Example of uses of your health information for treatment purposes:
Office staff obtains treatment information about you and records it in a health record.  During the course of your treatment, Dr. Satterfield determines a need to consult with another specialist in the area.  Dr. Satterfield and/or his designated staff will share the information with such specialist and obtain input.

Example of use of your health information for payment purposes:
We submit a request for payment to your health insurance company.  The health insurance company requests information from us regarding medical care given.  We will provide information to them about you and the care given.

Example of Use of Your Information for Health Care Operations:

We obtain services from our insurers or other business associates such as quality assessment, quality improvement, outcome evaluation, protocol and clinical guidelines development, training programs, credentialing, medical review, legal services, and insurance.  We will share information about you with such insurers or other business associates as necessary to obtain these services.

Appointment and Patient Recall Reminders:
We may ask that you sign in writing at the Receptionists' Desk, a "Sign In" log on the day of your appointment with the Practice.  We may use and disclose medical information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment for medical care with the Practice or that you are due to receive periodic care from the Practice.  This contact may be by phone, in writing, e-mail, or otherwise and my involve the leaving an e-mail, a message on an answering machines, or otherwise which could (potentially) be received or intercepted by others.

Your Health Information Rights
The health record we maintain and billing records are the physical property of the practice.  The information in it, however, belongs to you.  You have a right to:

• Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your health information by delivering the request in writing to our office.  We are not required to grant the request but we will comply with any request granted;
  
• Request that you be allowed to inspect and copy your health record and billing record-you may exercise this right by delivering the request in writing to our office;
  
• Appeal a denial of access to your protected health information except in certain circumstances;
  
• Request that your health care record be amended to correct incomplete or incorrect information by delivering a written request to our office;
  
• File a statement of disagreement if your amendment is denied, and require that the request for amendment and any denial be attached in all future disclosures of your protected health information;
  
• Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information as required to be maintained by law by delivering a written request to our office.  An accounting will not include internal uses of information for  treatment, payment, or operations, disclosures made to you or made at your request, or disclosures made to family members or friends in the course of providing care;
  
• Request that communication of your health information be made by alternative means or at an alternative location by delivering the request in writing to our office; and, Revoke authorizations that you made previously to use or disclose information except to the extent information or action has already been taken by delivering a written revocation to our office.
  

If you want to exercise any of the above rights, please contact Kathy DePriest, by telephone at (706) 543-8377, or at 2000 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA  30606 in person or in writing, during normal hours.  She will provide you with assistance on the steps to take to exercise your rights.

Our Responsibilities
The practice is required to:
· Maintain the privacy of your health information as required by law;

· Provide you with a notice of our duties and privacy practices as to the information we collect and maintain about you;

· Abide by the terms of this Notice;
· Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested restriction or request; and
· Accommodate your reasonable requests regarding methods to communicate health information with you.