Notice of Privacy Practices

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Grace and Grit Wellness LLC d/b/a True North Medical Services

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.

Effective on Date Signed within Client Portal

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Grace and Grit Wellness LLC, ("Practice," "we," "us"), is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information ("PHI"), to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI, and to abide by the terms of this Notice while it is in effect. This Notice applies to all clinical records we create or receive, including records generated in connection with independent medical opinions ("IMOs"), Disability Benefits Questionnaires ("DBQs"), and nexus letters prepared at your request.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

Treatment

We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your care and any related services. This includes reviewing your medical and service records, conducting evaluations, and preparing independent medical opinions, DBQs, or nexus letters based on our independent clinical judgment.

Payment

We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for services we provide to you, including billing and collection activities.

Health Care Operations

We may use and disclose your PHI for our own internal operations, such as quality assessment, staff training, licensing/credentialing review, and business planning.

Independent Medical Opinion and Referral-Related Disclosures

If you were referred to us by a third party (such as a veterans' advocacy or claims-consulting organization), that referring party does not have access to your clinical records, your evaluation, or the content of any opinion, DBQ, or nexus letter we prepare, unless you separately and specifically authorize such disclosure in writing.
We do not automatically submit your evaluation, opinion, DBQ, or nexus letter to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") or to any third party on your behalf. You control whether, when, and how any documentation we provide to you is submitted to VA or shared with anyone else, unless you have separately engaged us in writing to submit it directly.
We are an independent evaluator. No referring organization directs, edits, or influences the clinical findings or conclusions in any opinion we prepare.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization

The following uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization, which you may revoke at any time in writing (except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it):

Disclosure of psychotherapy notes, if any are created.
Use or disclosure of your PHI for marketing purposes.
Any sale of your PHI.
Disclosure of your evaluation, opinion, DBQ, or nexus letter to any referring organization, employer, attorney, or other third party not otherwise permitted under this Notice.

Other Permitted or Required Disclosures Without Authorization

We may use or disclose your PHI without your authorization in the following circumstances, as permitted or required by law:

When required by federal, state, or local law, including mandatory reporting laws.
To avert a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or that of another person.
For public health activities, health oversight activities, and judicial or administrative proceedings, in each case as permitted by law.
To coroners, medical examiners, or as otherwise required for law enforcement purposes, as narrowly permitted by law.
To the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, when required for enforcement of the HIPAA Rules.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI that we maintain, with limited exceptions. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.
Right to Request Amendment. You have the right to request that we amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances permitted by law, and will provide our reasons in writing.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI we have made, other than disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, and certain other exceptions.
Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request that we restrict certain uses or disclosures of your PHI. We are not required to agree to all requested restrictions, except where the disclosure is to a health plan for payment or operations purposes and pertains to a service you paid for out-of-pocket in full, in which case we must agree.
Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your PHI in a specific way or at a specific location (for example, by mail rather than email).
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice at any time upon request, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Right to File a Complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer using the contact information below, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Right to Notification of a Breach. You have the right to be notified in the event we (or a business associate) discover a breach of your unsecured PHI, as required by law.

Our Duties

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.
We are required to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.
We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect.
We will not use or disclose your PHI other than as described in this Notice, except with your written authorization.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already maintain, as well as PHI we create or receive in the future. We will make the current version of this Notice available upon request and post it through our client portal.

Contact Information and Complaints

If you have questions about this Notice or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact:

Privacy Officer: Patricia Coleman

Grace and Grit Wellness LLC d/b/a True North Medical Services

Address: 4000 Faber Place Dr Suite 300 Rm 360 North Charleston, SC 29405

Phone: 843-270-8853

Email: info@truenorthvet.net

You may also file a complaint with:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights

200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201

www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

Toll-Free: 1-800-368-1019