Notice of Privacy Practices

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Virtual Health Xpress is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, and applicable state laws. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your PHI and your rights regarding that information.

What Is Protected Health Information (PHI)?

Protected health information is individually identifiable health information that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, the provision of healthcare to you, or payment for healthcare services. PHI includes information maintained in any form, including electronic, written, and oral communications.

How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI

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

Treatment

We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. This includes consultations between healthcare providers relating to your care, referrals to other providers, and prescription management through our telehealth platform.

Payment

We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for healthcare services provided to you. This may include billing activities, claims management, and collection activities.

Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose your PHI for our healthcare operations, which include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, conducting training programs, and general administrative activities.

As Required by Law

We may use or disclose your PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law, including reporting to public health authorities, responding to court orders or subpoenas, and reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

Health and Safety

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

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes other than those described above, including marketing activities, sale of PHI, and most uses of psychotherapy notes. You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on your authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Your PHI

You have the following rights regarding your protected health information:

• Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI maintained in our records. Requests must be submitted in writing.
• Right to Amend: You have the right to request an amendment to your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request under certain circumstances.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to receive a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI.
• 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 disclosure is to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations purposes and the PHI pertains to a service for which you have paid in full out of pocket.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location.
• Right to a Copy of This Notice: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.
• Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Our Responsibilities

• 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 with respect to your PHI.
• We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect.
• We are required to notify you if a breach of your unsecured PHI occurs.
• We will not use or disclose your PHI without your authorization, except as described in this Notice.

Telehealth-Specific Privacy Considerations

As a telehealth provider, we take additional measures to protect your PHI during virtual consultations. All video consultations are conducted through HIPAA-compliant, encrypted platforms. We do not record telehealth sessions without your explicit consent. Our electronic health records and patient intake systems (including IntakeQ) maintain industry-standard encryption and access controls.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the new provisions effective for all PHI we maintain. If we make material changes to this Notice, we will post the revised Notice on our website and make it available upon request.

Contact Information

For questions about this Notice, to exercise your rights, or to file a complaint, please contact:

Virtual Health Xpress
Privacy Officer: Heather Spooner, APRN
Email: info@virtualhealthxpress.com
Phone: 352-706-8353
Fax: 352-562-0009

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by visiting www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint or calling 1-877-696-6775.