We respect our legal obligation to keep your health information private. We are obligated by law to give you notice of our privacy practices. This Noitce describes how we protect your health information and what rights you have regarding it. This notice is effective April 14, 2003 until further notice.

RIGHT TO NOTICE

As a patient, you have the right to adequate notice of the uses and disclosures or your protected health information. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPAA), Turtle Creek Eye Associates can use your protected health information for treatment, payment and health care operations. a)Treatment-We may use or disclose your health information to a physician or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you.

b)Payment-We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you.

c)Health care operations-We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competency or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.

YOUR AUTHORIZATION

Most uses and disclosures that do not fall under treatment, payment, healthcare operations will require your written authorization. Upon signing, you may revoke your authorization (in writing) through our practice at any time.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

In the event of your incapacity or an emergency situation, we will disclose health information to a family member, or another person responsible for your care, using our professional judgment. We will only disclose health information that is directly relevant to the person's involvement in your health care.

MARKETING

We will not use your heatlh information for marketing communications without your written permission.

REQUIRED BY LAW

We may also use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law.

ABUSE OR NEGLECT

We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence or the victim of other crimes. We may disclose your health information to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to you or other people's health or safety.

NATIONAL SECURITY

We may dislose the health information of Armed Forces personnel to miltary authorities under certain circumstances. We may disclose health information to authorized federal or state officials for matters of lawful intelligence, counterintelligence and other national security activities. We may disclose health infomration of inmates or patients to the appropriate authorities under certain circumstances.

APPOINTMENT REMINDERS

We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders via phone, e-mail, or letter.

YOUR RIGHTS as a PATIENT

You have the right to restrict the disclosure of your protected health information (in writing). The request for restriction may be denied if the information is requred for treatment, payment or healthcare operations.

--You have the right to receive confidential communications regarding your protected health information.

--You have the right to inspect and copy your protected health information.

--You have the right to amend your protected health information.

--You have the right to receive an account of disclosures of your protected heatlh information.

--You have the right to a paper copy of this notice of privacy practices.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information. We are required to abide by the terms of this notice as it is currently stated, and reserve the right to change this notice. The policies in any new notice will not be in effect until they are available within our office.

COMPLAINTS

If you have complaints regarding the way your protected health information was handled, you may submit a complaint in writing to our office. You will not be retaliated against in any manner for a complaint.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For further information about our privacy policies, please contact our office at the following address or phone number:

Turtle Creek Eye Associates 3888 Oak Lawn Ave. Suite 123 Dallas, Texas 75219 214-528-4050