Privacy Policy
Our commitment to protecting your privacy and personal health information.
Last updated: March 17, 2025
Introduction
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND TREATMENT INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION, AND YOUR RIGHTS WITH REGARD TO YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. QUESTIONS CAN BE DIRECTED TO PRIVACY@HOPEWELLNESS.COM.
Your health information is personal, and we are committed to protecting it. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your care center or the Hope Wellness Privacy Office using the contact information provided at the end of this document.
We are providing you with this notice, as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). As a health care provider, HIPAA requires Hope Wellness to respect and protect patient "protected health information" or "PHI" and requires us to be transparent with you regarding our practices concerning our collection, use and sharing of PHI obtained from or about you. HIPAA also requires us to make you aware of your privacy rights, including your ability to exercise your choice (i.e., "consent," also referred to as an "authorization") and provide your permission for us to collect, use, or share your PHI.
Hope Wellness uses and discloses health information about you for treatment, to obtain payment for treatment, for administrative purposes, to evaluate the quality of care that you receive, and for other purposes permitted by HIPAA and applicable law. Hope Wellness is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and provide you a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to that information and to provide you with notice of a disclosure or breach of your unsecured protected health information.
Protections for Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes mean notes recorded by a health care provider who is a mental health professional documenting or analyzing the contents of conversation during a private counseling session or a group, joint, or family counseling session and that are separated from the rest of the individual's medical record. The legal definition of psychotherapy notes under HIPAA excludes medication prescription and monitoring, counseling session start and stop times, the modalities and frequencies of treatment furnished, results of clinical tests, and any summary of the following items: Diagnosis, functional status, the treatment plan, symptoms, prognosis, and progress to date.
Psychotherapy notes may be treated differently from other mental health information both because they contain particularly sensitive information and because they are the personal notes of the therapist that typically are not required or useful for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes, other than by the mental health professional who created the notes. Therefore, with few exceptions, the Privacy Rule requires a covered entity to obtain a patient's authorization prior to a disclosure of psychotherapy notes for any reason, including a disclosure for treatment purposes to a health care provider other than the originator of the notes. Unlike other PHI, a healthcare provider may deny a patient or their personal representative access to psychotherapy notes.
Substance Use Disorder Medical Records
Hope Wellness offers substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. These SUD treatment records cannot be used to investigate or prosecute the patient without written patient consent or a court order. Records obtained in an audit or evaluation of Hope Wellness's program cannot be used to investigate or prosecute patients, absent written consent of the patients or a court order that meets the additional privacy requirements. A separate and specific patient consent for the use and disclosure of SUD counseling notes is required and available by contacting us as outlined at the bottom of this Notice.
Hope Wellness may use a single SUD records authorization for all future uses and disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations (TPO). HIPAA covered entities and business associates that receive records under this SUD records authorization may redisclose the records in accordance with the HIPAA regulations. SUD records are permitted to be disclosed without patient consent to public health authorities, provided that the records disclosed are de-identified according to the standards established in the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
Health Information Exchange
Hope Wellness participates in a non-profit, non-governmental health information exchange (HIE). Participation does not cost patients anything and can help health care providers better coordinate a patient's care and treatment by securely sharing health information. By opting in during your engagement signing the Patient Services Agreement, you have allowed your health information to be shared through the HIE, your provider is able to access it electronically in a secure and timely manner to ensure the most appropriate care and treatment.
HIE does receive behavioral health information, including substance abuse treatment records. Federal law gives special confidentiality protection to substance abuse treatment records from some substance abuse treatment programs. HIE keeps protected substance abuse treatment records separate from the rest of your health information. HIE will only share these protected substance abuse treatment records it receives from these programs in two cases: 1) medical personnel may access this information in a medical emergency, and 2) upon receiving sign a consent form giving your healthcare provider or others access to this information.
Information We Collect
Personal Information
We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:
- Register for an account
- Schedule appointments
- Fill out forms or surveys
- Contact us
- Participate in our services
Health Information
As a healthcare provider, we collect protected health information (PHI) in accordance with HIPAA regulations. This includes information related to your medical history, mental health conditions, treatment plans, and other health-related information necessary for providing care.
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage of our services, including IP address, browser type, operating system, and pages visited.
How We Use Your Information
Hope Wellness may use and disclose your health information for:
- Treatment: To provide you with mental health treatment or services or to assist in the coordination, continuation or management of your care and any related services.
- Payment: To obtain payment for treatment and services that you receive. For example, a bill may be sent to you or to a third-party payer, such as an insurance company or health plan.
- Healthcare Operations: For operational purposes, quality assessment, and improvement activities.
- Communications: To provide appointment reminders, treatment alternatives, and services that may be of interest to you.
- Required by Law: When required or permitted by federal, state, or local law.
- Public Health: For public health activities such as preventing or controlling disease.
- Health and Safety: To prevent or lessen a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
- Research: For research purposes under certain limited circumstances with appropriate approvals.
Information Sharing
We may share your information with:
- Healthcare providers involved in your care
- Insurance companies for billing purposes
- Family members or others involved in your care (with your permission)
- Service providers who assist in our operations
- Legal authorities when required by law
- Health oversight agencies for audits and investigations
- Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors when necessary
- Organizations involved in organ and tissue donation (if you are a donor)
- Workers' compensation programs when applicable
- Business associates who perform functions on our behalf (with appropriate safeguards)
Your Rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights:
- Request a restriction: You may request that we limit the way we use or share your personal information.
- Request restriction to a health plan: You may request that certain health care services you pay for fully at the time of service not be shared with your health plan.
- Access your records: You can view, inspect, and obtain a copy of your health and billing records.
- Request corrections: You may request that your health record be amended if you believe the information is incomplete or inaccurate.
- Request confidential communications: You can ask us to communicate with you using alternative means or at a different mailing address.
- Receive an accounting of disclosures: You can obtain a list of instances in which we have disclosed your health information.
- Obtain a paper copy of this Notice: You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time.
- Opt-out of Health Information Exchange: You can opt out at any time and decline to have your health information shared through health information exchange.
- File a complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Department of Health and Human Services.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
Hope Wellness
Email: privacy@hopewellness.com
Phone: (555) 123-4567
Address: 123 Main Street, Suite 100, City, State 12345
In Case of Emergency
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Related Policies
Need Help?
If you have questions about our privacy practices or need to request access to your information, our team is here to help.