Practical Medical Insights Privacy Statement

Last Updated December 19, 2012

Contact:
Abigail Schildcrout, M.D.
Practical Medical Insights
13123 LaSalle
Huntington Woods, MI 48070
asmd@practicalmedicalinsights.com
248-439-9123

At Practical Medical Insights ("PMI"), our clients’ privacy is important to us. Even though we do not maintain full medical records or accept insurance or process claims through insurance companies or medical third-party billers, we take reasonable precautions to ensure the confidentiality of any protected health information ("PHI"), including personally identifiable health information which clients may provide to us.

Security/Precautions: We protect information on our computers through a combination of password protection, encryption, firewalls, and other reasonable means. Client files containing hard copies of client information are stored in restricted access locations and/or in locked file boxes. People with access to our office areas who might see a client name have been taught about the importance of client confidentiality.

How We Collect Information About Clients: PMI and its employees collect data through a variety of means including but not necessarily limited to in-person conversation, letters, phone calls, emails, voice mails, and from the submission of applications or information that may be required by law, or necessary to process a client's requests for assistance or services.

What We Will Not Do With Client Information: Information about your financial situation and medical conditions and care that you provide to us in writing, via email, on the phone (including information left on voice mails), contained in or attached to applications or other documents, or directly or indirectly given to us, is held in strictest confidence. We do not give out, exchange, barter, rent, sell, lend, or disseminate any information about clients who contact us and request or actually receive our services that is considered patient confidential, is restricted by law, or has been specifically restricted by a patient/client in a signed HIPAA consent form.

How We Do Use Client Information: Information is only used as is reasonably necessary to investigate or process client’s requests for our services for health consulting, or facilitation or coordination of services provided by PMI at client’s request, including health or consulting services which may require communication between PMI and other health care providers, medical product or service providers, pharmacies, insurance companies, and other providers necessary to provide client with requested services. Such may include by way of example, verification of accuracy of client’s medical information, consideration of possible health care services and/or alternatives or recommendations or facilitation of treatment, or selection and assistance with direction to sources of health care services. We will ask client to sign or authorize the release of any PHI or other regulated private information to third parties as required by law before doing so. However, if client provides information which in any way constitutes or indicates actual or attempted fraud or unlawful conduct, client’s non-medical or other information may be given to legal authorities as permitted by law. Other client information may also be shared with others as required by law.

Information We Do Not Collect: We are not responsible for information collected by any person or entity who you contact via a link from our website, or pursuant to other information provided by us.

Services: Our clients may seek guidance from PMI for their own, for a family member's, or for a friend’s medical, health or wellness issue, or for general information purposes. Any reports and resource materials provided to clients via e-mail are presented as “here is the material you requested,” and not in a form implying that any particular person has a particular medical condition. An important aspect of the purpose of PMI is the facilitation of communication among a client’s healthcare professionals, and at times the facilitation of obtaining second opinions or specialist consults. Personal health information will be discussed as necessary with these healthcare professionals and their offices. Again, to the extent that they do not already possess such information, PHI concerning client or which personally identifies client will only be disclosed to such third parties with client’s written permission. Such information may include a client's written medical history prepared for review by other health care professionals involved or being requested to be involved in that client’s medical care or treatment.

I have read and understand the above Privacy Policy.
Signature of Client ______________________________________________ Date _____________
Printed Name of Client _____________________________________________________________