Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, how you can get access to this information, and your rights regarding your health information. Please review it carefully.

This Notice of Privacy Practices ("Notice") applies to protected health information maintained by ValorSpring Health and Wellness PLLC ("ValorSpring").

Your Rights

You have certain rights regarding your health information.

Get a Copy of Your Health Records

You may ask to see or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.

We will provide access within the time required by law and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted.

Ask Us to Correct Your Health Records

You may ask us to correct health information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.

We may deny certain requests when permitted by law. If we deny your request, we will explain why as required by law.

Request Confidential Communications

You may ask us to communicate with you in a particular way or at a particular location.

For example, you may ask us to call a particular telephone number or send correspondence to a different address.

We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.

Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Disclose

You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

We are generally not required to agree to every request.

If you pay for a healthcare item or service entirely out of pocket, you may ask us not to disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations. We will honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

Get a List of Certain Disclosures

You may ask for an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the period permitted by law.

The accounting does not include every disclosure. For example, many disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations are excluded.

We will provide one accounting within a 12-month period without charge. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests when permitted by law.

Get a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time.

A current copy is also available on our website.

Choose Someone to Act for You

If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian or otherwise legally authorized to act for you, that person may exercise applicable rights concerning your health information.

We will verify the person's authority when required.

File a Complaint

You may file a complaint with ValorSpring if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

ValorSpring will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising your privacy rights.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences about what we disclose.

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, this may include disclosures to:

• Family members
• Friends
• Caregivers
• Other people involved in your care
• People involved in payment for your care

If you are unable to communicate your preference, such as during an emergency, we may disclose information when permitted by law and when we determine disclosure is in your best interest.

We will obtain written authorization for uses or disclosures when authorization is required by law.

You may generally revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance upon it.

How We Typically Use and Disclose Your Health Information

Treatment

We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your healthcare.

For example, a ValorSpring psychiatric provider may coordinate with a primary care provider or another healthcare professional involved in your treatment when permitted by law.

Because ValorSpring may provide both psychiatric and primary care services, appropriate information may be used to coordinate physical and behavioral healthcare, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements.

Payment

We may use and disclose health information to bill and obtain payment for services.

For example, we may provide information to your health insurer when necessary to determine coverage or obtain payment.

Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose health information to operate our practice.

This may include:

• Quality improvement
• Compliance activities
• Staff training
• Credentialing
• Practice management
• Patient safety
• Auditing
• Business planning
• Technology administration

Other Uses and Disclosures

We may use or disclose health information when permitted or required by law for purposes including:

• Public health activities
• Health and safety activities
• Reporting suspected abuse or neglect when authorized or required
• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety
• Health oversight activities
• Certain research activities
• Workers' compensation
• Certain law-enforcement purposes
• Judicial and administrative proceedings
• Coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director activities
• Organ and tissue donation
• Certain government functions
• Compliance with federal, state, or local law

The information disclosed and conditions governing disclosure depend upon applicable law.

Mental Health Information

ValorSpring provides psychiatric and behavioral healthcare.

Federal and Washington law may provide additional confidentiality protections for mental health information. We use and disclose mental health treatment information only as permitted or required by applicable law.

Where Washington law provides greater confidentiality protections than federal law, we follow applicable Washington requirements.

Psychotherapy notes, when maintained as legally defined psychotherapy notes, receive special protection and generally require authorization for use or disclosure except where otherwise permitted by law.

Substance Use Disorder Records

Certain substance use disorder ("SUD") patient records may be protected by federal confidentiality law, including 42 CFR Part 2.

To the extent ValorSpring creates, receives, or maintains records protected by Part 2, those records will be used and disclosed in accordance with applicable federal requirements.

Part 2 records generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against a patient based on the content of those records except as permitted by federal law.

Additional protections and restrictions may apply to the use, disclosure, and redisclosure of Part 2 records.

Psychiatry

Health information generated through psychiatric services may include:

• Psychiatric history
• Symptoms
• Diagnoses
• Medications
• Treatment plans
• Clinical assessments
• Other behavioral health information

We protect this information according to HIPAA, Washington law, and other applicable confidentiality requirements.

Primary Care

Information generated through primary care services may include medical histories, examination findings, diagnoses, medications, laboratory information, treatment plans, referrals, and other healthcare information.

We may appropriately coordinate this information with other professionals involved in your care as permitted by law.

Assessments

Information generated through psychiatric, behavioral health, ADHD, autism, cognitive, or other clinical assessments may become part of your health record.

Assessment records and results are used and disclosed according to applicable federal and Washington confidentiality requirements.

Telehealth

Health information created, communicated, or maintained during telehealth services is protected in the same manner as other health information, subject to applicable law.

ValorSpring uses technologies and safeguards designed to protect telehealth communications.

Patients should participate in telehealth appointments from a private location when reasonably possible and notify their provider if they have privacy concerns.

Electronic Patient Portal

ValorSpring provides or may provide patients access to health information and communication tools through an electronic patient portal.

Patients are responsible for protecting their portal login credentials and should notify ValorSpring if they believe their account has been accessed without authorization.

Our Responsibilities

ValorSpring is required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.
• Provide you with this Notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices.
• Follow the privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect.
• Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when required by law.

We will not use or disclose your health information in ways not described in this Notice unless you authorize us to do so in writing or applicable law otherwise permits or requires the use or disclosure.

If you authorize us to use or disclose your health information, you may generally revoke that authorization in writing at any time, subject to actions already taken in reliance on the authorization.

Washington Privacy Protections

Washington law provides additional protections for certain healthcare information, including certain mental health information.

When Washington law provides greater privacy protections than federal law, ValorSpring complies with applicable Washington requirements.

Additional restrictions may apply to information concerning mental health services, minors, reproductive healthcare, sexually transmitted infections, substance use disorder treatment, and other specially protected information.

Changes to This Notice

ValorSpring may change this Notice and make the revised Notice effective for health information we already maintain as well as information we receive in the future, as permitted by law.

The current Notice will be available upon request and on our website.

Questions and Complaints

For questions about this Notice, requests concerning your privacy rights, or complaints, contact:

Privacy Officer
ValorSpring Health and Wellness PLLC
100 N Howard St Ste R
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: (509) 800-7761
Email: [email protected]

You may also file a complaint with the:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights

ValorSpring will not retaliate against you for exercising your privacy rights or filing a complaint.