses & disclosures of information that are necessary to run Ohio AuD & to make sure that all our patients receive quality care. For example, we may use medical information to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you.

Appointment Reminders & other health information: We may use your medical information to send you reminders about future appointments. We may also contact you about new or alternative treatments or other health care services.

To People Assisting In your care: Ohio AuD will only disclose medical information to those taking care of you helping to pay your bills or other close family members or friends if these people need to know this information to help you: & then only to the extent permitted by law. We may, for example, provide limited medical information to allow a family member to pick up a hearing device for you. If you can make your own health care decisions, Ohio AuD will ask your permission before using your medical information purposes. If you are unable to make health care decisions, Ohio AuD will disclose relevant medical information to family members or other responsible parties, if we feel it is in your best interest to do so, including in an emergency.

Research: Federal Law permits Ohio AuD to use & disclose medical information about you for research purposes, either with your specific written authorization, or where allowed by state law when an Institutional Review Board has reviewed the study for privacy protection before the research begins. In some cases, researchers may be permitted to use information in a limited way to determine whether the study or potential participants are appropriate. If required to do so by applicable law, we will obtain your consent before we disclose your health information to an outside researcher.

To Business Associates: Some services are provided by or to Ohio AuD for contracts with business associates. Examples include Ohio AuD attorneys, consultants, collection agencies, & accreditation organizations. We may disclose information about you to our Business Associates so that they can perform the job we have contracted them to do.

In all the situations described above, where required to do so by law, Ohio AuD will obtain written permission prior to disclosing your health information.   Your Medical Information may be released in the following special situations: We may also use or disclose your information, without your permission, for the following purposes to the extent permitted or required by law:

• Under emergency conditions to government or other groups assisting in emergencies or disasters. 
• When required by law.
• For public health activities including, without limitation, to report disease & vital statistics, child abuse & adult abuse or neglect or domestic violence.
• For health oversight activities, such as activities of state licensing & peer review authorities, & fraud prevention enforcement agencies.
• For judicial & administrative proceedings.
• To avert a serious threat to health or safety
• To law enforcement officials regarding crime victims, crimes on our premises, crime reporting in emergencies & identifying & locating suspects or other persons.
• For certain specialized government functions, such as military discharge.
• To the military, to federal officials for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence; national security activities & to correctional Institutions & law enforcement regarding persons in lawful custody. 

* As authorized by the state's worker's compensation laws.

In all the situations described above, where required to do so by law, Ohio AuD will obtain your specific written permissions prior to disclosing HIV-related information, mental health records, drug or alcohol abuse records or any other type of record given explicit additional protections under applicable state law.

You have the following rights regarding medical information we maintain about you:

• Right to inspect & copy: you have the right to inspect & receive a copy of your medical information that is used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical & billing records maintained by Ohio AuD.. If you wish to inspect & copy medical information you must make a request in writing to Ohio Aud.  If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request to the extent permitted by state & federal law. We may deny your request to inspect & copy your information in certain very limited circumstances. For example, we may deny access if your physician believes it will be harmful to your health or could cause a threat to others. If you are denied access to medical information, you may request that the denial be reviewed by another health care provider chosen by the person who denied your request. We will comply with the outcome of the review.

• Right to Request Amendment: If you believe that the medical information, we have about you is incorrect or complete you have the right to ask us to change the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for Ohio AuD. To request a change to your information you must make a request in writing to Ohio AuD. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request.  Ohio AuD may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
• Was not created by Ohio AuD unless the person or entity that created the information is not available to make the amendment.
• Is not part of the medical information kept by or for Ohio AuD
• Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect & copy; or 

* Is inaccurate or incomplete.

• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an 'Accounting of Disclosures.'  This is a list of the disclosures we have made of medical information about you. This list will not include disclosures for treatment, payment, & health care options; disclosures that you have authorized or that have been made by you; disclosures for facility directories; disclosures for national security or intelligence purposes; disclosures to correctional institutions or by law enforcement with custody of you; disclosures that took place before April 14, 2003; & certain other disclosures.

To request a list of disclosures, you must request the list in writing to Ohio AuD. Your request must state a time period for which you would like accounting. The accounting period may not go back further than six years from the date of the request & it may not include dates before April 14, 2003. You may receive one free accounting in any 12-month period. We will charge you for additional requests.

You may contact us at 6647 Frank Ave NW, N. Canton, OH  44720, Ph: (330)494-8348, Fax: (234)236-5699.