Notice of Privacy Practices

Your information. Your rights. Our responsibilities.

This notice describes how:

• We collect information through this website.
• How medical information that identifies you may be used and disclosed. 
  

We tell you how you access to this information.

Online Privacy

Summary

We take data stewardship seriously. All of your browsing history on our website is treated as personal health information (PHI). This means that your information is stored and access is restricted just like your medical chart information (see below). The only people with access to your data is Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC and vendors who help us run this website and our business. These vendors are HIPAA compliant with strong data protection policies. We never release your information or resell your data to third parties. Our online advertising does not identify you to advertising agencies. We do not use Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel. Embedded YouTube videos may leak information to Alphabet/Google. If this is a concern, you may elect not to play them.

Collection of Information

We collect typical information about you such as your:

• IP address provides information about what city you are located in
• The URL of the website from which you linked directly to our website
• The date and time you accessed our website
• The pages you visited, including the information requested through your browser, the response from your browser, the size of the page you received in response to the request, and the marketing email or web page that referred you to the page you visited
  The web browser and operating system you used to access our website.
• Additionally, the we may request that you provide certain personal information such as name, username, email address, mailing address, telephone numbers, or other identifying information.

Use of Information

Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC will only use your personal data on a lawful basis to fulfill a legitimate business interest. We may use information collected from your visit to this website to:

• Manage and improve the user experience and preferences associated with this website and Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC communications
• Track how often people gain access to or read the our content
• Foster further communications and manage your subscription(s) to our publications
• Invite and/or register you (upon request) to events that may be of interest to you
• Optimize and personalize your online interactions with the Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC
• Fulfill your online requests for goods or services
• Conduct online research, education, training, or surveys
• Identify anomalies in web traffic in order to help protect personal and our information
• Exercise the Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC's legal rights, defend against legal claims, or respond to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal processes
• The collection and use of personal information for any other purpose than described herein requires supplemental and more specific notification or consent.

Disclosure or Sharing of Information

The Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC may use vendors service providers and suppliers to facilitate this website or the services the we provide. Those providers and suppliers may have access to the information the we collect in order to fulfill their obligations to us.  We are a medical clinic, and as such may disclose or share information in recognition of applicable state, federal, or international laws.

Collection Methods

Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC may use various technologies such as cookies, applets, scripts, server logs, custom URL parameters, tracking images, information and correspondence, or web analytics to collect information. Depending on your browser you may be able to disable certain collection methods. This may limit your ability to use some features of this website.

External Websites

Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC may provide links on this website to other external websites that are not owned or operated by us. We may also partner with third parties to place ads on external websites. Your use of external websites is subject to the terms and conditions or privacy statements of the providers of those websites.

Data Protection

We protect your data as we do your medical chart information. Our vendors used to run this website are HIPAA compliant.

Children or Minors

We does not knowingly collect personal information from children or minors as defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) on its general websites. The collection and use of personal information from children or minors for other purposes is subject to supplemental and more specific notification or consent terms. Please see University Privacy Notices and Consent Forms website for specific examples.

Retention

Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC retains your data for at least the minimum required retention according to applicable laws governing medical chart information.

Additional Rights You May Have Regarding Your Data

Applicable laws may give you additional rights to request access to, or to request the erasure, correction or transfer of, your data.  For example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) provides certain rights to persons who were/are residing in the European Union when data were/are collected. If the EU GDPR applies to your data then you may ask to see your data or request, to the extent allowed by law, to have your data corrected or erased. You may also object to or request restrictions on how your data will be processed. You may ask that your data be forwarded or transferred to another organization. Finally, to the extent allowed by law, you may withdraw consent you have given to certain data processing, without penalty. If you do decide to withdraw consent at a later date, your withdrawal will not affect the legality of the processing of your data up to that point.

Questions

If you have questions about the collection or use of information you should contact us at compliance@chadruffinmd.com.

Your Medical Information

YOUR RIGHTS

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights.

This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

• You can ask in writing to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.
• We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
  

Ask us to correct your medical record

• You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.
• We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing.
  

Request confidential communications

• You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
• We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
  

Ask us to limit what we use or share

• You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations.

• We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.

• If you pay for a service or healthcare 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.
  

Get a list of those with whom we have shared information

• You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we have shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
• We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We will provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.
  

Get a copy of this privacy notice

• You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.
  

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.
  

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

• You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC, compliance: compliance@chadruffinmd.com
• You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1.877.696.6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
  

YOUR CHOICES

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share.

If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

You have both the right and choice to tell us to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
• Share information in a disaster relief situation.
• Include your information in a hospital directory.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

With limited exceptions, we do not share your information unless you give us written permission for:

• Marketing purposes
• Sale of your information
• Most sharing of psychotherapy notes
  

In the case of fundraising:

• We have a long history of advocacy for our patients. We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
  

OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES

How do we typically use or share your health information?

We typically use or disclose (share) your health information in the following ways.

Treat you

• We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks another doctor about your overall health condition.

Run our organization

• We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve care, and contact you when necessary. Sometimes we remove information that identifies you in order to carry out these tasks.

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

Bill for your services

• We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.

Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues

• We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:

• Preventing disease
• Helping with product recalls
• Reporting adverse reactions to medications
• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety
  

Do research

• In certain circumstances, we can use or share your information for health research. Research projects involving patients must be approved through a special review process to protect patient safety, welfare and confidentiality.
  

Comply with the law

• We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.
  

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

• We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.
  

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

• We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.
  

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

• We can use or share health information about you:

• For workers’ compensation claims
• For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
• For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
  

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

• We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
  

Additional protection of your health information

• Special laws apply to certain kinds of health information. There are extra legal protections for health information about sexually transmitted diseases, drug and alcohol abuse treatment records, mental health records, and HIV/AIDS information. When required by law, we will not share this type of information without your written permission.
• In certain circumstances, a minor (under 18 years of age) patient’s health information may receive additional protections.
  

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
  

For more information see:

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html.

Changes to the Terms of This Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, in clinical settings, and on our web site.

This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to facilities operated by Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC, and the medical staff at those facilities.

Chad Ruffin MD, PLLC, Compliance

1626 19^th Ave

Seattle, WA 98122

(206) 880-1358

compliance@chadruffinmd.com

EFFECTIVE September 1, 2023

Rev:

11/7/2023 – Added online privacy practices

9/1/2023 – Created