Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices
Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas
This Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.
Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas (“we,” “our,” “us”) is committed to protecting your health information in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Texas Medical Privacy Act, the Texas Medical Board rules, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines concerning patient communications.
Our Legal Duties
We are required by federal and Texas law to:
- Maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information (PHI).
- Provide you with this Notice regarding our legal duties and privacy practices.
- Comply with the terms of this Notice currently in effect.
How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI
We may use or disclose your PHI for purposes allowed by law without your prior authorization, including:
- Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your medical care and related services. This includes consultations with other health care providers.
- Payment: To bill and collect payment for services, confirm coverage, and process claims with insurers or third-party payers.
- Healthcare Operations: For practice management activities such as quality assessment, staff training, compliance audits, and credentialing.
- Appointment Reminders and Health Information: We may contact you (via phone, voicemail, email, text, or postal mail) to remind you of appointments, provide test results, or share information about treatment alternatives or services.
- Business Associates: We may share PHI with vendors performing functions on our behalf. These entities are required by law and contract to safeguard your PHI.
- Other Permitted or Required Disclosures: Without your authorization, we may disclose PHI as required by law, including for:
o Public health reporting | o Law enforcement purposes |
o Judicial or administrative proceedings | o Organ and tissue donation |
o Workers’ compensation claims | o National security or military matters |
o Medical examiner or funeral director services | o Research (under strict oversight and de-identification) |
o Reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence |
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Uses Requiring Your Written Authorization
In situations not described above, we will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI. This includes:
- Marketing communications not otherwise permitted by law
- Sale of your health information
- Psychotherapy notes (with limited exceptions)
- You may revoke any authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already relied on it.
Your Rights Regarding Your PHI
You have the following rights under federal and Texas law:
- Access: Request a copy of your medical and billing records.
- Amend: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Accounting of Disclosures: Request a list of certain disclosures made without your authorization.
- Restrictions: Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures. While we are not required to agree, we will comply with any agreed-upon restrictions.
- Confidential Communications: Request that we contact you in a specific way (e.g., only by phone, or only at work).
- Paper Copy: Request a paper copy of this Notice, even if you receive it electronically.
- To exercise any of these rights, submit a written request to our office listed below.
Electronic and Telecommunications Communications (FCC Compliance)
By providing your phone number and/or email address, you acknowledge and consent to receive communications via voice, SMS/text, or email, including:
- Appointment confirmations
- Lab/test result notifications
- Billing or insurance reminders
- These communications may use automated technology. You may opt out at any time by replying “STOP” to text messages or notifying our office.
- We comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and FCC regulations to protect your privacy in all electronic communications.
Website and Cookies
Our website may collect limited technical information such as IP addresses or browser type for performance and security purposes. We do not use this data for marketing or user profiling. Any email communications submitted via website forms are secured but should not include sensitive medical data.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to revise this Notice at any time. Any revised version will apply to all PHI we maintain. The most current version will be posted in our office and on our website at https://heartdoc.care. You may also request a copy at any time.
Complaints or Questions
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Contact Information
Heart Endovascular and Rhythm of Texas
4310 James Casey Street, Building 1, Suite A
Austin, Texas 78745
(512) 504-7411
info@heartdoc.care
https://heartdoc.care
Please review this Privacy Notice carefully. Your privacy and the confidentiality of your health information are important to us.
