Each time you visit Imaging Specialists of Charleston, a record of your visit is made. This record will typically contain your symptoms, examination, test results, diagnoses and treatment plans. This information, referred to as your health or medical record serves as a:

• Basis for planning your care and treatment

• A means of communication among the many health professionals who contribute to your care

• Legal document describing the care you received

• A means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided

• A tool for educating professionals

• A source of information for public health officials charged with improving the health of this state and the nation

• A source of data for our planning and marketing

• A tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we give and the outcome of that care.

Understanding what is in your health record and how it is used helps you to ensure its accuracy, and better understand who, what, when, where and why others may access your health information.

Although your health record is the physical property of Imaging Specialists of Charleston, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:

• Obtain a paper copy of this notice of information practices upon request

• CT and copy your health record as provided for in 45CFR 164.524

• Amend your health record as provided in 45 CFR 164.528

• Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information as provided in 45 CFR 164.528

• Request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations

• Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information as provided by 45 CFR 1643.522

• Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken

Imaging Specialists of Charleston is required to:

• Maintain the privacy of your health information

• Provide you with this notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you

• Abide by the terms of this notice

• Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction

• Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.

We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will mail a revised notice to the address you’ve supplied us, or if you agree, we will email the revised notice to you.

We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice. We will also discontinue using or disclosing your health information after we have received a written revocation of the authorization.

If you have questions and would like additional information, you may contact Imaging Specialists of Charleston’s Privacy Officer, at (843) 824-0606.

You can file a complaint with our Privacy Officer or with the Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Health and Human Services with no retaliation.

Office for Civil Rights
US Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, DC 20201

• Maintain the privacy of your health information

• Provide you with this notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to the information we collect and maintain about you

• Abide by the terms of this notice

• Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction

• Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.

We will use your health information for treatment
Information obtained by our staff will be recorded in your record and used to determine the best course of treatment for you and to determine how you are responding to that treatment. We will provide other healthcare providers with copies of reports that should assist in treating you when you are no longer under our care.

We will use your health information for payment
A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. This information may include identification, diagnosis, procedures, and supplies used.

We will use your health information for regular health operations: Referrals to other health organizations (labs, emergency rooms, x-rays, specialists); Notification and communication with family members, close personal friend, or another person responsible for your care information about your appointments, condition, or payment related to your care unless you notify us that you object.

We will use your health information to respond to requests by Worker’s Compensation, public health organizations, and law enforcement agencies as required by law.