APPOINTMENTS
We see all patients on an appointment basis. However, we try to save several time slots every day for acute minor concerns and encourage our patients to call immediately if they are worried about their health. The office phone number is 301-797-0210. We try to see all the patients on time, and request that you extend the same courtesy to us but since not all problems are solved in the 15 minute time slot, we may not always be able to keep to the schedule. Please feel free to ask the staff if the provider you are seeing is still seeing patients as per the schedule and if you already have another appointment and we are running late, we do not mind helping you to reschedule your appointment,
Please try to arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of your appointment time with the provider so that your medications and insurance information can be updated. Patients more than 15 minutes late, may be asked to reschedule. We routinely attempt to remind everyone regarding their upcoming appointment by calling you several days ahead of time. If you can not keep an appointment, please call 301-797 -0210 to notify us immediately or follow the instructions provided when reminded. Please give us at least a 24-hour notice so that this time may be given to another patient. If notice is not given, a missed appointment fee will be charged.
Office Hours
OFFICE HOURS, SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS
Patients are seen at the following times with scheduled appointments: Patients are expected to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the appointment time to see the provider to update insurance information, medications, have weight, and BP checked.
Mon-Friday: 7:30 am-5:00pm
Office Phone Service
Mon-Friday: 8:00 am-4:00pm
EMERGENCY CARE
In the event of a severe life threatening emergency, go immediately to the closest hospital. Dr. Money does not attend patients in any hospital but works with the hospital specialists at Meritus Medical Center, Hagerstown, MD. If you have a medical problem that you feel cannot wait until the office is open, then you may go to an Urgent Care Center or ER. Please ask the urgent care or ER physician to send the office a copy of their assessment for our records. If a problem develops during the day, please call the office and if it is something that we feel can be managed in the office, we will try to see you promptly. The office schedule is specifically designed to allow for patients to be seen that day for urgent problems. However, the office is NOT equipped to handle any life threatening emergencies or “walk-ins for minor problems. Please call us and see if we can see you in the office rather than go to an urgent care facility where they won’t have your past medical history or possible side effects on file.
QUESTIONS AFTER NORMAL BUSINESS OFFICE HOURS
If you must speak to the physician after normal office hours, please call 301-797-0210, and the answering service will contact the provider on call. There may be a charge for phone consultations. New medications or refills such as pain medications or antibiotics are NOT prescribed over the phone.
Telephone Calls
We encourage you to call with questions you may have concerning your health care problems. Our staff is trained to answer most questions and will readily relay your concerns to your provider, obtaining any necessary instructions. The staff will do everything possible to return your call with further information after talking with one of the providers the same day. However, if your call requires that the provider speak directly with you, please be patient and your provider will return your call at the earliest opportunity, which may not be until after hours or later in the week.
REFILL AUTHORIZATION FOR PRESCRIPTIONS
All prescriptions and authorizations for renewals must be called during normal office hours. A message must be left on the prescription refill line (option 4). Refills can take 48-72 hours to process. Controlled medications may take up to 5 business days and will not be filled more than a week prior to being due. Your pharmacy may also request request refills on your behalf. Refills will not be approved if the patient has not been seen for follow-up as requested.
FEES AND PAYMENTS
We make every effort to keep down the cost of your medical care. You can help by paying for treatment at the time of your visit. If you are unable to pay at the time of your visit please make arrangements with a member of our staff.
INSURANCE
If you have insurance please bring your insurance card with you on your first visit. If we do not participate with your insurance, at the end of your visit you will be given all the information necessary to file your insurance claim. If you have any questions regarding this please contact a member of our business staff and we will be happy to answer them.
REFERRALS AND AUTHORIZATION FOR PROCEDURES
If your insurance is under a health maintenance plan that requires this office to do paper referral, please call this office promptly and allow (2) days minimum for preparation. It will be your responsibility to pick up the referral or there may be a charge for faxing or mailing. Patients are expected to participate when possible in any prior authorization procedures.
NO SMOKING PLEASE
Because exposure to tobacco is hazardous to your health, we ask that you refrain from smoking while in this office.
RESULTS OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTING
We feel it is important for each patient to know the results of all tests and not be left guessing that “no news is good news”. Therefore, we try to review all of the test results within 1 week of completion or sooner and relay the results to the patient within 2 weeks. At the present time, a staff member will call with these results. We encourage each patient to let us know if they have not heard from us with within 2 weeks since sometimes the results are misdirected to another provider and we have no way of knowing that happened.
OMNIBUS Rule HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES 2023
for the Healthcare Facility of: Primary Care Associates of Hagerstown, LLC
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION under the HIPAA Omnibus Rule of 2013.
PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATES OF HAGERSTOWN, LLC
354 MILL STREET
HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740
Notice of Patients’ Privacy Rights REVISED 09/18/2023
The Notice of Privacy Practices is required by the Privacy Regulations created as a result of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This notice describes how health information about you or your legal dependent (as a patient of this Practice) may be used and disclosed, and how you can access to your individually identifiable health information.
Please Review This Notice Carefully
1. Our commitment to your privacy:
Our Practice is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). In conducting our business, we will create records regarding you and the treatment and services we provide to you. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies you. We also are required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and the privacy practices that we maintain in our Practice concerning your PHI. By federal and state law, we must follow the terms of the Notice of Patient’s Privacy Rights (“Notice”) currently in use by the Practice.
We realize that these laws are complicated, but we must provide you with the following important information:
• How we may use and disclose your PHI;
• Your privacy rights in your PHI; and
• Our obligations concerning the use and disclosure of your PHI.
The terms of this Notice apply to all records containing your PHI that are created or retained by our Practice. We reserve the right to revise or amend this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any revision or amendment to this Notice will apply to all of your records that our Practice has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records that we may create or maintain in the future. Our Practice will post a copy of our current Notice in our offices in a visible location at all times, and you may request a copy of our most current Notice at any time. Our Practice will always follow the Notice that is in effect at the time any action related to PHI is taken.
2. If you have questions about this Notice, please contact:
The Privacy and Security Officer at:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
3. The different ways in which we may use and disclose your PHI:
The following categories describe the different ways in which we may use and disclose your PHI:
Treatment. Our Practice may use your PHI to treat you. For example, we may ask you to have laboratory tests (such as blood or urine tests), and we may use the results to help us reach a diagnosis. We might use your PHI in order to write a prescription for you, or we might disclose your PHI to a pharmacy when we order a prescription for you. Many of the people who work for our Practice—including, but not limited to, our doctors and nurses—may use or disclose your PHI in order to treat you or to assist others in your treatment. Additionally, with your authorization, we may disclose your PHI to others who may assist in your care, such as your spouse, children, or parents, collectively called your “Friends and Family List” as documented by you on your Patient Authorization for Use and Disclosure of Protected Health Information” form. To let us know with whom you want your information shared, please be sure to complete this notice. Anytime you would like to update your Friends and Family List, please call the office. Finally, we may also disclose your PHI to other healthcare providers for purposes related to your treatment.
Payment. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI in order to bill and collect payment for the services and items you may receive from us. For example, we may contact your health insurer to certify that you are eligible for benefits (and for what range of benefits), and we may provide your insurer with details regarding your treatment to determine if your insurer will cover, or pay for, your treatment. We also may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment from third parties that may be responsible for such service costs, such as family members. Also, we may use your PHI to bill you directly for service and items. We may disclose your PHI to other healthcare providers and entities to assist in their billing and collection efforts. You have the right to request that our Practice not submit a claim to your insurance company for payment due to privacy concerns. However, you agree to pay for all services in full under the time frame specified by our Practice. Failure to do so constitutes a waiver of this right (see ‘Requesting Restrictions’ below).
Healthcare Operations. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI to operate our business. As examples of the way in which we may use and disclose your information for operations, our Practice may use your PHI to evaluate the quality of care you receive from us, or to conduct cost-management and business planning activities for our Practice. We may disclose your PHI to other healthcare providers and entities to assist in their healthcare operations.
Appointment Reminders. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI to contact you and remind you of an appointment.
Treatment Options. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI to inform you of potential treatment options or alternatives.
Health-Related Benefits and Services. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI to inform you of health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.
Release of Information to Family and Friends. With your authorization, our Practice may release your PHI to a friend or family member that is involved in your care, or who assists in taking care of you. For example, a parent or guardian may ask that a babysitter take their child to the pediatricians’ office for treatment of a cold. In this example, the babysitter may have access to this child’s medical information since they brought the child to the appointment and were present during the examination. Generally, we require written authorization to share your PHI with friends and family members.
Disclosures Required by Law. Our Practice will use and disclose your PHI when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
4. Use and disclosure of your PHI in certain special circumstances:
The following categories describe unique scenarios in which we may use or disclose your PHI:
Public Health Risks. Our Practice may disclose your PHI to public health authorities that are authorized by law to collect information for the purpose of:
• Maintaining vital records, such as births and deaths;
• Reporting child abuse or neglect;
• Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease;
• Notifying a person regarding a potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition;
• Reporting reactions to drugs or problems with products or devices;
• Notifying individuals if a medication, product or device they may be using has been recalled;
• Notifying appropriate governmental agency(ies) and authority(ies) regarding the potential abuse or neglect of an adult patient (including domestic violence); however, we will only disclose this information if the patient agrees or we are required or authorized by law to disclose this information; or
• Notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance.
Health Oversight Activities. Our Practice may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. Oversight activities can include, for example, investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure, and disciplinary actions; civil, administrative, and criminal procedures or actions; or other activities necessary for the government to monitor government programs, compliance with civil rights laws, and the healthcare system in general.
Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order, if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding. We also may disclose your PHI in response to a discovery request, subpoena, or other lawful process by another party involved in the dispute, but only if we have made an effort to inform you of the request or to obtain an order protecting the information the party has requested.
Law Enforcement. We may release PHI if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:
• Regarding a crime victim in certain situations, if we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement;
• Concerning a death we believe has resulted from criminal conduct;
• Regarding criminal conduct at our offices;
• In response to a warrant, summons, court order, subpoena, or similar legal process;
• To identify/locate a suspect, material witness, fugitive, or missing person; and
• In an emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victim[s] of the crime, or the description, identity, or location of the perpetrator).
Deceased Patients. Our Practice may release PHI to a medical examiner or coroner to identify a deceased individual or to identify the cause of death. If necessary, we also may release information in order for funeral directors to perform their jobs.
Organ and Tissue Donation. Our Practice may release your PHI to organizations that handle organ, eye, or tissue procurement or transplantation, including organ donation banks, as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation if you are an organ donor.
Research. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI for research purposes in certain limited circumstances, most often when your information is de-identified in such a way that it cannot be attributed to you. We will obtain written authorization to use your PHI for research purposes except when the Practice’s Internal Review Board or Privacy Board has determined that the waiver of your authorization satisfies the following:
1) The use or disclosure involves no more than a minimal risk to your privacy based on the following:
a. An adequate plan to protect the identifiers from improper use and disclosure;
b. An adequate plan to destroy the identifiers at the earliest opportunity consistent with the research (unless there is a health or research justification for retaining the identifiers or such retention is otherwise required by law); and
c. Adequate written assurances that the PHI will not be re-used or disclosed to any other person or entity (except as required by law) for authorized oversight of the research study, or for other research for which the use or disclosure would otherwise be permitted.
2) The research could not practicably be conducted without the waiver.
3) The research could not practicably be conducted without access to and use of the PHI.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety. Our Practice may use and disclose your PHI when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. Under these circumstances, we will only make disclosures to a person or organization able to help prevent the threat.
Military. Our Practice may disclose your PHI if you are a member of U.S. or foreign military forces (including veterans) and if required by the appropriate authorities.
National Security. Our Practice may disclose your PHI to federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized by law. We also may disclose your PHI to federal officials in order to protect the President, other officials, or foreign heads of state, or to conduct investigations.
Inmates. Our Practice may disclose your PHI to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under the custody of a law enforcement official. Disclosure for these purposes would be necessary: (1) for the institution to provide healthcare services to you; (2) for the safety and security of the institution; and/or (3) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of other individuals.
Workers’ Compensation. Our Practice may release your PHI for Workers’ Compensation and similar programs.
5. Your rights regarding your PHI:
You have the following rights regarding the PHI that we maintain about you:
Confidential Communication. You have the right to request that our Practice communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular manner or at a certain location. For instance, you may ask that we contact you at home, rather than work. In order to request a type of confidential communication, you must make a written request to the Privacy and Security Officer at:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
specifying the requested method of contact and/or the location where you wish to be contacted. Our Practice will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not need to give a reason for your request.
Requesting Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. Additionally, you have the right to request that we restrict our disclosure of your PHI to only certain individuals involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as family members and friends. We are not required to agree to your request; however, if we do agree, we are bound by our agreement except when otherwise required by law, in emergencies, or when the information is necessary to treat you. In order to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your PHI, you must make your request in writing to the Privacy and Security Officer at: PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
Your request must describe in a clear and concise fashion:
• The information you wish restricted;
• Whether you are requesting to limit our Practice’s use, disclosure, or both; and
• To whom you want the limits to apply.
Inspection and Copies. You have the right to view, download and/or transmit to a third party online the PHI that may be used to make decisions about you, including your medical records and billing records, but not including psychotherapy notes. You must register with the Practice’s patient portal or submit your request in writing to:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
in order to inspect and/or obtain a copy of your PHI. If applicable, our Practice may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor, and supplies associated with your request.
Amendment. You may ask us to amend your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for our Practice. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
You must provide us with a reason that supports your request for amendment. Our Practice will deny your request if you fail to submit your request (and the reason supporting your request) in writing. Also, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that is in our opinion (1) accurate and correct; (2) not part of the PHI kept by or for the Practice; (3) not part of the PHI that you would be permitted to inspect; or (4) not created by our Practice, unless the individual or entity that created the information is not available to amend the information.
Accounting of Disclosures. All of our patients have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures.” An “accounting of disclosures” is a list of certain non-routine disclosures our Practice has made of your PHI. To obtain an accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
All requests for an “accounting of disclosures” must state a time period, which may not be longer than six years from the date of disclosure and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. The first list you request within a 12-month period is free of charge, but our Practice may charge you for additional lists within the same 12-month period. Our Practice will notify you of other costs involved with additional requests, and you may withdraw your request before you incur any costs.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You are entitled to receive a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. To obtain a paper copy of this notice, contact:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
Right to File a Complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Practice or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with our Practice, contact the Privacy and Security Officer at:
PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Right to Provide an Authorization for Other Uses and Disclosures. Our Practice will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures that are not identified by this Notice or permitted by applicable law. Any authorization you provide to us regarding the use and disclosure of your PHI may be revoked at any time in writing. After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your PHI for the reasons described in the authorization. Please note we are required to retain records of your care. If you have any questions regarding this Notice or our health information privacy policies, please contact our Privacy and Security Officer at: PCA of Hagerstown, LLC, 354 Mill Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740.
7. Participation in the Chesapeake Regional Information System for Patients (CRISP)
We have chosen to participate in the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our patients (CRISP), a regional health information exchange serving Maryland and D.C. As permitted by law, your health information will be shared with this exchange in order to provide faster access, better coordination of care and assist providers and public health officials in making more informed decisions. You may “opt out” and disable access to your health information available through CRISP by calling : 1-877-952-7477 or completing and submitting an Opt-Out form to CRISP by mail, fax or through their web site at :www.crisp.health.org. Public health reporting and Controlled Dangerous Substance information as part of the Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), will still be available to providers.