Notice of Privacy Practices

Our commitment

Healing Hearts Home Care is required by law to protect the privacy of your health information, to give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. We take that seriously. The information you share with us is about the most private parts of your life, and we treat it that way.

"Protected health information" (PHI) means information that identifies you and relates to your physical or mental health, the care we provide, or payment for that care.

How we may use and disclose your health information

For treatment

We use your health information to plan and provide your care. For example, we share relevant details of your care plan with the caregiver assigned to you so they know how to assist you safely, and we may share information with your physician, a visiting nurse, a hospital, or a rehabilitation facility involved in your care.

For payment

We may use your information to bill and collect payment for services, such as preparing invoices and processing payments made by you or the person responsible for your care.

For health care operations

We may use your information to run our agency — scheduling and assigning caregivers, training staff, reviewing the quality of care provided, and carrying out administrative functions.

To people involved in your care

Unless you object, we may share information relevant to your care with a family member, friend, or other person you have identified as involved in your care or payment for it. If you are unable to agree or object, we will use our professional judgement and disclose only what is directly relevant to that person's involvement.

Other permitted uses

We may use or disclose your information without your authorisation where the law permits or requires it, including:

• As required by federal, state, or local law
• To public health authorities for activities such as preventing or controlling disease
• To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elder or disabled person, as Massachusetts law requires of us
• To health oversight agencies for audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure
• In response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, or other lawful process
• To law enforcement in limited circumstances defined by law
• To avert a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors as necessary
• For workers' compensation purposes where required
• For specialised government functions, such as military or national security activities

Uses that always require your written authorisation

We will obtain your written authorisation before we:

• Use or disclose psychotherapy notes, except as narrowly permitted by law
• Use or disclose your information for marketing purposes
• Sell your information — and to be plain about it, we do not sell your information under any circumstances
• Use your name, photograph, or story in any promotional material, including our website or social media

You may revoke an authorisation in writing at any time. Revoking it stops future uses and disclosures, but does not undo anything already done in reliance on it.

Your rights

You have the following rights regarding the health information we hold about you.

• To inspect and obtain a copy. You may request a copy of your records, including in electronic form where we hold them electronically. We will respond within 30 days. A reasonable cost-based fee may apply.
• To request an amendment. If you believe information we hold is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend it. We may deny the request in certain circumstances, and will explain why in writing if we do.
• To an accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made in the six years before your request.
• To request restrictions. You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your information. We are not required to agree, except that we must agree to withhold information from a health plan where you have paid for that service in full out of pocket.
• To request confidential communications. You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a specific address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
• To a paper copy of this notice. You may request one at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
• To be notified of a breach. We will notify you if a breach occurs that compromises the privacy or security of your information.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer using the details below.

Our responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information
• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it
• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we may in writing

A note on email and text messages

Changes to this notice

We may change this notice, and any change will apply to information we already hold as well as information we receive in the future. The current notice will always show its effective date, will be available at our office and on our website, and we will provide a copy on request.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us using the contact details below, or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC 20201, or at hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints.

We will not retaliate against you in any way for filing a complaint.

Contact

Privacy Officer: Amalia Semedo, Owner
Healing Hearts Home Care
531 Pleasant Street, Suite 1
Brockton, MA 02301
Telephone: 540-522-1251
Email: care.team@healingheartsma.com