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.
Cendity Health is an independent family medicine practice serving Northampton and the Pioneer Valley. We are committed to protecting the privacy of your health information. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by our practice, whether created by your physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other member of our staff. It describes our practices and those of the providers who care for you at our office at 214 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Northampton, MA 01060.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, to give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. “Protected health information” (PHI) is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition and related health care services.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following categories describe the ways we may use and disclose your protected health information. Not every use or disclosure will be listed, but every use and disclosure we make will fall within one of these categories.
For Treatment
We use your health information to provide you with medical care and services. We may disclose information to physicians, nurses, technicians, and other personnel who are involved in your care. For example, your primary care provider at Cendity Health may share information with a specialist, a hospital, a laboratory, or a pharmacy so that they can provide services related to your treatment. If you are cared for by more than one of our providers, such as Dr. Susan M. Reyes, Dr. Daniel C. Okonkwo, Dr. Rebecca S. Feldman, Karen A. Whitfield, FNP-BC, or Marcus T. Bell, PA-C, they may share your information to coordinate the care you receive.
For Payment
We may use and disclose your health information so that the treatment and services you receive at our practice may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company, or a third party. For example, we may need to give your health plan information about a service you received so that your plan will pay us or reimburse you. We may also tell your health plan about a treatment you are going to receive to obtain prior authorization or to determine whether your plan will cover it.
For Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your health information for the operations of our practice. These uses and disclosures are necessary to run the practice and to make sure that all of our patients receive quality care. For example, we may use your information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you. We may also combine health information about many patients to decide what additional services we should offer and how to improve the care we provide.
Appointment Reminders, Treatment Alternatives, and Health-Related Services
We may use and disclose your health information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment, and to leave messages on your voicemail or with a household member as needed to confirm appointments. We may also use and disclose your information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options, alternatives, or health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Individuals Involved in Your Care
Unless you object, we may share information with a family member, relative, close personal friend, or any other person you identify that is directly relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment for your care. We may also disclose your information to notify, or assist in notifying, a family member or another person responsible for your care about your location or general condition.
The Patient Portal
We offer a secure patient portal at portal.cendity.com so you can view portions of your record, request appointments, and communicate with our office. Access to the portal is protected by your personal login credentials, which you are responsible for keeping confidential.
As Required by Law and for Public Health and Safety
We will disclose your health information when required to do so by federal, state, or local law. We may also use or disclose your information for public health activities such as reporting to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, reporting reactions to medications, notifying a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease, and reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as permitted or required by law. We may disclose information to avert a serious threat to your health or safety or to the health or safety of another person or the public.
Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures
We may also use or disclose your health information for health oversight activities, judicial and administrative proceedings in response to a court order or subpoena, law enforcement purposes, workers’ compensation claims, coroners and funeral directors, organ and tissue donation, research approved through an established review process, and specialized government functions such as military and national security activities, in each case as permitted or required by law.
Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Written Authorization
Certain uses and disclosures of your health information will be made only with your written authorization. These include most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses and disclosures for marketing purposes, and disclosures that constitute a sale of your health information. Other uses and disclosures not described in this notice will be made only with your written authorization. If you provide us with an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights regarding the health information we maintain about you.
Right to Inspect and Copy
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the health information that may be used to make decisions about your care, including medical and billing records. To inspect or copy your information, submit your request in writing to our Practice Administrator. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for the costs of copying, mailing, or other supplies associated with your request. Many records are also available to you electronically through the patient portal.
Right to Request an Amendment
If you believe that health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that we amend it. You must make your request in writing to our Practice Administrator and include a reason that supports your request. We may deny your request in certain circumstances, and if we do, we will provide you with a written explanation.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of your health information. This accounting does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, or health care operations, disclosures made to you, or disclosures you authorized. To request an accounting, submit your request in writing to our Practice Administrator, stating the time period, which may not be longer than six years. The first accounting you request within a 12-month period will be free; for additional requests, we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the health information we use or disclose for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or to persons involved in your care. We are not required to agree to your request except in one case: if you pay for a service or item out of pocket in full, you may request that we not disclose that information to your health plan for the purpose of payment or operations, and we will honor that request unless a law requires the disclosure. All other requests should be submitted in writing to our Practice Administrator.
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. For example, you may ask that we contact you only by mail or only at a particular phone number. We will accommodate all reasonable requests. To make such a request, contact our office at (413) 586-2740 or submit your request in writing.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. You may ask for a copy at the front desk or by calling (413) 586-2740.
Right to Be Notified of a Breach
You have the right to be notified in the event of a breach of your unsecured protected health information.
Our Duties
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information, to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information, and to abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new provisions effective for all health information we maintain. If we make a material change to this notice, we will post the revised notice at our office and on our website at cendity.com, and we will make paper copies available upon request.
How to Raise a Privacy Concern or File a Complaint
If you have questions about this notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact our Practice Administrator, Joan Harmon. We take your concerns seriously and encourage you to speak with us so that we can address the issue.
- By mail: Joan Harmon, Practice Administrator, Cendity Health, 214 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Northampton, MA 01060
- By phone: (413) 586-2740
- By fax: (413) 586-2748
You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. You will not be penalized, and your care at Cendity Health will not be affected in any way, for filing a complaint.
Contact Us
Cendity Health
214 Bridge Street, Suite 200
Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: (413) 586-2740
Fax: (413) 586-2748
Website: cendity.com
Patient Portal: portal.cendity.com
Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm; Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. We are closed Saturday and Sunday. In a medical emergency, call 911.