Effective Date: July 1, 2025 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.


OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY

JoinCareTeam, PC is required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI) and to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices. This notice describes how we may use and disclose your PHI to carry out treatment, payment, or healthcare operations (TPO) and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law.


I. HOW WE MAY USE & DISCLOSE YOUR PHI

We may use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes without your authorization:

  1. For Treatment: We use your PHI to provide, coordinate, and manage your health care and related services. This includes sharing information with the providers, specialists, nurses, and pharmacists involved in your care, including those working under our Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs). For example, we share your remote monitoring data with your supervising provider and your community pharmacist to adjust your medication plan.
  2. For Payment: We use and disclose your PHI to bill and receive payment for the Care Management Services we provide to you. This includes sharing information with Medicare, your Medicare Advantage plan, or other insurers. For example, we use your diagnosis (ICD-10 codes) and service codes (CPT/HCPCS) to submit claims.
  3. For Healthcare Operations (TPO): We use and disclose your PHI for activities necessary for our healthcare operations, such as compliance review, auditing, quality assessment, and internal training of staff (RNs, care coordinators). This ensures we provide high-quality care.
  4. Business Associates: We may disclose your PHI to our business associates (e.g., software providers like ConnectCareTeam, billing services, Zoom for telemedicine) that perform functions on our behalf. We have a written Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with these entities requiring them to protect your PHI.
  5. Required by Law: We must disclose your PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law (e.g., subpoena, court order, or reporting public health activities).
  6. Public Health Activities: We may disclose your PHI to public health authorities authorized by law to prevent or control disease, injury, or disability, or for the monitoring of FDA-regulated products.
  7. Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose PHI to health oversight agencies (e.g., state boards, CMS) for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and licensure.
  8. Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose PHI in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.

II. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI

You have the following rights regarding the PHI we maintain about you:

  1. Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI in our records. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for the labor and supplies necessary to fulfill this request.
  2. Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI. We are not required to agree to all requests, but if we do agree, we must abide by that agreement (with the exception of emergencies).
  3. Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location (e.g., only call your cell phone).
  4. Right to Amend: You have the right to request an amendment of PHI that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request under certain circumstances but must provide you with a written explanation.
  5. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures we have made of your PHI (excluding disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and certain other exceptions).
  6. Right to Notification of Breach: You have the right to be notified following a breach of your unsecured PHI.
  7. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice, even if you have previously agreed to receive it electronically.

III. USES & DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION

The following uses and disclosures of your PHI will be made only with your written authorization:

  1. Marketing: Disclosure of your PHI for marketing purposes (unless related to general health promotions by the practice).
  2. Sale of PHI: Disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI.
  3. Psychotherapy Notes: Use or disclosure of psychotherapy notes (if applicable).
  4. Other Uses: Any other uses or disclosures not described in this Notice will require your specific written authorization.

You may revoke an authorization at any time by submitting a written request to the Privacy Officer.

IV. OUR DUTIES

We are required by law to:

  1. Maintain the privacy of your PHI.
  2. Provide you with this Notice of our duties and privacy practices.
  3. Abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
  4. Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction.
  5. Notify you if there is a breach of your unsecured PHI.

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the new Notice provisions effective for all PHI that we maintain. If we revise the Notice, we will provide you with the revised copy.

V. CONTACT INFORMATION & COMPLAINTS

    If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

    To file a complaint with JoinCareTeam, PC or for more information about our privacy practices:

    • Contact: Privacy Officer
    • Phone: 1-888-488-0621
    • Address: 6611 University Avenue, Suite 200, PMB 117, Windsor Heights, Iowa 50324

    We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.