Privacy Policy and HIPAA Notice

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Infectious Disease Specialists of Northwest Arkansas PA is committed to protecting your health information in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and all applicable federal and state laws. This notice describes our privacy practices and your rights regarding your protected health information (PHI).

Information We Collect

We collect health information necessary to provide you with quality medical care. This includes:

• Demographic information (name, address, date of birth, contact information)
• Insurance and billing information
• Medical history, diagnoses, and treatment records
• Laboratory results and imaging studies
• Prescription and medication information
• Communications between you and our healthcare providers

How We Use and Disclose Your Information

We may use and disclose your health information for the following purposes:

Treatment

We use your health information to provide and coordinate your medical care. We may share information with other healthcare providers involved in your treatment, such as referring physicians, specialists, laboratories, and hospitals.

Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide. This may include billing your insurance company, verifying coverage, and collecting amounts owed.

Healthcare Operations

We may use your health information for practice operations, including quality improvement, training, auditing, and administrative functions necessary to run our practice.

As Required by Law

We may disclose health information when required by federal, state, or local law, including public health reporting, abuse or neglect reporting, and compliance with court orders.

Your Rights Under HIPAA

You have the following rights regarding your health information:

• Right to Access: You may request copies of your medical records. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing.
• Right to Amend: You may request that we correct information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
• Right to Restrict: You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your information for treatment, payment, or operations.
• Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you at a specific location or by a specific method.
• Right to an Accounting: You may request a list of disclosures we have made of your health information.
• Right to a Copy of This Notice: You may request a paper copy of this privacy notice at any time.

Medical Records Requests

To request copies of your medical records or to transfer your records to another provider, please submit a written request to our office. Include your full name, date of birth, the specific records requested, and where you would like records sent. We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by law.

Website Privacy

Our website collects standard server logs and may use cookies for analytics purposes. Contact forms on this website are for appointment requests only and should not be used to transmit sensitive health information. If you submit health information through our website, it will be handled in accordance with this privacy policy.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and this notice. Changes will apply to information we already have as well as new information. The revised notice will be posted on our website and available at our office.

Filing a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.