Privacy policy
Dalton Optometry Privacy Policy
Amended: September 15, 2021
Dalton Optometry is required by law to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of your health information and to provide our patients with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.
By using our services, you are agreeing to the collection, use, disclosure, and procedures described in this Privacy Policy.
For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “health information” is information that individually identifies you and that we create or receive from you or from another health care provider, health plan, your employer, or a health care clearinghouse and that relates to (1) your past, present, or future physical or mental health or conditions, (2) the provision of health care to you, or (3) the past, present, or future payment for your health care.
Collection of Your Health Care Information
Using the Dalton Optometry website, you can request an appointment with our practice. In order to request an appointment via the website, you must provide certain information, such as the requested appointment date, the reason for your visit, your first and last name, email address, date of birth, address, phone number, and insurance information.
During your visit, you may also provide Dalton Optometry with your medical history, insurance information, details regarding your lifestyle and hobbies, your current medications, and other health information.
The Dalton Optometry website is not intended for use by, or directed to, persons under the age of 18. Any individual who provides their information to Dalton Optometry represents to us that they are 18 years of age or older.
Disclosure of Your Health Care Information
Treatment
The most common reason why Dalton Optometry uses or discloses your health information is for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
Dalton Optometry may use any of the information that you provide via the website, over the phone, via fax, or in person, to provide you with the services that you have requested, to answer any questions you may have, and to assist you in using the website.
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to other healthcare professionals within and beyond our practice for the purpose of treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. For instance, it may be necessary on occasion to seek consultation regarding your condition from other health care providers associated with Dalton Optometry or other healthcare providers.
Payment
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to your insurance provider for the purpose of payment or health care operations.
Workers’ Compensation
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information as necessary to comply with State Workers’ Compensation Laws.
Emergencies
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, or another person responsible for your care, about your medical condition or in the event of an emergency or of your death.
Public Health
As required by law, Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to public health authorities for purposes related to: (1) preventing or controlling disease, (2) injury or disability, (3) reporting child abuse or neglect, (4) reporting domestic violence, (5) reporting to the Food and Drug Administration problems with products and reactions to medications, and (6) reporting disease or infection exposure.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information in the course of any administrative or judicial proceeding.
Law Enforcement
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to law enforcement officials for purposes such as identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person, complying with a court order or subpoena, and other law enforcement purposes.
Deceased Persons
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to coroners or medical examiners.
Organ Donation
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to organizations involved in procuring, banking, or transplanting organs and tissues.
Research
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to researchers conducting research that has been approved by an Institutional Review Board.
Public Safety
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information to appropriate persons in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or to the general public.
Specialized Government Agencies
Dalton Optometry may disclose your health information for military, national security, prisoner, and government benefits purposes.
Change of Ownership
In the event that this practice is sold or merged with another organization, your health information and health record will become the property of the new owner.
Other Uses and Disclosures
Uses and disclosures of your health information for marketing purposes and disclosures that constitute a sale of your health information will only be made with your written authorization.
Dalton Optometry will not make any other uses or disclosures of your protected health information unless you sign a written authorization form with content mandated by federal law. We may initiate the authorization process if the use or disclosure is our initiative, or you may initiate the process for us to send your information to someone else.
If we initiate the process and ask you to sign an authorization form, you do not have to sign it. If you do not sign the authorization, we cannot make the use or disclosure. If you do sign the authorization form, you may revoke it at any time unless we have already acted in reliance upon it.
Retention of Your Health Information
By law, we will retain all of your protected health information for at least seven (7) years [LC1] after the last date of your encounter with one of our doctors. After this time your health information may be shredded or disposed of in another confidential method.
Protection of Your Health Information
Dalton Optometry uses a variety of security measures to make sure your information is reasonably safe. We secure your data through the programming of our website and the use of security measures that we deem appropriate for the type of data provided.
However, we cannot completely guarantee that no part of our system will ever fail or be compromised. If you ever suspect that the website or provision of services have contributed to your information being compromised, please contact us immediately so that we can investigate and seek to resolve the matter.
Your Health Information Rights
You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. Please be advised, however, that Dalton Optometry is not required to agree to the restriction(s) that you request.
Means of Communication
You have the right to have your health information received or communicated through an alternative method or sent to an alternative location other than the usual method of communication or delivery.
Copying, Amending, and Accounting
You have the right to inspect and copy your health information. We generally have up to 30 days to make your health information available to you, although we may have one 30-day extension if we send you written notice of the extension. We may charge you a reasonable fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request to the extent permitted by state and federal law.
You have a right to request that Dalton Optometry amend your protected health information.
You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your protected health information made by Dalton Optometry. By law, the accounting list will not include: (1) disclosures for purposes of treatment, payment, or health care operations; (2) disclosures with your authorization; (3) incidental disclosures; (4) disclosures required by law; and (5) some other limited disclosures. The first accounting you request within any 12-month period will be free. If you want more frequent accounting lists, you will have to pay for them in advance. We will tell you about the costs in advance and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request before the costs are incurred.
You have a right to a paper copy of this Dalton Optometry Privacy Policy at any time upon request.
Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices
Dalton Optometry may periodically make changes to this Privacy Policy and in such event will post a new version of this Privacy Policy on this website. It is your responsibility to review this Privacy Policy each time you visit the Dalton Optometry website and remain informed about any changes to it. Your continued use of the website and Dalton Optometry services after any changes are made to this Privacy Policy constitutes your agreement to the Privacy Policy as modified.
Dalton Optometry is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information. If you have questions about any part of this notice or if you want more information about your privacy rights, please contact us by calling this office. If the Doctor is not available, you may make an appointment for a personal conference in person, or by telephone, within two working days.
Complaints
Complaints about your privacy rights or how Dalton Optometry has handled your health information should be directed to the Doctor, by calling this office. If the Doctor is not available, you may make an appointment for a personal conference in person, or by telephone, within two working days.
If you are not satisfied with the manner in which Dalton Optometry handles your complaint, you may submit a formal complaint to:
DHHS, Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20201