On August 21, 1996, Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"), designed, among other things, to protect the privacy of patient medical information. This law requires Unitas Diagnostics to maintain the privacy of protected health information and provide our clients with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information. "Protected health information" ("PHI") is medical information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services. The effective date of this Unitas Diagnostics privacy policy is January 1, 2024.
Unitas Diagnostics is required to abide by the terms of this privacy policy. However, Untias Diagnostics reserves the right to amend or to otherwise change the terms of this privacy policy and to include any new privacy provisions that are applicable to all PHI we maintain. Our current privacy policy is always available upon request and is prominently posted on our website at http://www.unitasdiagnostics.com
Unitas Diagnostics will always strive to protect the medical information entrusted to us, and has established policies, procedures and physical mechanisms to sustain this trust.
We may use medical information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. Since protection of privacy should not interfere with making information available to your treating health care providers, Unitas Diagnostics provides results of your laboratory tests to your attending and consulting physicians and other health care providers treating you.
We may use and disclose your PHI so that the treatment and services you receive by Unitas Diagnostics may be billed to, and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company, or a third party. In addition, in the process of establishing your benefit eligibility and/or coverage for certain procedures, we may contact your third-party payer to assess the benefits you are entitled to receive. In most cases, when you enter into a contract with an insurance company to provide you with health insurance coverage, your agreement may require that we disclose sufficient information for the insurance company to honor the claim.
We may disclose your PHI to a third party with whom we contract to perform services on our behalf. If we disclose your information to a third party, we will have an agreement by them to safeguard your information.
Unitas Diagnostics must disclose your PHI if required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
Unitas Diagnostics takes pride in maintaining the highest level of security. Our state-of-the-art system is constantly updated and tested, to insure the highest quality of protection. All online transactions are encrypted over Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and online access to your data requires authentication with a unique username and password.
If you are ever aware of any unauthorized uses or disclosures of your health information, please contact us immediately. You also have the right to complain to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Unitas Diagnostics at (760) 691-1011 or lab@unitasdiagnostics.com.
Our Legal Duty
We are also required to give you this Notice about our privacy practices, our legal duties, and your rights concerning your health information. We must follow the privacy practices that are described in this Notice while it is in effect.
This Notice takes effect Jan 1, 2024, and will remain in effect until we replace it.
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable law.
We reserve the right to make the changes in our privacy practices and the new terms of our Notice effective for all health information that we maintain, including health information we created or received before we made the changes.
Before we make a significant change in our privacy practices, we will change this Notice and make the new Notice available upon request.
You may request a copy of our Notice at any time. For more information about our privacy practices, or for additional copies of this Notice, please contact us using the information at the end of this Notice.
We may use and disclose health information about you for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. For example:
Treatment: We may use or disclose your health information to a physician or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you.
Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you.
Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing, or credentialing activities.
Your Authorization: In addition to our use of your health information for treatment, payment or healthcare operations, you may give us written authorization to use your health information or to disclose it to anyone for any purpose. If you give us an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect any use or disclosures permitted by your authorization while it was in effect. Unless you give us a written authorization, we cannot use or disclose your health information for any reason except those described in this Notice.
To Your Family and Friends: We must disclose your health information to you, as described in the Patient Rights section of this Notice. We may disclose your health information to a family member, friend or other person to the extent necessary to help with your healthcare or with payment for your healthcare, but only if you agree that we may do so.
Persons Involved In Care: We may use or disclose health information to notify, or assist in the notification of (including identifying or locating) a family member, your personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, of your location, your general condition, or death. If you are present, then prior to use or disclosure of your health information, we will provide you with an opportunity to object to such uses or disclosures. In the event of your incapacity or emergency circumstances, we will disclose health information based on a determination using our professional judgment disclosing only health information that is directly relevant to the person’s involvement in your healthcare. We will also use our professional judgment and our experience with common practice to make reasonable inferences of your best interest in allowing a person to pick up filled prescriptions, medical supplies, x-rays, or other similar forms of health information.
Marketing Health-Related Services: We will not use your health information for marketing communications without your written authorization.
Required by Law: We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We are required by law to disclose health information to the FDA related to any adverse effects of food, supplements, products, and product defects for surveillance to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacement.
Abuse or Neglect: We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, or the possible victim of other crimes. We may disclose your health information to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.
National Security: We may disclose to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel under certain circumstances. We may disclose to authorized federal officials health information required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities. We may disclose to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials having lawful custody of protected health information of inmates or patients under certain circumstances.
Appointment Reminders: We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders (such as voicemail messages, postcards, or letters).
Access: You have the right to look at or get copies of your health information, with limited exceptions. You may request that we provide copies in a format other than photocopies. We will use the format you request unless we cannot practicably do so. (You must make a request in writing to obtain access to your health information. You may obtain a form to request access by using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice. We will charge you a reasonable cost-based fee for expenses such as photocopies and staff time. You may also request access by sending us a letter to the address at the end of this Notice. If you request copies, we will charge you $15 for copies of your health information. If you request an alternative format, we will charge a cost-based fee for providing your health information in that format. If you prefer, we will prepare a summary or an explanation of your health information for a fee. Contact us using the information listed at the end of this Notice for a full explanation for our fee structure).
Disclosure Accounting: You have the right to receive a list of instances in which we or our business associates disclosed your health information for purposes, other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations and certain other activities, for the last 6 years, but not before January 1, 2015. If you request this accounting more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for responding to these additional requests.
Restriction: You have the right to request that we place additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information. We are not required to agree to these additional restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement (except in an emergency).
Alternative Communication: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information by alternative means or to alternative locations. You must make your request in writing. Your request must specify the alternative means or location, and provide satisfactory explanation how payments will be handled under the alternative means or location you request.
Amendment: You have the right to request that we amend your health information (Your request must be in writing, and it must explain why the information should be amended.). We may deny your request under certain circumstances.
Electronic Notice: If you received this Notice on our Web site or by electronic mail (e-mail), you are entitled to receive this Notice in written form.
If you want more information about our privacy practices or have questions or concerns, please contact us.
If you are concerned that we may have violated your privacy rights, or you disagree with a decision we made about access to your health information or in response to a request you made to amend or restrict the use or disclosure of your health information or to have us communicate with you by alternative means or at alternative locations, you may complain to us using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice. You also may submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will provide you with the address to file your complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upon request.
We support your right to the privacy of your health information. We will not retaliate in any way if you choose to file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If you have any questions or complaints please contact Unitas Diagnostics at (760) 691-1011 or lab@unitasdiagnostics.com.
Unitas Diagnostics (“we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to your privacy and understand that health information about you is a very personal and private matter. Please be assured that we are committed to protecting the privacy of your individually identifiable health information (also called protected health information or PHI) as required by the privacy regulations created by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This notice describes your privacy rights regarding your PHI, how this information may be used and disclosed, and our obligations concerning the use and disclosure of this information. This policy must be followed by all our employees.
PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY
Should you have any questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, or would like to submit a specific request, please contact our Privacy Officer at (760) 691-1011 or submit a written question or request to Companies Privacy Officer, Unitas Diagnostics, 5375 Avenida Encinas Suite C/D, Carlsbad, CA 92008. We will consider your request and respond to you within a reasonable timeframe.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of your PHI. We must provide you with this notice of our legal duties and the privacy practices we maintain concerning your PHI and must abide by the terms described in this notice. We will promptly notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information and we will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you grant us permission in writing. You may change your mind at any time and may let us know in writing if you do.
We May Use and Disclose Your PHI in the Following Ways
The following categories describe the different ways in which we may use and disclose your PHI. Unless otherwise noted, each of these uses and disclosures may be made without your written permission.
Assistance in Treatment – We provide laboratory testing for physicians and other healthcare professionals and use your information in our testing process. We disclose your PHI to authorized healthcare professionals who order tests or need access to your test results for treatment purposes.
Healthcare Operations – We may use your PHI for internal activities necessary to support laboratory operations, such as performing internal audits, systems, and quality checks, or developing reference ranges for our testing.
Payment – We will use your PHI as part of our billing process and may send it to insurance companies or other appropriate parties, including to you, to obtain payment for our services. If you are insured under another person’s health insurance policy (for example, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or a former spouse), we may also send invoices to the subscriber whose policy covers your health services.
Business Associates - We may provide your PHI to other companies or individuals to assist us in providing specific services requiring the use and disclosure of PHI. These other entities, known as “business associates,” are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of PHI. Our business associates must only use your PHI for the services they perform on our behalf. For example, we may provide information to companies that assist us with verifying insurance or billing for our services. Business associates have independent HIPAA compliance obligations.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Services – We may release your health information to a family member, friend, legal guardian, or other person who is identified by you, involved in your care, or who helps pay for services we provide to you unless you have otherwise objected.
Research – We may disclose PHI for research purposes when an Institutional Review Board or privacy board has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your PHI and determined that the researcher does not need to obtain your authorization prior to using your PHI for research purposes.
As Required by Law - In certain circumstances, federal or state laws may require that we provide your PHI to organizations or institutions such as the Food and Drug Administration, military command authorities, national security or law enforcement agencies, other law enforcement officials, correctional institutions, coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, workers compensation agents, or other third parties as we, in our sole discretion, believe necessary or appropriate in connection with an investigation, court order, subpoena, regulatory compliance or otherwise required by any deferral, state or local law.
Law Enforcement - We may use or disclose your PHI, if necessary, to prevent or lessen a serious threat to your health and safety or that of another person. We may also provide PHI to law enforcement officials, for example, in response to a warrant, investigative demand or similar legal process, or for officials to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person. We may also disclose PHI to appropriate agencies, in an emergency, to report a crime or any criminal conduct, including the location or victim(s) of the crime, or the description, identity or location of the perpetrator.
Legal Proceedings - We may disclose your PHI as required to comply with a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other legal process, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order of protection for the requested information.
For Public Health and Safety Reasons – We may disclose your PHI to public health authorities that are authorized by law to collect information for purposes such as a) preventing or controlling disease, b) notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease or the potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition, c) notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance, d) reporting child abuse or neglect, or e) preventing or reducing a serious threat to any person’s health or safety, including potential abuse and neglect of an adult patient, including domestic abuse (however, we will only disclose this information if you agree or we are required or authorized by law to disclose this information).
Health Oversight Activities - We may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law such as investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure, and disciplinary actions; civil, administrative, and criminal procedures or actions; monitoring of government programs, compliance with civil rights laws and the health care system in general.
De-identified Information and Limited Data Sets - We may use and disclose health information that has been “de-identified” by removing certain identifiers making it unlikely that you could be identified. We also may disclose limited health information, contained in a “limited data set”. The limited data set does not contain any information that can directly identify you. For example, a limited data set may include your city, county, and zip code, but not your name or street address.
Appointment reminders and health-related benefits and services – We may use and disclose PHI to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment with us and may use and disclose PHI to tell you about health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. For example, we may contact you about new testing services available to you, based on services ordered by your healthcare provider.
Other Uses and Disclosures of PHI - For purposes not described above, including uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes and disclosures that would constitute a sale of PHI, we will ask for patient authorization before using or disclosing PHI. If you signed an authorization form, you may revoke it, in writing, at any time, except to the extent that action has been taken in reliance on the authorization.
Your Rights
You have certain rights regarding your PHI that we maintain, subject to certain exceptions under HIPAA:
Right to Paper Copy of this Notice - You may receive a copy of this Notice any time you ask – even if you have agreed to receive it electronically, you may then ask for a paper copy by writing to Unitas Diagnostics, 5375 Avenida Encinas Suite C/D, Carlsbad, CA 92008, Attention: Privacy Officer, calling us at (760) 691-1011 and asking to speak to the Privacy Officer, or by going to our website at www.unitasdiagnostics.com.
Request Restrictions - You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our health care operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care or our ability to collect payment. If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.
Confidential Communications - You can request that we contact you in a specific manner (e.g.: to a different address or phone number, etc.) and we will accommodate all reasonable requests. You do not have to give a reason for the request.
Inspection and Copies - You may receive an electronic or paper copy of your PHI that we have created, including completed test reports, test orders, ordering provider information, billing information, insurance information, or any other health information we have about you. You may request a paper copy of your PHI or an electronic copy of your PHI that we maintain electronically, and you may also request that we transmit the information to you or to another individual or third party. Your request should be in writing addressed to, Unitas Diagnostics, 5375 Avenida Encinas Suite C/D, Carlsbad, CA 92008, Attention: Privacy Officer. You may download a form on our website at www.unitasdiagnostics.com. If another person requests access to your PHI on your behalf, we have the obligation to verify the identity and authority of any person requesting access to your PHI as your personal representative. We may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for providing these copies.
Amendment - You may ask us to correct your health information you feel is incomplete or incorrect. Contact us for information. We have the right to decline your request but will give you a reason why we did so, in writing, within 60 days.
Accounting of Disclosures - If you ask, we must provide you with a list of times we have shared your health information for the previous 6 years, with whom we shared it and why. The list will not include some of the disclosures, such as when you requested the disclosure in writing, or those that we were required to make (to name a few). We will provide one such list per year free of charge but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if a second is requested within a 12-month period.
Right to File a Complaint - If you feel we have violated your HIPAA rights, you may contact us using the information at the top of this notice or file a complaint by letter with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Choose someone to act for you - If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
Disaster Relief – You have the right to tell us how you want your information shared in the event of a disaster.
Changes in Terms of this Notice
The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your PHI that we create or retain. We reserve the right to make changes to this notice and to our privacy policies from time to time, which will apply to all your PHI we maintain. When changes are made, we will promptly update this notice and post the information on our website at www.unitasdiagnostics.com. Please review this site periodically to ensure that you are aware of any such updates. A printed copy is available at your request.
