PNW Wound Specialist LLC — Notice of Privacy Practices
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Your rights
- See and obtain records. Ask for an electronic or paper copy of your medical record. We respond within the time required by Washington and federal law. Any fee must be lawful and reasonable.
- Request a correction. Ask us to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. If we deny the request, we explain why in writing and explain your right to submit a statement of disagreement.
- Choose private communications. Request a different mailing address or a particular way to contact you. We accommodate reasonable requests.
- Request limits. Ask us to limit uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, or operations. We may not have to agree. If you pay in full out of pocket for an item or service, we must honor your request not to disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or operations, unless disclosure is required by law.
- Obtain an accounting. Ask for a list of certain disclosures during the previous six years. The list generally excludes treatment, payment, operations, authorized disclosures, and other exceptions. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; we explain any lawful fee for additional requests.
- Receive this notice. Ask for a paper copy at any time, even if you received it electronically.
- Have an authorized representative. A person with legal authority may exercise applicable rights for you. We verify that authority.
- Complain without retaliation. Contact our privacy contact below or the HHS Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate.
Routine uses and disclosures
When permitted by law, we use or share health information to:
- Treat you: coordinate wound care, for example with your primary care provider or home health team.
- Bill for care: send information required for an insurance claim or payment review.
- Run the practice: improve care, perform quality review, manage services, and train staff.
Vendors supporting our practice must protect information under required agreements. We limit information as required by law.
Other legally permitted disclosures
Only when the applicable legal conditions are met, we may disclose information for public health; reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; preventing a serious health or safety threat; health oversight; legally permitted research; organ donation; coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors; workers’ compensation; limited law enforcement or special government purposes; and court or administrative proceedings. We disclose information when law requires it, including for privacy compliance oversight. A request or subpoena alone does not override applicable confidentiality protections.
Your choices and written permission
Tell us whether we may share relevant information with family, friends, or others involved in your care or payment. We follow applicable permission and objection rules. If you cannot express a choice, limited sharing may be allowed based on professional judgment and your best interests or an emergency.
Uses not described here generally require your written authorization. Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, marketing uses, and sales of protected health information require a specific written authorization, subject to legal exceptions. You may revoke an authorization in writing; revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on it. If we contact you for fundraising, you may opt out without affecting treatment or payment.
Additional confidentiality protections
Washington law provides additional protections for some records, including mental health, substance use disorder, HIV/STI, and certain minor-consented services. We follow the more protective applicable rules and obtain specific permission when required. A general acknowledgment of this notice does not authorize release of these records.
To the extent we hold substance use disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we follow applicable consent and disclosure restrictions. Those records cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your specific written consent or a court order and subpoena meeting Part 2 requirements. Any consent for proceedings must be separate from consent for other purposes. Before any fundraising use of Part 2 records, we provide clear advance notice and a choice about receiving those communications.
Our responsibilities
We protect the privacy and security of your health information, provide this notice, follow the notice currently in effect, and notify you as required if a breach of unsecured protected health information occurs. We may revise this notice; a lawful revision may apply to records already held. The current notice will be available on request and on our website.
Questions, requests, or complaints
Privacy contact: PNW Wound Specialist LLC
Phone: 509-209-9033
Email: info@pnwwoundspecialist.com
Call to arrange a secure records request or communication. Do not send a Social Security number or detailed medical records through ordinary email.
You may also complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201, or through HHS privacy complaint information.