Expert Hand & Upper Limb Therapy

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

 

This notice outlines your protected health information (PHI), how it may be used, and what your rights are. Please review it carefully and ask any questions prior to signing. This notice outlines how your PHI may be used by Optimal Living Solutions, LLC, doing business as FITREHAB (collectively referred to in this notice as "we," "us," or "our"). Questions or complaints about this notice can be directed to Brian Ivy, Owner and Privacy Officer, at brian@fitrehabonline.com or (813) 421-0697.

 

Our Legal Duties
The law requires us to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information in accordance with federal and Florida law.

• Provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices concerning your information.

• Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured information.

• Explain how, when, and why we use and disclose your protected health information.

• Follow the terms of the Notice that is currently in effect.
   

Our Right to Change Terms
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice. Any new provisions will be effective for all PHI we maintain. If we make a material change to this Notice, we will:

• Post the revised Notice on our website.

• Post the revised Notice prominently within our physical clinic location.

• Make the revised Notice available to you upon request in our office.

 

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

The following categories describe different ways that we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) without your written authorization.

• For Treatment: We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your care. This includes sharing information with referring hand surgeons, primary care physicians, or other specialists involved in your treatment. We may also use your PHI to contact you via phone, text, or email as an appointment reminder.

• For Payment: While FITREHAB is a self-pay clinic and does not submit claims directly to health insurance plans, we may use and disclose your PHI to process your direct payments (such as cash, check, or credit cards). If you request a superbill or itemized invoice to seek out-of-pocket reimbursement from your insurance plan, we will disclose the minimal necessary PHI on that document to facilitate your claim.

• For Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for routine business operations, such as internal quality assessment and improvement activities, case management, financial planning, clinical auditing, and customer service. These activities ensure our clients receive high-quality care.

• Required By Law: We will disclose your PHI when explicitly required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

• Public Health Risks: We may disclose your PHI to authorized public health authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.

• Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence: As mandated by Florida law, we may disclose your PHI to a government or social services authority if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

• Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for regulatory activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure reviews necessary for the government to monitor the Florida healthcare system.

• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: If you are involved in a lawsuit or legal dispute, we may disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose your information in response to a valid subpoena or discovery request, but only if reasonable efforts have been made to inform you of the request or to secure a protective order.

• Law Enforcement: We may release PHI for law enforcement purposes as required by law, or in response to a valid court warrant, legal subpoena, or administrative request.

• To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use and disclose your PHI when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health and safety, or the health and safety of another specific person or the general public.

• Business Associates: We may disclose PHI to third-party "business associates" who perform services on our behalf (such as our HIPAA-compliant electronic medical record system or encrypted emailing platform). All business associates are legally bound by contract to protect your privacy.
   

USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION

The following uses and disclosures will only be made with your explicit, written authorization:

• Marketing & Sale of Information: Your trust and privacy are our absolute priorities. We will never sell your protected health information. We will never use or disclose your health information, photography, or video recordings for marketing or social media promotional purposes without your explicit, separate written authorization. You have the absolute right to refuse or revoke this authorization at any time, and doing so will have no effect on the care you receive from us.

• Highly Protected Records: Disclosures of super-confidential medical data, such as HIV/AIDS status or testing, genetic information, substance abuse treatment, or specific mental health records, receive an elevated level of protection under federal and Florida law. These records will never be disclosed without a distinct, separate, and explicit written authorization from you.

You may revoke any written authorization at any time by notifying us in writing.

 

YOUR RIGHT TO OBJECT TO CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES

You have the right and choice to tell us how we share your information in certain situations. You can exercise this right verbally at any time by simply telling us your preferences, or you may notify us in writing via email at admin@fitrehabonline.com.

 

Unless you object, we may use or disclose your protect health information (PHI) in the following circumstances:

• Family and Friends: We may share directly relevant PHI with a family member, relative, close friend, or any other person you identify who is actively involved in your care or the payment for your care. We may also share minimal information to notify these individuals of your general condition or location.

• Disaster Relief & Emergencies: We may share your information with authorized public or private disaster relief organizations (such as the Red Cross) to coordinate your care or notify your family in an emergency. If you are unconscious, incapacitated, or unavailable during an emergency, we will use our professional medical judgment to determine what information is in your best interest to disclose to those involved in your care.
   

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION

You have the following rights regarding the protected health information (PHI) we maintain about you:

• Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical and billing records. To request your records, please email admin@fitrehabonline.com. We will provide access to your records through your secure Client Portal or via encrypted email promptly, and no later than the timeframes required by federal and Florida law. If we deny your request under rare legal circumstances, we will notify you in writing, state the reason for the denial, and outline your rights to request a formal review of that decision.

• Right to Request Restrictions & Mandatory Self-Pay Right: You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the PHI we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. While we are generally not required to agree to all restriction requests, we must and will comply with your request to restrict disclosures to a health insurance plan if the disclosure is for the purpose of carrying out payment or healthcare operations, is not otherwise required by law, and the PHI pertains solely to a healthcare item or service for which you have paid us out-of-pocket in full.

• Right to Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a specific way or at a certain location (for example, only contacting you at a specific personal phone number or mailing items to a specific address). We will accommodate all reasonable requests.

• Right to Request an Amendment: If you feel that the medical or billing information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that we amend the record. To request an amendment, you must submit your request in writing via email to admin@fitrehabonline.com, including a reason that supports your request. We may deny your request if the information was not created by us or is determined to be accurate and complete.

• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an "accounting of disclosures," which is a list of certain instances where we shared your PHI for purposes other than standard treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or those explicitly authorized by you.

• Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to receive a physical paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. Upon completion of your onboarding paperwork, a copy will be available to you through your secure Client Portal. You may also request a paper copy in our office or via email at admin@fitrehabonline.com.

OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES OF YOUR INFORMATION

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your protected health information (PHI) for purposes other than those outlined in this Notice (or as otherwise permitted or required by federal or Florida law). You may revoke any such authorization at any time by notifying us in writing. Upon receipt of your written revocation, we will immediately stop using or disclosing your information, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on your prior authorization.

 

HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT OUR PRIVACY PRACTICES

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a formal complaint. You may file a written complaint directly with us by emailing our Privacy Officer at brian@fitrehabonline.com.

 

You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. Complaints to the Secretary should generally be filed within 180 days of when you became aware of the issue or occurrence.

 

We deeply respect your privacy rights. If you choose to file a complaint, we will not retaliate against you, penalize you, or change your care in any way.