Notice of Privacy Practices

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.

MetaOrthopedics, PLLC (“MetaOrtho”) is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.

What is protected health information (PHI)?

PHI 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. This includes information created or received by MetaOrtho, such as medical records, lab results, DEXA scan data, treatment plans, and billing records.

How we may use and disclose your PHI

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

Treatment

To provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare. For example, sharing your DEXA results with your referring physician or coordinating lab orders with Quest Diagnostics.

Payment

To bill and collect payment for services. For example, sending invoices or processing credit card payments through our payment processor.

Healthcare operations

To support our business activities, including quality improvement, staff training, compliance audits, and business planning.

Special situations permitted by the Privacy Rule

HIPAA also permits us to use or disclose your PHI without your authorization in the following circumstances:

• As required by federal, state, or local law (including responses to court orders, subpoenas, and warrants)
• For public health activities (disease reporting, FDA-related adverse event reports, exposure notifications)
• To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence to the appropriate authorities
• For health oversight activities (audits, investigations, licensure actions)
• For judicial and administrative proceedings (in response to a valid order)
• For law enforcement purposes when required or permitted by law
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors regarding decedents
• For organ, eye, or tissue donation
• For research that has been approved by an institutional review board or privacy board with appropriate protections
• To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of the public
• For specialized government functions (military, veterans, national security, protective services)
• For workers’ compensation programs

Uses and disclosures requiring your authorization

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for:

• Marketing purposes (except for face-to-face communications and promotional gifts of nominal value)
• Sale of your PHI
• Most uses of psychotherapy notes (if applicable)
• Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice

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

Your rights regarding your PHI

Right to access

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI maintained in our records. We may charge a reasonable fee for copies. Requests must be in writing to info@metaortho.com.

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 the request under certain circumstances and will provide a written explanation.

Right to an accounting of disclosures

You have the right to receive a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI in the six years prior to the date of your request.

Right to request restrictions

You have the right to request that we limit how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to your request, except that we must agree to restrict disclosures to a health plan for services you paid for in full out of pocket.

Right to request confidential communications

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location (e.g., only by email, only at a specific phone number).

Right to a paper copy of this notice

You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Right to be notified of a breach

You have the right to be notified if there is a breach of your unsecured PHI.

Right to file a complaint

You have the right to file a complaint with MetaOrtho or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. See the “Complaints” section below for contact information.

Our responsibilities

We are required to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your PHI
• Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
• Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect
• Notify you if we cannot accommodate a requested restriction or amendment
• Notify you following a breach of your unsecured PHI, as required by 45 CFR §§ 164.400-414

We will not use or disclose your PHI without your authorization except as described in this Notice.

How you receive this notice

Because MetaOrtho is a telehealth practice, we provide this Notice electronically. You will be presented with the current Notice during your initial intake and asked to acknowledge receipt before your first visit. The most recent version of the Notice is always posted on this page. If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of the Notice, you may request one at any time by emailing us at the address below — we will mail one at no charge.

Complaints

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

MetaOrthopedics, PLLC
3096 Chapel Woods Cove
Germantown, TN 38139
Email: info@metaortho.com

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

• Online: hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
• Phone: 1-800-368-1019

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Changes to this notice

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

Contact information

Privacy Officer: Dr. Jay M. Saenz, MD
MetaOrthopedics, PLLC
3096 Chapel Woods Cove
Germantown, TN 38139
Email: info@metaortho.com