Website and Mobile Use Privacy Policy

This notice explains our policy regarding the collection and use of any information collected when you visit our website using any electronic device. Our website is defined as any webpage that contains the domain: https://www.valuephysicaltherapy.com and excludes all third party software and organizations. We have no control over any other software, organization or website that does not operate under the name Value Physical Therapy. 
When you visit our website, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, geographical location, the web pages you visit, and the length of time you spend on each web page are automatically collected. We use this information to monitor the performance of our website and to help us make decisions about future changes to the website. The information collected is never shared or sold to any organizations unaffiliated with Value Physical Therapy. 

Company Privacy Policy

Value Physical Therapy, Reisterstown, MD, contact@valuephysicaltherapy.com

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Value Physical Therapy is committed to protecting your health information because we understand that the health information you share with us is personal and important to you. Under federal and state law, we are required to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). PHI is defined as any personal information that identifies you, any information that relates to the services we provide to you, and any information that relates to your payment for those services. 

We keep a record of the care and services we provide and the information we receive from you. Keeping a record of the information you provide is required by law and allows us to provide you with the best possible care and service. The information we may ask you to provide includes your medical history, current medications, test and imaging results, past and present symptoms, and other information related to your reason for seeing our Doctor of Physical Therapy. Additionally, the record will include results from examinations and tests, diagnoses and treatments, as well as evaluations and treatment plans formulated by the physical therapist.    

This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to all information that you provide to us and all documents that are created as part of your care. This notice tells you how we may use and disclose your health information. It also describes your rights regarding the health information we have about you, and describes certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your health information. 

We are required by law to:
⦁ Maintain the privacy of your health information.
⦁ Give you this notice of our legal duties and our privacy practices for health information.
⦁ Follow the terms of the Notice that is currently in effect.

We may change the terms of this Notice, and such changes will apply to all information I have about you. The updated Notice will be available upon request, and on our website.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:

Because we are committed to protecting the privacy of your information, we limit the use of your information to only those uses that are necessary to do our job properly. The use of your information will fall into one or more of these categories. Any other use of your health information requires your written authorization.

Treatment: We may use or disclose your information to provide you with our services and to ensure that we are providing the highest quality of service. Your information may also be used to evaluate what types of treatment are appropriate and to determine the best health care professional to refer you to when appropriate. We may disclose health information to assist a health care provider in treating of the patient. For example, if a health care provider consults with another licensed health care provider about your condition, we may use and disclose your otherwise confidential PHI to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of your condition.

Payment for Services: We may use and disclose your information in order to collect payment for the services we have provided to you.

Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose your information to comply with federal or state small business requirements. For example, if we are being audited by the federal or state government. 

Information: We may use your information to send you appointment reminders and other information by email or text message.  

USES AND DISCLOSURES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION.

There are certain circumstances in which the law requires us to use and disclose health information without your written authorization. We may use and disclose your personal health information without your authorization for the following reasons:

a. When disclosure is required by state or federal law, and the use or disclosure is consistent with and limited to the relevant requirements of such law.
b. For public health activities, including reporting suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse, or to prevent or reduce a serious threat to the health or safety of any person.
c. For health oversight activities, including audits and investigations.
d. For judicial and administrative proceedings, including in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, investigation of a complaint made on your behalf, or other lawful process, if you are involved in a lawsuit, legal dispute or claim. 
e. For law enforcement purposes.
f. To coroners and medical examiners when such persons are performing duties authorized by law.
g. For workers’ compensation purposes.
h. Individuals involved in the patient's care or payment for the patient's care.

YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR PHI:

Your Right to Request Limitations on the Use and Disclosure of Your PHI. You have the right to ask us not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes. I am not required to agree to your request, and we may deny it if we believe it would adversely affect the quality of your health care.

Your Right to Choose How I Send PHI to You. You have the right to ask me to contact you in a particular way (for example, by an alternate phone number or email address). We will accommodate your request as long as it is reasonable.

Right to Access and Obtain Copies of Your PHI. Except for information related to legal proceedings and health information restricted by law, you have the right to obtain copies of your PHI upon written request. We reserve the right to charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copying, postage and preparation of the request. You have the right to select the information you want copied and to provide us with the contact information of the person to whom you want the information sent.

Right to a List of Disclosures. You have the right to request a list of instances in which I have disclosed your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment or health care operations, or for which you have given us an authorization. The list I will give you will include disclosures made in the past six years, unless you request a shorter time period. I will provide the list to you free of charge, but if you make more than one request in the same year, I will charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for each additional request.

Right to Correct or Update Your PHI (Request for Amendment). If you believe that there is an error in your PHI or that important information is missing from your PHI, you have the right to request that we correct the existing information or add the missing information. We may deny the request if we determine that the contents of your health information are accurate and complete, if the information included in your request is not part of our records, or if the information is not permitted to be disclosed. We will respond to your request within 60 days, with an extension of up to 30 days if necessary.

Right to Receive a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice, a copy of this Notice by electronic mail, or both.

Right to Know if a Data Breach has Occurred. If a data breach ever occurs, we have a legal obligation to notify you.

HOW YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION IS RECEIVED AND COLLECTED:

Your personal health information is obtained from the information you provide to us when completing new patient paperwork and intake forms, information you provide verbally to your physical therapist during your online video sessions, and written information you provide through private communication with your Doctor of Physical Therapy. 

​

All of this information is processed, received, stored, and safeguarded within a secure platform called PracticeQ, which fully compliant with HIPAA regulations. 

​

DATA RETENTION

According to Maryland state law, healthcare records must be retained for a minimum of five (5) years from the date of creation of the record or report. For minors, these records must be kept until the patient reaches the age of majority (which is 18 in Maryland) plus three (3) additional years, meaning until the patient is 21 years old, or for five (5) years after the record or report is created, whichever date is later. However, physical therapists are obligated to adhere to the most strict requirements among local, state, and federal laws regarding patient record retention. Currently, federal law mandates a minimum retention period of ten (10) years.

For more information or questions, please contact us at contact@valuephysicaltherapy.com and we will forward your email to the appropriate person.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOTICE
This notice went into effect on February 22, 2024 

​