Privacy Policy

Introduction

COWOS Central Ohio Wound Ostomy Services LLC ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of your health information in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other applicable federal and state laws. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI) and your rights regarding your PHI.

Protected Health Information (PHI)

PHI includes any information that can be used to identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, the provision of healthcare to you, or payment for that care. This can include your name, contact information, medical history, treatment plans, and payment information.

How We Collect PHI

We collect your PHI in a variety of ways, including:

When you provide it to us directly (e.g., during visits, calls, forms)
Through your insurance provider in relation to your care
From other healthcare providers involved in your treatment

Uses and Disclosures of PHI

We may use or disclose your PHI for the following purposes:

1. Treatment

We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare services, including disclosing it to other healthcare providers involved in your care.

2. Payment

We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the treatment and services we provide. This includes disclosures to insurance companies for payment processing, eligibility, and coverage determinations.

3. Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose your PHI to manage and operate our clinic, such as for quality assessments, training, accreditation, licensing, audits, and administrative purposes.

4. Legal and Regulatory Requirements

We may disclose your PHI as required by law, including to comply with federal, state, or local regulations, court orders, or legal proceedings.

5. Public Health and Safety

We may disclose your PHI to authorized public health authorities for purposes of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.

6. Business Associates

We may disclose your PHI to third-party service providers ("Business Associates") who perform functions on our behalf, such as billing or IT support, as long as those Business Associates agree to safeguard your PHI.

7. Other Permitted Uses

We may use and disclose your PHI in situations including but not limited to law enforcement requests, research purposes (with authorization or when permitted), to avert a serious threat to health or safety, and for workers’ compensation claims.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization

We will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes, sell your PHI, or use it for any other purpose not described in this policy without your explicit written authorization. You may revoke this authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that we have already acted based on your authorization.

"No mobile or messaging consent information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties."

Your Rights Regarding PHI

As a patient, you have the following rights regarding your PHI:

1. Right to Access

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI, with some exceptions. Requests must be made in writing.

2. Right to Request Amendments

If you believe that your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. We will review and respond to your request but may deny it in certain circumstances.

3. Right to Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI that we have made. This excludes disclosures made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

4. Right to Request Restrictions

You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to these requests, but we will accommodate them where possible, especially if the request pertains to services you have paid for out-of-pocket in full.

5. Right to 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. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

6. Right to Revoke Authorization

You have the right to revoke any authorization for use or disclosure of your PHI, except where we have already relied on it.

Our Responsibilities

We are required by law to:

Maintain the privacy and security of your PHI
Notify you in the event of any breach of your unsecured PHI
Provide you with this Privacy Policy outlining our legal duties and privacy practices
Follow the terms of this Privacy Policy

How We Protect Your PHI

We implement physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your PHI. These include secure electronic systems, password protection, encryption, limited access to personnel, and regular monitoring of compliance with our privacy policies.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change or update this Privacy Policy at any time. Any revisions will be posted on our website and made available at our office. The changes will apply to all PHI we maintain, including PHI created or received before the changes were made.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or directly with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Filing a complaint will not negatively affect the care we provide to you.

To file a complaint with us, contact:

Privacy Officer
COWOS Central Ohio Wound Ostomy Services LLC
5221 East Main St., Columbus, OH 43213
Phone: 614-861-1120

To file a complaint with HHS, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint

Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your privacy rights, please contact us at:

COWOS Central Ohio Wound Ostomy Services LLC

5221 East Main St., Columbus, OH 43213
Phone: 614-861-1120

Effective Date: May 4th, 2022

This Privacy Policy is in compliance with HIPAA regulations and state privacy laws where applicable.

CENTRAL OHIO
WOUND OSTOMY SERVICES