Notice of Privacy Practices

Our commitment

Refresh Dallas Psychiatry 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. This notice explains how we may use and share your protected health information, or PHI, and the rights you have over it.

A note about our network

Refresh Dallas Psychiatry is part of the Refresh Psychiatry network and participates in an organized health care arrangement with the practices in that network. This means we may share your protected health information with other participating practices in the network as needed for treatment, payment, and health care operations. This single notice applies to Refresh Dallas Psychiatry and to the participating practices in the Refresh Psychiatry network.

How we may use and disclose your health information

We may use and disclose your health information, without your written authorization, for the following purposes:

Treatment. We use your health information to provide and coordinate your psychiatric care. For example, your provider may review your history and current medications to make treatment decisions, or share information with another clinician involved in your care, such as a therapist or primary care physician, when coordinating treatment.

Payment. We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for the services we provide. For example, we may share information with your insurance plan to verify coverage, obtain prior authorization, or submit claims.

Health care operations. We may use and disclose your health information for our own operations, such as quality assessment, staff review, and administrative functions necessary to run the practice.

Telehealth. Because our care is delivered by secure video, your health information is created, transmitted, and stored through our electronic health record and telehealth platform. SimplePractice maintains its own safeguards and operates under a Business Associate Agreement with us.

Business associates. We may share your health information with third parties that perform services on our behalf, for example, our electronic health record vendor, billing services, or secure email provider. Each is required by contract, a Business Associate Agreement, to protect your information.

Appointment reminders and communications. We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment options. We may do this by phone, text, secure patient portal, or email.

Uses and disclosures that may require your authorization

Psychotherapy notes. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, notes recorded by a mental health professional documenting a counseling session that are kept separate from the rest of your record, require your written authorization.

Marketing and sale of information. We will obtain your written authorization before using your health information for most marketing purposes and before any sale of your health information.

Other uses. Other uses and disclosures not described in this notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

Special protections for certain information

Certain categories of information receive heightened protection under federal and Texas law, and may require your specific consent before disclosure, including:

• Substance use disorder treatment records, protected under 42 CFR Part 2.
• Mental health records, protected under Texas Health and Safety Code and other applicable state law.
• HIV/AIDS-related information and other categories as defined by Texas law.

Uses and disclosures permitted or required by law without authorization

We may use or disclose your health information without your authorization in the following circumstances, subject to the limits and conditions set by law:

• When required by federal, state, or local law.
• For public health activities, such as reporting disease or reactions to medications.
• To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
• For health oversight activities, such as audits or investigations.
• In response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process.
• To law enforcement under specific legal conditions.
• To avert a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or others, as permitted or required by applicable law.
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors.
• For workers' compensation as authorized by law.
• For specialized government functions, such as military or national security.

Your rights regarding your health information

You have the following rights, which you may exercise by submitting a written request to us at the contact information above:

Right to access. You may inspect and obtain a copy of your health information, in the form and format you request if readily producible. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by applicable law, and we will respond within the timeframe required by law.

Right to amend. You may request that we amend health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request under certain conditions and will explain any denial in writing.

Right to an accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures we made of your health information.

Right to request restrictions. You may request a restriction on how we use or disclose your information. We are not required to agree, except that we must agree to a request to restrict disclosure to a health plan for a service you paid for in full out of pocket.

Right to confidential communications. You may request that we communicate with you in a certain way or at a certain location, for example, only by secure portal, or only at a specific phone number.

Right to a paper copy. You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Right to be notified of a breach. You have the right to be notified if there is a breach of your unsecured health information.

Our duties

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide this notice, and to abide by its terms while in effect. We reserve the right to change this notice and to make the revised notice effective for information we already have as well as information we receive in the future. If we make a material change, we will post the updated notice on this page and in the patient portal, and make paper copies available on request.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us using the contact information below, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.