Privacy Policy
Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists respects the privacy of visitors to our web site and the privacy of our patients. This statement of our privacy policy describes the personal information we collect and how and when we use or disclose that information. It also describes your rights as they relate to your protected health information. This notice is effective September 1, 2007. It applies to the privacy of our web site visitors and to the health information of our patients.
Web Site Visitor Privacy
Our policy is to allow our users to anonymously access the information on this web site. This web site does not place cookies in your browser. Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists does not collect, sell, or provide any personally identifiable information regarding you or other users, unless you voluntarily provide such information to us for that purpose. This web site does not provide a secure connection or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols.
Access to this web site is logged and regularly monitored. The requested documents, the IP address originating the request, and the time of the request is logged for statistics and security purposes. Any unauthorized access to the server hosting this web site is strictly prohibited and is subject to criminal and civil penalties under local, state, federal and international laws.
Transmitting Information via our Web Site
Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists cannot guarantee that all electronic communication is totally secure. Any information sent through our web site, or via associated feedback forms, is transmitted at the user's own risk. Please contact our office by telephone if you need to communicate highly confidential or private information. Once we receive such information, it becomes the property of Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists and is protected in a manner that complies with state and federal privacy laws.
Patient Health Information Privacy
Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists, PLC places the utmost importance on protecting the health information of our patients. Each time you visit the actual clinic of Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists in Tucson, AZ, a record of your visit is made. Typically, this record contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, and treatment plans. This information is referred to as your health or medical record and serves as a:
- Basis for planning your medical care and treatment
- Means of communication among the many health professionals who contribute to your care
- Legal document describing the care you received
- Means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided
- Tool in educating health professionals
- Source of data for medical research
- Tool by which we can assess and continually work to improve the orthopedic care we render and the outcomes we achieve.
Your Health Information Rights
Although your health information becomes the physical property of Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists, the information belongs to you. Understanding what is in your record and how your health information is used helps you to: ensure its accuracy; better understand who, what, when, where, and why others may access your health information; and make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others. You have the right to:
- Obtain a copy of our current privacy policy
- Inspect and obtain a copy of your health record
- Amend your health record as provided by by 45 CFR 164.526
- Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information
- Request confidential communications of your health information
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your health information
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