Notice of Privacy Policy and Accessibility

Thank you for choosing Helix Virtual Medicine for your health care needs. If you have any questions about the information contained within this document, please call us at 888-944-6369 or email helixathome@helixcares.com for assistance.

GENERAL

We are committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains what information we collect about users of our website and describes how we will use it. Our website may contain links to other sites that are outside our control and are not covered by this privacy policy. If you access other sites using the links provided, your information may be used by the operators of those sites in accordance with their privacy policy, which may differ from ours.

HIPAA

Federal regulations implemented by the government under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) are in effect as of April 14, 2003. These regulations require our office to provide you with a privacy notice. This notice describes how your personal medical information may be used and/or disclosed by Helix Virtual Medicine to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations, and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes how you can obtain access and control of this information. These regulations also require our office to obtain your acknowledgement of receipt of this notice. Please take this privacy notice home with you for your records. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask a HELIX employee.

PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)

Protected Health Information (PHI) refers to any patient information relating to treatment, diagnosis, or payment that identifies a person.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI:

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI in your designated record set. This designated record set includes any records that Helix Virtual Medicine may have about you that are used for making medical treatment decisions. Under federal law, you may not inspect a copy of psychotherapy notes, information being used in anticipation of legal proceedings, or PHI that is otherwise prohibited.
You have the right to request restrictions be placed on certain uses and/or disclosures of your PHI. You may ask us not to use and/or disclose part of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations. You may also request that any part of your PHI not be disclosed to any of your family members. You must state the specific restriction request, and to whom it applies. Please submit these requests in writing to the Site Manager. Helix Virtual Medicine has the right not to agree with your request if the physician determines it is in your best interest to allow use and/or disclosure of your PHI, subject to certain applicable legal restrictions.
You have the right to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. Please notify the Site Manager in writing of this request.
You have the right to request a listing of certain disclosures Helix Virtual Medicine has made of your PHI. Please request an accounting list from the Site Manager.
You have the right to request amendments be made to your PHI. Please submit requests to the Site Manager.
You have a right to receive a copy of this Privacy Notice. Please request a copy from the Site Manager.
Helix Virtual Medicine has the right to change the terms of this notice. Helix Virtual Medicine will inform you of any changes made to this Privacy Notice.
Please contact the Site Manager if you have questions or need assistance regarding your medical records or the Helix Virtual Medicine privacy policy.
If you feel your rights have been violated, you have the option to file a formal complaint. Please contact the Site Manager or your local Department of Health & Human Resources to do so.

USES & DISCLOSURES OF PHI:

Helix Virtual Medicine uses PHI when employees within the organization share, examine, or analyze a patient’s medical information. Helix Virtual Medicine discloses PHI upon the release, transfer, or given access of PHI to other external persons or facilities. Except for the following circumstances, Helix Virtual Medicine will not release your PHI without your written authorization.

Treatment:

Helix Virtual Medicine will use and/or disclose your PHI to provide medical services, coordinate medical care, and/or help manage your health care and other medical services. Helix Virtual Medicine may also disclose PHI to external persons or facilities that will be involved in your medical care.

Payment:

Your PHI will be used and/or disclosed, as needed, to help obtain payment for your services. These uses are often required to obtain payment from third parties. Many services require prior authorization, and your PHI may be disclosed to obtain insurance authorization for such services before they are rendered.

Health Care Operations:

Your PHI may be used and/or disclosed, as needed, to aid in the everyday administration of Helix Virtual Medicine. In order to provide you and your family with quality care, Helix Virtual Medicine may use your PHI for quality control reviews, internal investigations, performance reviews, training of new employees, and for other health-related activities. Helix Virtual Medicine may also use and/or disclose your PHI to provide information to you.

Continuation of Treatment:

Helix Virtual Medicine may use and/or disclose your PHI to ensure continuation of care by checking on your progress or notifying you of received test results.

Treatment Options:

Helix Virtual Medicine may use and/or disclose your PHI to inform you of various treatment options or programs that may be of benefit to your care.

Medical Benefit Services:

Helix Virtual Medicine may use and/or disclose your PHI to inform you of various medical benefit services in the community that may be of use to you.

OTHER PERMITTED/REQUIRED USES & DISCLOSURES:

Helix Virtual Medicine may use and/or disclose your PHI to the appropriate authorities in the following situations without your authorization:

Requirements of federal, state, or local law
Public safety issues that require notification to the proper public health authorities
Issues of national security or military activity
Health oversight agencies
Court-ordered legal proceedings
Law enforcement
Correctional institutions at which a patient may be an inmate
Approved research projects
Coroners, organ donation services, and funeral directors
Workers’ compensation
Change in ownership of Helix Urgent Care
The Food & Drug Administration

PERMITTED USES & DISCLOSURES THAT MAY BE USED WITH YOUR AUTHORIZATION & OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT:

Helix Virtual Medicine may use and/or disclose your PHI to the appropriate authorities in certain situations. You have the opportunity to consent or object to the use and/or disclosure of all, or part, of your PHI in the following situations:

Emergencies:

If an emergent situation exists where it is impossible to obtain your consent for PHI uses and/or disclosures, Helix Virtual Medicine will make every effort to obtain consent once the emergent situation is resolved.

Marketing:

Helix Virtual Medicine will not use and/or disclose your PHI to any outside marketing agencies without written consent.

OTHER PERSONS INVOLVED IN YOUR CARE:

Helix Virtual Medicine may disclose your PHI to notify a family member or another responsible person of your care or condition. You will be given the opportunity to agree or object to the disclosure of this PHI before we will communicate with other persons involved in your care.

DO WE USE COOKIES?

Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser (if you allow) that enables the sites or service providers’ systems to recognize your browser, and capture and remember certain information. We use cookies to compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. Most browsers allow you to turn off the cookie function. If you want to know how to do this, please look at the help menu on your browser. Allow your browser to accept cookies if you would like to use the functionality of this site.

We may contract with third-party service providers to assist us in better understanding our site visitors. These service providers are not permitted to use the information collected on our behalf, except to help us conduct and improve our business.

View Google Analytics Public Policy https://policies.google.com/?hl=en-US

ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY ONLY

This online privacy policy applies only to information collected through our website and not to information collected offline.

YOUR CONSENT

By using our site, you consent to our online privacy policy.

CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

Any and all changes to our privacy policy will be posted on this page.

CONTACTING US

If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy, you may contact us at helixathome@helixcares.com.

WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY

Helix Virtual Medicine is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities can access all of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations offered by Helix Virtual Medicine through its website, https://helixvm.com. We are utilizing guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to implement functional improvements, and are also working to ensure that all content on https://helixvm.com satisfies the criteria set forth in WCAG 2.1. If you are having trouble accessing our site, please call us at 888-944-6369 or email helixathome@helixcares.com for assistance.