Privacy Practices

How do we use the information that you entrust to us? Legally, we are obligated to give notice of our privacy practices -- but it is something you should know anyway.

Generally Speaking

We can only use your health information within our office, or outside of office for things such as payment, treatment, or healthcare operations. For example, if you needed to be seen by a specialist for treatment, we can share your information in that case. Other than those uses we need your written permission. There are some very limited situations where the law allows us or requires us to disclose your health information without that written consent.

How do we use your information?

Treatment:

• Setting up an appointment
• Testing your eyes
• Prescribing glasses or contacts
• Prescribing medication
• Helping you select glasses or contacts
• Showing you low vision aids

Outside Treatmeant:

• Referral to another doctor or clinic
• Sending prescriptions for glasses or contacts
• Providing prescription for medication to pharmacist
• Phoning to let you know your glasses or contacts are ready

We might also ask for your records from professionals you have seen in the past.

Payment Purposes:

• Asking you about health or vision care plans, or other sources of payment
• Preparing bills
• Processing payments or trying to collect unpaid bills
• When bills or claims are mailed, faxed, or sent by computer

Business Purposes: This represents those things we have to do to keep our office running, whether for internal quality assurance, personnel decisions, business plans, etc.

Where required by Kansas law, we will ask for special written permission from you to release your personal information.

Appointment Reminders: We may call to remind you of your appointment, or other treatments or services.

Without Authorization: There are limited situations where we are allowed or required to use or disclose your information without your permission. Some of these situations may not apply to us:

• Health information report mandated by state or federal law
• Public Health - contagious disease reporting, investigation, or surveillance; notices to and from the FDA about drugs or other medical items
• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence to authorities
• Disclosures for health oversight activities (licensing of doctors, audits by Medicare, investigation of possible healthcare law violations)
• Disclosures for law enforcement purposes
• Disclosures for assistance in identifying individuals
• Disclosures for health related research
• Uses and disclosures to prevent threat to health and safety
• Uses and disclosures for specialized government functions
• Disclosures relating to worker's compensation
• Disclosures to business associates who work with us and agree to keep your health information private

Other Disclosures

And other uses or disclosures of your health information will not be made unless there is a signed, written authorization form. You don't have to sign this form. If you do sign one, you may revoke the permission at any time unless we have already acted relying on on its permission.

Your Rights, Your Information

The law gives you many rights regarding health information.

• You can ask us to communicate with you in a confidential way. We will try to accommodate this request if it is reasonable, and if any extra cost is paid for.
• You can ask to see or to get photocopies of your health information. By law, there are a few situations (limited) where we can refuse to permit access or copying. You may have to pay for photocopies in advance. If your request is denied, a written explanation will be provided.
• You can ask to amend your health information if you have reason to believe it is incorrect or incomplete.
• You can ask for a list of disclosures we have made of your health information. You can get one such list per year without charge, otherwise they must be paid for in advance.

For further information on any of these rights, please contact our office.

Notice of Privacy Practices

We must abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices by law until we change it. We reserve the right to change this notice at any time in compliance with and as allowed by law. If we change this notice, it will apply to your health information already in our records, and future information generated in the future. If we change this Notice, we will post the new notice in the office and website, and copies will be available in our office.

Complaints

If you want more information about our privacy practices, call or visit our office.