Live In Vitality Wellness Center
Notice of Privacy Practices
Your trust is sacred to us. This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information.
Required Notice
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.
Live In Vitality Wellness Center (operated by Love, Faith, Wellness LLC) is required by federal law (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA) to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI), to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding PHI, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
This Notice describes the medical information practices of Live In Vitality Wellness Center, including all of our employees, providers, contractors, and business associates who are involved in your care.
01
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
We understand that your medical information is personal, and we are committed to protecting it. We create a record of the care and services you receive at Live In Vitality. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements.
This Notice applies to all the records of your care generated by Live In Vitality, whether made by Live In Vitality personnel, your personal physician, or other providers working with us. Your personal physician may have different policies or notices regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information created in their offices or clinics.
02
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following categories describe the different ways that we may use and disclose your medical information without your written authorization. Not every use or disclosure is listed; however, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall into one of these categories.
For Treatment
We use your health information to provide you with medical treatment and services. We may disclose your information to providers, technicians, medical students, or other personnel who are involved in your care. We may also share your information with healthcare providers outside of Live In Vitality — such as referring physicians, specialists, laboratories (including LabCorp and Quest), pharmacies, and imaging facilities — to coordinate your treatment.
For Payment
We may use and disclose your health information so that we can bill and receive payment for the treatment and services you receive. This includes sharing information with health insurance plans (such as Cigna, Curative, and Tricare Select East), billing companies, claims processors, and collection agencies. We may also use information to determine eligibility for benefits or to obtain prior authorization for treatments.
For Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose your information to support the operations of our practice. This includes activities such as quality assessment and improvement, evaluation of provider performance, training of staff and students, accreditation, certification, licensing, audits, business planning, and customer service.
Appointment Reminders and Treatment Communications
We may contact you to remind you of upcoming appointments, follow up after visits, deliver lab results, and discuss treatment-related communications. We use multiple methods of communication including phone calls, email, text messages (via secure platforms such as Spruce Health), and our patient portal. Please notify us in writing if you would like us to use a specific method or if you would like communications sent to an alternate address or phone number.
Health-Related Services and Wellness Information
We may use and disclose your information to tell you about health-related products, services, and treatment alternatives that may be of interest to you. This may include information about our wellness programs, supplement recommendations, IV therapy, and other functional medicine services available at Live In Vitality.
Individuals Involved in Your Care
We may release information about you to a friend or family member who is involved in your medical care, or to someone who helps pay for your care — but only with your prior authorization. In emergency situations, we may use professional judgment to determine whether disclosure is in your best interest.
Required by Law
We will disclose your medical information when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
Public Health Activities
We may disclose your information for public health activities including: preventing or controlling disease, reporting births and deaths, reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting reactions to medications, notifying people of recalls, notifying people exposed to communicable diseases, and reporting to government agencies as required.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure activities necessary for government monitoring of the healthcare system.
Lawsuits and Legal Disputes
If you are involved in a lawsuit or legal dispute, we may disclose your medical information in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
Law Enforcement
We may release information if asked by a law enforcement official under specific circumstances, including: in response to a court order, subpoena, or warrant; to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; about the victim of a crime; about a death we believe may be the result of criminal conduct; about criminal conduct on our premises; or in emergency circumstances.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
We may release information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director consistent with applicable law to allow them to carry out their duties.
Workers' Compensation
We may release your medical information for workers' compensation or similar programs that provide benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses.
Threats to Health or Safety
We may use and disclose your information when necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to your health and safety, or to the health and safety of the public or another person.
Specialized Government Functions
We may release information for specialized government functions including military and veterans activities, national security and intelligence activities, and protective services for the President.
Inmates and Correctional Institutions
If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of law enforcement, we may release your information to the institution or law enforcement official as permitted by law.
03
Uses That Require Your Written Authorization
Federal Law Requires Your Permission
The following uses and disclosures of your Protected Health Information will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke any authorization at any time, in writing, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on it.
Marketing Communications
While we may communicate with you about wellness services, programs, and educational content as part of your treatment relationship with us, we will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for any marketing purposes that fall outside this relationship — particularly for any promotional communications where Live In Vitality receives financial compensation from a third party in exchange for that communication.
Sale of Protected Health Information
We will not sell your PHI for any reason without your express written authorization. Live In Vitality does not engage in the sale of patient information.
Psychotherapy Notes
If we maintain psychotherapy notes about you (notes recorded by a mental health professional during a counseling session, separated from the rest of your medical record), we will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing them, except for limited circumstances permitted by law.
Other Uses Not Described in This Notice
Any other uses or disclosures of your PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke this authorization at any time by writing to our Privacy Officer.
04
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights regarding the medical information we maintain about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical and billing records used to make decisions about your care. You may access your records through our Optimantra patient portal, or you may submit a written request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies. We must respond to your request within 30 days.
Right to Amend
If you feel that information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend it. Your request must be in writing and must explain why the information should be amended. We may deny your request under certain circumstances permitted by law, but we will provide you with a written explanation if we do.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we made of your medical information for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. The first list per 12-month period is free; we may charge for additional requests.
Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request a restriction on the medical information we use or disclose for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to your request, except in one specific case: if you have paid for a service or item out-of-pocket in full, you may request that we not disclose information about that service to your health insurance plan, and we must agree.
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 request that we contact you only at home, only by mail, or only at a specific phone number. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically. You may also obtain the most current version of this Notice on our website at liveinvitality.net.
Right to Be Notified of a Breach
You have the right to be notified if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information. We will notify you in writing within the timeframe required by law.
Right to 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 verify the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
05
Our Duties as a Covered Entity
Live In Vitality Wellness Center is required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information
- Provide you with this Notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI
- Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect
- Notify affected individuals if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of their information
- Not use or disclose your information in any way other than as described in this Notice without your written authorization
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. Any changes will apply to medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. Updated notices will be posted in our office and on our website. Upon request, we will provide you with a paper copy of any revised Notice.
06
How to File a Complaint
No Retaliation
You will not be penalized, retaliated against, or have your care affected in any way for filing a complaint about our privacy practices.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
Live In Vitality Wellness Center
Submit your complaint in writing to our Privacy Officer:
Dr. Tracy Chery, DNP, APRN-C — Privacy Officer
Live In Vitality Wellness Center
646 E Bloomingdale Ave
Brandon, FL 33511
Email: info@liveinvitality.net
Phone: (813) 419-7911
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/
07
Additional Protections
Florida State Law
Florida law may provide additional protections for certain types of medical information, including information related to mental health, substance abuse treatment, HIV/AIDS testing, and genetic testing. Where Florida law provides greater protection than federal HIPAA law, we will follow the more protective state law.
Highly Confidential Information
Some types of health information receive special protection under federal or state law. These may include information about: HIV/AIDS testing or treatment, mental health diagnoses or treatment, substance abuse diagnoses or treatment, sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health and family planning, and genetic information. Special authorization may be required before this information can be disclosed.
Minors
For patients under 18 years of age, parents or legal guardians generally have the right to access their child's medical information. However, in certain situations specified by Florida law — such as care related to reproductive health, mental health treatment, or substance abuse treatment — minors may have the right to confidential communications without parental access.
Privacy Officer
Questions About Your Health Information?
If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or how your medical information is used, please contact our Privacy Officer.
Privacy Officer
Live In Vitality Wellness Center
646 E Bloomingdale Ave
Brandon, FL 33511
info@liveinvitality.net
(813) 419-7911