Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 11/13/23
Thank you for visiting Cohen Care, a healthcare website dedicated to providing information and services related to healthcare. This Privacy Policy outlines the types of information we may collect, how we use and protect it, and your choices regarding the information you provide.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Personal Information:
We may collect personally identifiable information (PII) such as your name, contact information, and other details when you voluntarily provide them, for example, when filling out forms or registering on our website.
1.2 Health Information:
Cohen Care may collect health-related information to provide personalized services. This may include medical history, treatment preferences, and other health-related data that you choose to share.
1.3 Non-Personal Information:
We may also collect non-personal information, such as browser type, IP address, and usage data, to enhance the functionality of our website and improve user experience.
2. How We Use and Can Disclose your PHI without Authorization
2.1 Providing Services:
We use the information collected to deliver personalized healthcare content, services, and information tailored to your needs.
2.2 Communication:
Cohen Care may use your contact information to communicate with you regarding appointments, updates, and relevant healthcare information.
2.3 Analytics:
Non-personal information may be used for analytics purposes to improve our website, services, and user experience.
2.4 To Business Associates:
We engage with various service providers referred to as business associates. In the course of our collaborations, we may share certain health information about you with these business associates to enable them to fulfill specific tasks on our behalf. For instance, we might enlist the services of a copy service to reproduce requested medical records. In such instances, we mandate that our business associates take measures to protect and secure your health information.
How we can Use and Disclose your PHI without authorization or an opportunity for objection
In some cases, we may use and/or disclose PHI about you without your authorization or an opportunity to object. These situations include when the use or disclosure is:
When required by law.
For public health initiatives, we may divulge your Protected Health Information (PHI) for activities such as:
Preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability
Reporting births and deaths
Reporting child and disabled adult abuse or neglect
Reporting reactions to medicine or issues with medical products
Notifying individuals about a recalled medical product
Supporting public health surveillance and combating bioterrorism
For health oversight activities, we may share your PHI with state or federal health oversight agencies authorized by law to supervise our operations.
In legal proceedings, we may disclose PHI as required by a court order or other legal obligations.\
For law enforcement purposes, we may reveal PHI to report specific types of injuries, physical harm, or criminal activities on our premises.
To a medical examiner or funeral director, we may disclose PHI for the purpose of identification or determining the cause of death. Additionally, PHI may be released to funeral directors for their professional duties.
For organ, eye, or tissue donation purposes.
In the context of medical research at Cohen Care, any disclosure of PHI must undergo a special review process. We will not use or disclose your PHI unless authorized by you or we have ensured the protection of your privacy.
To address a serious threat to health or safety, we may disclose health information when necessary to protect the health and safety of you, the public, or others.
For specialized government functions, we may disclose PHI related to military and veterans’ activities, national security and intelligence activities, protective services for the President, or medical suitability/determinations of the Department of State.
In law enforcement custodial situations, we may disclose PHI to a correctional institution that has custody of you.
3. Additional Legal Considerations
In certain instances, other laws may impose heightened safeguards on your health information beyond the provisions outlined in HIPAA. Even when governed by these specific regulations, we remain obligated to adhere to reporting requirements stipulated by these laws. For example:
Communicable Diseases: If you have a communicable disease, such as tuberculosis, syphilis, or HIV/AIDS, we typically seek your written consent before sharing this information. However, we may disclose such information without your consent to state and local health officials to prevent the spread of the disease.
Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Treatment: State laws generally mandate obtaining your written consent for disclosing information related to mental health conditions, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse treatment. Exceptions include situations involving guardianship, involuntary commitment, emergencies, coordination of care with healthcare providers, and communication with other facilities or professionals involved in your treatment.
Notification to Family or Involved Persons: Following your admission to, transfer from, or discharge from a behavioral health unit, we are required to notify a family member or person substantially involved in your care, as per federal law.
Substance Abuse Services: For individuals applying for or receiving substance abuse services, we typically require your written permission before sharing identifying information. Exceptions include emergency situations and reporting criminal activities on our property or against our workers.
Pharmacy Prescriptions: Our pharmacy will release prescription orders only to specified individuals, including yourself, the prescribing or treating healthcare provider, the pharmacist providing services to you, entities responsible for your medical care or coverage, certain members and employees of the Board of Pharmacy, and approved researchers, provided confidentiality safeguards are in place.
Minors and Treatment Consent: For individuals under the age of 18 who are not emancipated, we refrain from disclosing information about treatments for specific conditions without consent. Exceptions may apply if your doctor believes that revealing information is necessary due to a serious threat to your life or health, or if your parents or guardian inquire about the treatment and the doctor deems disclosure to be in your best interest.
Additional instances of use and disclosure. Outside of the circumstances outlined earlier, we may seek your written authorization before utilizing or revealing your Protected Health Information (PHI). Should you provide written consent for the disclosure of PHI and later decide to cancel it, your cancellation request must be submitted in writing to the Privacy Official at the designated address below. Upon receipt of your cancellation and allowing a reasonable time for implementation, we will refrain from disclosing any PHI previously authorized by you.
4.Security
Cohen Care is committed to ensuring the security of your information. We implement industry-standard security measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction of your personal information.
4. Your Privacy Rights
You have the following rights regarding the health information we hold about you. To exercise these rights, please complete a designated form available by contacting the Cohen Care privacy official at 704-400-1160
Right to Request Restrictions:
You can ask us to limit the ways we use and disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
You may request limitations on the sharing of your health information with individuals involved in your care or the payment for your care.
Requests must be in writing, and while agreement is not guaranteed, we must comply if you request non-disclosure to your health plan for payment or to our healthcare operations for fully out-of-pocket services, not mandated by law. However, certain situations like emergencies or legal obligations may override these restrictions.
Right to Choose Communication Preferences:
You can request specific communication methods or locations.
For instance, you may ask to be contacted only at your work phone number.
We will accommodate reasonable requests, but in some instances, we may require payment handling details and an alternative contact method.
Right to Access and Copy PHI:
You have the right to view and obtain a copy of your health information.
A written request or authorization is necessary, and a fee may apply for record copies.
Denials will be communicated in writing with instructions for review if necessary.
Right to Request Changes:
If you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you can request changes in writing.
Explanations for requested changes are required, and while denials are possible, we will provide written explanations along with instructions for submitting a disagreement statement.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures:
Upon written request, you can receive a list of some disclosures made regarding your health information.
The list excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or those specifically authorized by you.
Requests for disclosures within the last six (6) years can be made, and a reasonable fee may apply for repeated requests.
Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice:
A paper copy of this notice will be provided on the first day of treatment.
5. Changes to this Privacy Policy
Cohen Care reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy. We will notify you of any changes by posting the revised policy on our website.
6. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [insert contact information].
By using the Cohen Care website, you consent to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.
Cohen Care 4915 Albemarle Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28205, please contact the Cohen Care privacy official at 704-400-1160