HIPAA Notice
of Privacy Practices

Our Commitment

Essam Rashad, MD ("we," "us," or "Dr. Rashad") is committed to protecting the privacy of your Protected Health Information ("PHI"). This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your PHI, your rights regarding your PHI, and our legal duties under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") and applicable Texas state law.

Uses & Disclosures Without Your Authorization

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

For Treatment

We may use and disclose your PHI to provide consultation services and to coordinate with other healthcare providers involved in your care. For example, with your authorization, we may discuss your case with your treating physician to provide a peer-to-peer consultation.

For Payment

We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the services we provide. For example, we may include limited PHI on receipts or superbills you request for insurance reimbursement.

For Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose your PHI for activities necessary to operate our practice, such as quality improvement, business planning, and administrative functions.

As Required by Law

We will disclose your PHI when required by federal, state, or local law, including in response to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process.

For Public Health Activities

We may disclose your PHI to public health authorities for purposes such as preventing or controlling disease, reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting reactions to medications, or reporting suspected adverse events.

For Health Oversight Activities

We may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure actions.

To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety

We may use and disclose your PHI when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of others.

For Specialized Government Functions

We may disclose your PHI for military, national security, or correctional purposes, or for certain other government functions as permitted by law.

For Workers' Compensation

We may disclose your PHI as necessary to comply with workers' compensation laws.

To Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors

We may disclose your PHI to coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors as necessary for them to perform their duties.

For Research

We may use and disclose your PHI for research purposes when the research has been approved by an institutional review board and appropriate privacy protections are in place. In most cases, we will request your written authorization for research use.

To Business Associates

We may disclose your PHI to third-party "business associates" who perform services on our behalf (such as billing, IT, hosting, or analytics providers). We require business associates to safeguard your PHI through written Business Associate Agreements.

Uses & Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization

Other uses and disclosures of your PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. This includes:

• Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes (where applicable)
• Use of PHI for marketing purposes
• Sale of PHI
• Sharing of PHI with family members, friends, or other third parties not authorized above

You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already taken action in reliance on it.

Your Rights Regarding Your PHI

Right to Inspect & Copy

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI maintained by us. To request access, submit a written request to hello@rashadmd.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may charge a reasonable fee for the costs of copying, mailing, or other supplies associated with your request, as permitted by law.

Right to Amend

You have the right to request amendment of PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Submit a written request explaining the reason for the amendment. We may deny your request in certain circumstances and will provide a written explanation if we do.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI in the six (6) years preceding your request. The first accounting in any 12-month period is provided free of charge; we may charge a reasonable fee for additional requests.

Right to Request Restrictions

You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI. We are not required to agree to your request unless the restriction relates to a disclosure to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations and the PHI pertains solely to a service for which you have paid out-of-pocket in full.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a particular way or at a particular location (e.g., to send mail to a specific address rather than another). We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice

You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. Email hello@rashadmd.com to request one.

Right to Be Notified of a Breach

You have the right to be notified in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI as required by law.

Our Responsibilities

We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your PHI
• Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
• Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your PHI
• Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect

We reserve the right to change this Notice. Changes will apply to all PHI we maintain, including PHI created or received before the change. The current Notice will be posted on this Site, and we will provide a copy upon request.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us by contacting:

Essam Rashad, MD
Privacy Officer
Email: hello@rashadmd.com

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, by:

• Mail: 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201
• Phone: 1-877-696-6775
• Web: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Acknowledgment

We may ask you to acknowledge receipt of this Notice as part of our intake process. Your acknowledgment does not constitute consent for any specific use or disclosure of your PHI beyond those described above.