YOUR INFORMATION. YOUR RIGHTS. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
This Notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to this information. Please review it carefully.
This Notice applies to Lūmari Aesthetix & Wellness Co. and healthcare services provided through Lūmari to the extent those services and records are subject to applicable federal and Texas healthcare privacy laws.
YOUR RIGHTS
You have certain rights regarding your health information.
Get a Copy of Your Medical Record
You may request an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
We will provide access, a copy, or a summary as required by applicable law. A reasonable cost-based fee may apply when permitted.
Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record
You may ask us to correct health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
We may deny certain requests as permitted by law, but if we do, we will explain our decision.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to communicate with you in a particular manner or at a particular location.
For example, you may request that we contact you through a specific telephone number or mailing address.
We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
We are not required to agree to every request.
If we agree, we will comply with the restriction except when disclosure is necessary to provide emergency treatment or another exception applies.
If you pay for a healthcare service or item entirely out of pocket, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations.
We will honor such a request when required by law unless disclosure is otherwise required.
Get a List of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the period allowed by law.
The accounting will not include every disclosure. For example, certain disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations generally are excluded.
Get a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
This Notice is also available on our website.
Choose Someone to Act for You
If another individual has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as through medical power of attorney or legal guardianship, that person may exercise your rights as allowed by law.
We may verify the person's authority before acting on a request.
File a Privacy Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Lūmari.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising a privacy right.
YOUR CHOICES
For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences regarding what we share.
You may have choices regarding:
Sharing information with family members
Sharing information with friends or others involved in your care
Sharing information during disaster-relief situations
Certain marketing activities
Fundraising communications
If you are unable to tell us your preference, such as in an emergency, we may share information when permitted by law and when we believe disclosure is in your best interest.
We may also disclose information when necessary to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
MARKETING AND SALE OF INFORMATION
We will obtain written authorization before using or disclosing protected health information for marketing activities when authorization is required by law.
We will not sell protected health information without authorization when authorization is required.
Most disclosures of psychotherapy notes also require written authorization.
If you authorize a use or disclosure, you may revoke that authorization in writing, subject to applicable legal limitations and actions already taken in reliance on the authorization.
HOW WE MAY USE OR SHARE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
Treatment
We may use and disclose health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare.
For example, we may share relevant health information with:
Another treating provider
A laboratory
A pharmacy
A specialist
An imaging provider
Another healthcare professional involved in your care
Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose health information to operate our practice and improve the care and services we provide.
This may include:
Quality assessment
Clinical review
Staff education
Credentialing
Compliance
Business management
Patient communication
Care coordination
Administrative activities
Payment
We may use and disclose health information when necessary for billing, payment, collection, or related activities.
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES
We may use or disclose health information when permitted or required by law for purposes including the following.
Public Health and Safety
We may disclose health information for public-health activities such as:
Preventing or controlling disease
Reporting adverse reactions
Product recalls
Reporting suspected abuse or neglect
Reporting information required by public-health authorities
Preventing or reducing serious threats to health or safety
Health Oversight
We may disclose health information to authorized health-oversight agencies for activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, credentialing, or disciplinary proceedings.
Complying With the Law
We will disclose health information when required by applicable federal or state law.
Research
We may use or disclose health information for research when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied.
Workers' Compensation
We may disclose health information as permitted or required for workers' compensation or similar programs.
Law Enforcement and Government Requests
We may disclose health information to law-enforcement or government officials in circumstances permitted or required by law.
Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors
We may disclose health information to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors when permitted or required by law.
Organ and Tissue Donation
We may disclose appropriate health information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation when applicable.
Legal Proceedings
We may disclose health information in response to a valid court order, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful legal process when permitted or required.
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RECORDS
To the extent that Lūmari maintains substance use disorder patient records that are protected by 42 CFR Part 2, additional confidentiality protections may apply.
Part 2 information generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against the patient unless the disclosure is authorized by the patient or permitted pursuant to applicable legal requirements, including an appropriate court order and subpoena where required.
Additional limitations and protections may apply to Part 2 records.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
We are required, when applicable, to:
Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information
Follow the privacy practices described in this Notice
Provide you with a copy of this Notice
Notify affected individuals following certain breaches of unsecured protected health information
Obtain written authorization for uses and disclosures requiring authorization
Comply with applicable federal and Texas healthcare privacy laws
We will not use or disclose your health information in a manner not described in this Notice unless you authorize us in writing or another use or disclosure is permitted or required by law.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
With your permission or when otherwise permitted by law, we may communicate electronically regarding:
Appointments
Patient portal messages
Laboratory results
Prescription information
Treatment information
Follow-up care
Healthcare instructions
Billing or administrative matters
Electronic communications such as standard email and text messaging may involve privacy or security limitations.
You may request reasonable alternative methods of communication.
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES
Lūmari may use outside organizations to perform certain services involving protected health information.
When required by law, these organizations are considered business associates and must appropriately safeguard protected health information.
These may include certain:
Electronic medical record companies
IT providers
Billing companies
Communication providers
Data-storage companies
Administrative service providers
Other healthcare vendors
TEXAS PRIVACY PROTECTIONS
Lūmari also complies with applicable Texas laws governing medical records and confidential health information.
Where Texas law provides greater privacy protection than federal law, we will comply with the applicable requirement.
BREACH NOTIFICATION
We will notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by applicable law.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We may change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices.
Any changes may apply to health information we already maintain as well as information created or received in the future.
The current Notice will be available upon request, at our practice, and on our website.
QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS
If you have questions about this Notice, wish to exercise a privacy right, or wish to file a complaint, contact: