Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Rights

• Inspect or obtain a copy of your medical record and other designated-record-set information, subject to limited legal exceptions.
• Request correction or amendment of information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
• Request confidential communications by reasonable alternative means or at alternative locations.
• Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures. We will honor restrictions that HIPAA requires us to honor.
• Request an accounting of certain disclosures.
• Obtain a paper copy of this Notice.
• Authorize a personal representative to exercise rights on your behalf.
• File a complaint without retaliation.

Our Responsibilities

• Maintain the privacy and security of PHI as required by law.
• Follow the Notice currently in effect.
• Notify affected individuals of breaches when legally required.
• Use and disclose PHI only as permitted or required by law or authorized by you.

Permitted Uses and Disclosures

Treatment

We may use and disclose PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your care, including disclosures to other treating clinicians, pharmacies, laboratories, or providers.

Payment

We may use and disclose PHI to bill, collect payment, verify benefits, respond to payment disputes, or perform other lawful payment activities.

Health Care Operations

We may use and disclose PHI for quality, safety, training, credentialing, auditing, legal, compliance, business planning, cybersecurity, and administrative functions.

Business Associates

We may disclose PHI to vendors that perform services for us and require access to PHI. When required, we enter into Business Associate Agreements and require appropriate safeguards.

Appointment and Care Communications

We may contact you regarding appointments, intake, laboratory monitoring, prescriptions, follow-up, treatment alternatives, and other health-related services.

Public Health and Safety

We may use or disclose PHI for public-health activities or to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat when permitted by law.

Health Oversight

We may disclose PHI to authorized oversight agencies for audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, and disciplinary matters.

Legal Proceedings and Law Enforcement

We may disclose PHI in response to lawful process when HIPAA and other law permit or require it.

As Required by Law

We may use or disclose PHI when federal, state, or local law requires it.

Tracking Technologies

Dermatologic Services prohibits disclosure of PHI to unauthorized advertising, tracking, or analytics vendors. Booking, intake, consent, and clinical pages are not configured with advertising pixels or session replay. If a technology vendor creates, receives, maintains, or transmits PHI on our behalf, the vendor may be used only when the disclosure is permitted and any required Business Associate Agreement and Security Rule safeguards are in place.

Electronic Communications

We use reasonable safeguards for electronic communication. If you request or affirmatively elect unencrypted email or SMS after being informed of the risks, we may communicate through that method as permitted by law. We document the election and provide a reasonable alternative when required.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization

We obtain authorization when required by HIPAA or other law. We do not sell PHI. We do not use identifiable patient photographs, testimonials, or clinical information for public marketing without legally sufficient authorization.

State Law and Specially Protected Information

Some jurisdictions provide greater protection for certain health information. When a more protective law applies, Dermatologic Services follows it to the extent required.

Complaints

You may complain to Dermatologic Services or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for exercising privacy rights.

Changes

We may revise this Notice and make the revised Notice effective for PHI we maintain, as permitted by law. The current version will be posted on our website.

Privacy Contact

manager@dermatologicservices.com | 347-291-1877 | 20 W Spring Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003