Privacy Policy [3]

Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists only discloses your health information in accordance with federal and state laws that govern protected health information. You may ask us to restrict certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree with your request, but if we do, we will honor it.

Disclosure to the Department of Health and Human Services

We may disclose medical information when required by the United States Department of Health and Human Services as part of an investigation or determination of our compliance with relevant laws.

Family and Friends

We will not disclose any of your medical information to family members, other relatives or close personal friends, even if the medical information is directly relevant to that person's involvement with your care, unless we obtain written consent to do so.

Disaster Relief

We may disclose your medical information to a public or private entity, such as the American Red Cross, for the purpose of coordinating with that entity to assist in disaster relief efforts.

Health Oversight Activities

We may use or disclose your medical information for public health activities, including the reporting of disease, injury, vital events and the conduct of public health surveillance, investigation and/or intervention.

Abuse or Neglect

We may disclose your medical information when it concerns abuse, neglect, or violence to you in accordance with federal and state law.

Legal Proceedings

We may disclose your medical information in the course of certain judicial or administrative proceedings.

Law Enforcement

We may disclose your medical information for law enforcement purposes or other specialized government functions.

Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors

We may disclose your medical information to a coroner, medical examiner or a funeral director.

Organ Donation

If you are an organ donor, we may disclose your medical information to an organ donation and procurement organization.

Research

We may use or disclose your medical information for certain research purposes if an Institutional Review Board or a privacy board has altered or waived individual authorization, the review is preparatory to research, or the research is an only decedent's information.

Public Safety

We may use or disclose your medical information to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the health or safely of another person or to the public.

Workers Compensation

We may disclose your health information as authorized by laws relating to workers' compensation.

Business Associates

We may disclose your health information to a business associate with whom we contract to provide services on our behalf. To protect your health information, we require our business associates to appropriately safeguard the health information of our patients.

To File a Complaint about a Violation of your Privacy

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can either file a complaint with our practice manager at Southwest Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists or with the Federal Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If you file a complaint, you will not be retaliated against in any way.