THE STEWARD CLINIC
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective Date: 09/01/2025
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
The Steward Clinic (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and disclose your health information, your rights concerning your health information, and our responsibilities under federal and applicable state law.
If you have questions about this notice, please contact:
Privacy Contact: Dr. Tyler Steward
The Steward Clinic
YOUR RIGHTS
You have the following rights concerning your protected health information:
1. Get a copy of your medical record
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical and health information maintained by us, including information maintained electronically when applicable.
You may request your records in a particular electronic format if the information is readily producible in that format. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies when permitted by law. We will not charge you for simply inspecting your records.
We will generally respond to a request for access within 30 calendar days. In circumstances permitted by law, we may take one additional 30-day period and will provide you with a written explanation of the delay.
2. Ask us to correct your medical record
You may ask us to correct health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
We may deny your request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If we deny your request, we will explain the reason for the denial and explain your right to submit a written statement of disagreement when applicable.
3. Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location.
For example, you may ask us to contact you only by telephone, to use a particular telephone number, or to send correspondence to a particular address.
We will accommodate reasonable requests.
4. Ask us to limit what we use or disclose
You may ask us to limit the health information we use or disclose for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
We are not required to agree to every restriction request.
However, if you pay for a health care service or item completely out of pocket and request that we not disclose information concerning that service or item to your health plan for payment or health care operations, we will generally honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.
5. Get a list of certain disclosures
You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made by us during the six years before your request.
The accounting does not include certain disclosures, including disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, disclosures made directly to you, and certain other disclosures excluded by law.
6. Get a copy of this notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. You may also request an electronic copy when available.
7. Choose someone to act for you
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person may exercise your rights and make decisions regarding your health information on your behalf.
We will verify that the person has appropriate legal authority before taking action.
8. File a complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
YOUR CHOICES
For certain health information, you may have choices regarding how we share your information.
Family members and individuals involved in your care
Unless you object, we may disclose relevant health information to a family member, close friend, or another person you identify who is involved in your care or payment for your care.
We may also disclose relevant information to individuals involved in your care when permitted by law.
You may tell us that you do not want us to make such disclosures.
Disaster relief
We may disclose health information to an organization assisting with disaster relief when permitted by law.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
The following are examples of circumstances in which we may use or disclose your protected health information without obtaining your separate written authorization when permitted by law.
Treatment
We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care.
For example, we may use your health information to evaluate your condition, provide chiropractic services, coordinate care with another health care provider, or communicate with another provider involved in your treatment.
Payment
We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide.
For example, this may include submitting claims, verifying eligibility or coverage, obtaining payment, or responding to payment-related inquiries.
Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your health information for activities necessary to operate our practice and provide quality care.
Examples include quality assessment, compliance activities, auditing, business management, training, credentialing, and other activities permitted by law.
Required by Law
We may use or disclose your health information when federal, state, or local law requires us to do so.
Public Health Activities
We may disclose health information for certain public health activities permitted or required by law, such as reporting certain diseases or conditions, preventing or controlling disease, or other legally authorized public health activities.
Health Oversight
We may disclose health information to appropriate government agencies for activities authorized by law involving oversight of the health care system, government benefit programs, regulatory compliance, or other legally authorized oversight activities.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety
We may use or disclose health information when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, when permitted by law.
Law Enforcement
We may disclose health information to law enforcement when permitted or required by applicable law.
Workers' Compensation
We may disclose health information as authorized by or required to comply with workers' compensation laws and similar programs.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings
We may disclose health information in response to an appropriate court order, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process when the applicable legal requirements are satisfied.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
We may disclose health information to coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors when permitted by law.
Organ and Tissue Donation
We may disclose health information for organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation purposes when permitted by law.
Research
We may use or disclose health information for research purposes when permitted by applicable law and appropriate privacy protections are in place.
Military and Veterans
We may disclose health information concerning members of the armed forces as required or permitted by law.
Inmates and Correctional Institutions
We may disclose health information concerning inmates or individuals in lawful custody when necessary for permitted purposes involving health, safety, or the operation of the correctional institution.
USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION
Certain uses and disclosures of your health information require your written authorization.
For example, we generally must obtain your written authorization before:
Using or disclosing your health information for marketing when an authorization is required;
Selling your health information; or
Making other uses or disclosures that require authorization under applicable law.
If you authorize us to use or disclose your health information, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already relied upon the authorization.
We will not use or disclose your health information for purposes other than those described in this notice unless permitted or required by law or you provide appropriate authorization.
YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
We may communicate with you using telephone calls, voicemail, text messages, email, patient portals, or other electronic methods when permitted and appropriate.
Electronic communication may carry some risk of unauthorized access. We will use reasonable safeguards to protect your information.
You may request that we communicate with you by a particular method or at a particular location. We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
The Steward Clinic is required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information;
Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices;
Follow the privacy practices described in this notice while it is in effect;
Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your health information, as required by law;
Provide you with access to your health information as required by law;
Honor applicable requests concerning your privacy rights; and
Follow applicable federal and state privacy requirements.
We reserve the right to change this notice and make the revised notice applicable to health information we already maintain.
If we make a material change to our privacy practices, we will revise this notice and make the updated notice available as required by law.
The current notice will be available upon request and will be prominently posted in our office and, when applicable, on our website.
IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact us directly.
The Steward Clinic
Privacy Contact: Dr. Tyler Steward
You may also file a complaint with the:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
You may submit a complaint through the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint process at:
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights at:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.