This notice describes how protected health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to this information.

Your health information may be used by staff member or disclosed health care professionals for the purpose of evaluating and treating your skin conditions. For example, a photograph of a suspicious mole might be examined by our Medical Director. Your health information may be used to seek payment from banks or credit card companies that you may use to pay for services and products. Your health information may be used as necessary to support the day-to-day activities and management of Skin Care By Design. Your health information may be disclosed to law enforcement agencies in response to a warrant or similar process to support government audits and inspections, facilitate law enforcement investigations, identify or locate suspect, or to provide information about the victim of a crime. Your health information my be disclosed in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process. Your health information by be disclosed to public health agencies for reasons such as preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability. Your health information may be disclosed as required by military or authorized federal officials for action security and intelligence activities. 

Disclosure of your health information or its use for any purpose other than those listed above required your specific written authorization. If you change your mind after authorizing a use or disclosure of your health information, you may submit a written revocation of the authorization. However, your decision to revoke the authorization will not affect or undo any use or disclosure of your health information that occurred before you notified us of your decision. 

Your health information will be used to send you appointment reminders. It will also be used to send you information on the treatment and management of your skin conditions that you may find to be of interest. 

You have certain rights under the federal privacy standards. These include the right to: 

• Request restrictions on the use and disclosure of your protected health information. 
• Receive confidential communications concerning your skin care condition and treatment. 
• Inspect and copy your protected health information. 
• Amend or submit corrections to your protected health information. 
• An accounting of how and to whom your protected health information has been disclosed. 
• Receive a printed copy of this notice. 

Skin Care By Design is required by law to: 

• Maintain the privacy of your protected health information. 
• Provide you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information. 
• Abide by the privacy policies and practices that are outlines in this notice. 

As permitted by law, we received the right to amend or modify our privacy policies and practices These changes in our policies and practices may be required by changes in federal and state laws and regulations. Whatever the reason for these revisions, we will provide you with a revised notice on your next office visit. The revised policies and practices will be applied to all protected health information that we maintain. 

As permitted by federal regulation, we require that requests to inspect or copy protected health information be submitted in writing. You may obtain a form to request access to your records at our office reception desk.