This notice describes how medical information about Vori patients may be used and disclosed and how the patient can get access to this information.
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.
Vori Health1 is considers all communication between you and a Vori Health clinician, as well as your medical records that are created in the course of providing healthcare services to you, to be confidential and privileged. We will not disclose your information, including your identity, results of medical evaluation, or treatment of such, except as required by federal or state law.
Vori Health is dedicated to protecting the privacy of your protected health information (‘PHI'). PHI is information about you that may be used to identify you (such as your name, social security number, email address, mobile telephone number, address or date of birth), and that relates to (a) your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition, (b) the provision of healthcare to you, or (c) your past, present, or future payment for the provision of healthcare. In conducting its business, Vori Health will receive and create records containing your PHI. Vori Health is required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI. Other health care providers involved in your care may have different policies or notices regarding their use and disclosure of your PHI.
Vori Health must maintain the privacy of your PHI, give you this Notice of its legal duties and privacy practices, notify you if you are affected by a breach of unsecured PHI; and abide by the terms of this Notice while it is in effect. Vori Health and its employees, volunteers and other personnel must also above by this Notice. Vori Health follows the HIPAA "minimum necessary" standard and restricts the use and disclosure of your PHI to the minimum amount necessary to achieve the purpose for which the PHI is being used, requested, or disclosed, unless such restrictions are legally exempt.
Our policy permits and accommodates reasonable requests by individuals, who represent they are in danger, to receive communications of PHI from us by an alternative means or at an alternative location.
This current Notice takes effect on January 20, 2021, and will remain in effect until Vori Health replaces it. Vori Health publishes these policies and procedures (rules and regulations) which govern how you may request access to your medical record and adheres to Privacy Act requirements and OMB (Office of Management and Budget) policies and guidance for the proper processing of a Privacy Act request.
Vori Health reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, as long as the changes are in compliance with applicable law. If Vori Health changes the terms of this Notice, the new terms will apply to all PHI that it maintains, including PHI that was created or received before such changes were made. If Vori Health changes this Notice, it will post the new Notice on its Web site and will make the new Notice available upon request. If there are any changes to this Notice we will provide you with the updated Notice by posting it on our Web site. In addition, when the changes are material we will notify you of the changes via email to the email address you provided.
Special Considerations for Use or Disclosure of PHI related to Reproductive Health
When Vori Health receives a request for PHI potentially related to reproductive health care and where the request is for PHI for any of the following purposes:
• Health oversight activities
• Judicial or administrative proceedings
• Law enforcement
• Regarding decedents, disclosures to coroners and medical examiners
Vori Health will obtain a signed attestation that clearly states the requested use or disclosure is not for the following prohibited purposes:
(1) To conduct a criminal, civil, or administrative investigation into any person for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.
(2) To impose criminal, civil, or administrative liability on any person for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.
(3) To identify any person for any purpose described in (1) or (2).
The prohibition applies when the reproductive health care at issue (1) is lawful under the law of the state in which such health care is provided under the circumstances in which it is provided, (2) is protected, required, or authorized by Federal law, including the United States Constitution, under the circumstances in which such health care is provided, regardless of the state in which it is provided, or (3) is provided by another person and presumed lawful.
Vori Health will ensure that communications between you and a healthcare professional are made available upon request. Vori Health may require you to make a request for a confidential communication in writing.
Vori Health limits permitted use and/or disclosure of PHI to you or another individual for (i) treatment,
(ii) payment, (iii) or healthcare operations; or otherwise pursuant to a valid authorization or agreement. We do so in a manner not inconsistent with uses or disclosures that require authorization or are otherwise prohibited, as required by HIPAA.
Vori Health will not use or disclose PHI or personal identifiable information (PIII) without a valid authorization; when feasible, appropriate, and in line with our policies, we will not share information for which an authorization is not needed, without providing you an opportunity to consent or object to the disclosure.
Vori Health will comply with regulatory criteria for permitted use and disclosure of PHI for public health activities for purposes including (i) preventing or controlling disease; (ii) reporting incidents of child abuse or neglect; (iii) relating to the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration; (iv) intervention or investigation of communicable diseases; (v) work-related illness or injury; or (vi) to disclose proof of immunization.
Vori Health discloses PHI to your family member, other relative, your close personal friend, any other person identified by you, or to assist and locate such a person, with the disclosure limited to that PHI directly relevant to the person's involvement with your care, or payment related to your care, or otherwise limited to the requirements for limited use and disclosure, when you are not present, for disaster relief purposes, or for a deceased individual.
A valid authorization from you is required for a variety of disclosures, including the use and disclosure of psychotherapy notes (which is a service which Vori Health does not provide) or for marketing purposes.
In certain instances, Vori Health uses or discloses protected health information (i) without your written authorization or the opportunity for you to agree or object, and (ii) to the extent that such use or disclosure is required by law and the use or disclosure complies with, and is limited to, the relevant requirements of such law. Our policy includes that we will formally verify with appropriate documentation, the identity and authority of persons (e.g., public officials) requesting PHI. Vori Health will disclose PHI about you, if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, to government authorities, authorized by law, to receive such reports, only to the extent necessary and required by law, and notifies you when required by law. If a Vori Health workforce member is a victim of a crime, Vori Health may disclosure your PHI to law enforcement officials provided that you are a suspected perpetrator of the criminal act and the PHI disclosed is limited in nature.
As appropriate, Vori Health only conditions your request for confidential communications on how payment, if any, will be handled and the specification of an alternative address or other method of contact; however, in no case may Vori Health require an explanation as to the basis of your request. Vori Health, acting as a covered entity, permits and accommodates reasonable requests by you who represent you are in danger, to receive communications of PHI from Vori Health n by alternative means or at alternative locations.
Vori Health limits disclosure of PHI to a coroner or medical examiner-or a covered entity acting in the capacity of a coroner or medical examiner—to that required to identify a decease person, determine a cause of death, or other duties as authorized by law. Vori Health limits disclosure of PHI to funeral directors, consistent with applicable law, to the minimum necessary to carry out their duties with respect to the decedent. Vori Health will limit use or disclose of PHI to legitimate organ procurement organizations, for the purpose of facilitating organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation.
Uses and Disclosure of PHI Procedure
This section provides more details related to how Vori Health policy related to use and disclosure of your PHI is may use and disclose your PHI. For any form you need related to this section, for questions or additional information, please email privacy@vorihealth.com. Appropriate forms will be sent to you with instruction on the form for submission to Vori Health.
1. Treatment, Payment and Healthcare Operations. Vori Health is permitted to use and disclose your PHI for purposes of (a) treatment, (b) payment and (c) healthcare operations. For example:
Treatment. Vori Health may disclose your PHI to another physician or healthcare provider for purposes of a visit or in connection with the provision of follow-up treatment.
Payment. Vori Health may use and disclose your PHI to your health insurer or health plan in connection with the processing and payment of claims and other charges.
Healthcare Operations. Vori Health may use and disclose your PHI in connection with its healthcare operations, such as providing customer services and conducting quality review assessments. Vori Health may engage third parties to provide various services for Vori Health. If any such third party must have access to your PHI in order to perform its services, Vori Health will require that third party to enter an agreement that binds the third party to the use and disclosure restrictions outlined in this Notice.
2. Authorization. Vori Health is permitted to use and disclose your PHI upon your written authorization, to the extent such use or disclosure is consistent with your authorization. You may revoke any such authorization at any time. To authorize Vori Health to disclose your PHI to a third party, you can email privacy@vorihealth.com to be sent the HIPAA Authorization to Disclose Protected Health Information and mail it to the address listed on the form.
3. As Required by Law. Vori Health may use and disclose your PHI to the extent required by law.
4. Special Circumstances. The following categories describe unique circumstances in which Vori Health may use or disclose your PHI:
1. Public Health Activities. Vori Health may disclose your PHI to public health authorities or other governmental authorities for purposes including preventing and controlling disease, reporting child abuse or neglect, reporting domestic violence and reporting to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the quality, safety and effectiveness of a regulated product or activity. Vori Health may, in certain circumstances, disclose PHI to persons who have been exposed to a communicable disease or may otherwise be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease or condition.
2. Workers' Compensation. Vori Health may disclose your PHI as authorized by, and to the extent necessary to comply with, workers' compensation programs and other similar programs relating to work-related illnesses or injuries.
3. Health Oversight Activities. Vori Health may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for authorized activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing and disciplinary actions relating to the healthcare system or government benefit programs.
4. Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. Vori Health may disclose your PHI, in certain circumstances, as permitted by applicable law, in response to an order from a court or administrative agency, or in response to a subpoena or discovery request.
5. Law Enforcement. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, disclose your PHI to a law enforcement official, such as for purposes of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person.
6. Decedents. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors for purposes such as identification, determining the cause of death and fulfilling duties relating to decedents.
7. Organ Procurement. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI for the purposes of organ donation and transplantation.
8. Research. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI in a limited data set that does not include direct identifiers such as your name, address, social security number, phone number and email address, for research purposes. Such uses may include activities that are preparatory to research or informing you of research studies that may be of interest to you. You will not be enrolled in a research study without your prior voluntary informed consent, unless an institutional review board (IRB) has waived the need to obtain informed consent.
9. Threat to Health or Safety. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose PHI if necessary, to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
10. Specialized Government Functions. Vori Health, may in certain situations, use and disclose PHI of persons who are, or were, in the Armed Forces for purposes such as ensuring proper execution of a military mission or determining entitlement to benefits. Vori Health may also disclose PHI to federal officials for intelligence and national security purposes.
11. Health Information Exchanges. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, make your PHI available electronically through an electronic health information exchange to other health care providers that request your PHI for their treatment purposes. In all cases the requesting provider must have or have had a treating relationship with you. Participation in an electronic health information exchange also lets us see other provider's information about your for our treatment purposes.
12. NOTE: When the requester is a public official (e.g., law enforcement officers, state or federal surveyors, medical examiners, coroners), Vori Health will verify the identity of the public official by having the public official present official identification documentation. If the request is made in writing, Vori Health the identity of the official will be made on the appropriate public official letterhead. The authority of the public official to have access to your PHI will be established by a written statement from the public official which includes the legal authority under which the information is requested. If such a written statement is impracticable, an oral statement of such authority will be accepted by Vori Health.
5. Marketing and Sale. Most uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes, and disclosures that constitute a sale of medical information, require your prior express authorization. We will obtain your written permission for (1) most uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes, as defined by HIPAA; and (2) disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI, as defined by HIPAA. If you provide us permission to use or disclose your PHI, you may revoke that permission in writing at any time. If you revoke your permission, your revocation will be effective upon receipt, but will not be effective to the extent that we or others have acted in reliance upon such permission.
Compound Authorizations Policy
Vori Health will not create compound authorization of your authorizations related to your PHI. This means that when combining any of your authorizations, Vori Health will ensure there is no condition on the provision of treatment, payments, enrollment in a health plan, or eligibility for benefits for the provision of an authorization; except as allowed for research, underwriting, and risk determinations; or disclosure of PHI to a third-party, but in no case for the use of psychotherapy notes (which is a service which Vori Health does not provide). Vori Health may combine your authorizations for the same research study--with an authorization for the creation or maintenance of a research database or repository, or with a consent to participate in research.
Compound Authorization Procedure
As per Vori Health policy, we will, in general, not "compound authorizations," meaning we will not combine your authorizations with other any other legal permission. Vori Health will not combine your authorization for use or disclosure of PHI with any other document to create a compound authorization except as follows:
1. An authorization for the use and disclosure of PHI for a research study may be combined with any other type of written permission for the same research study, including another authorization for the use or disclosure of PHI for such research or consent to participate in such research.
2. An authorization may be combined with any other such authorization under this section, except when Vori Health has conditioned the provision of treatment, payment, enrollment in the health plan, or eligibility for benefits in only the following situations:
1. a) For research-related treatment on provision of an authorization for the use or disclosure of PHI for such research;
2. b) For enrollment in the health plan or eligibility for benefits on provision of an authorization requested by the health plan prior to your enrollment in the health plan, if the authorization is sought for the health plan's eligibility or enrollment determinations relating to you or for its underwriting or risk rating determinations.
Our Vori Health policy on your rights regarding your PHI permits you to request restriction of the disclosure of your covered information to a business associate for purposes of carrying out payment or health care operations. Such a request is not for purposes of carrying out treatment. Vori Health responds to any requests from you on the disclosure of the your covered information and will provide you with records of disclosure made by us and either (i) records of disclosures of covered information made by a business associate acting on behalf of Vori Health; or, (ii) a list of all business associates acting on behalf of Vori Health, including contact information for such associates (such as mailing address, phone, and email address).
If you request an accounting of the confidentiality and disclosure of your PII/PHI, our policy is to act upon your request no later than 60 days after receipt of your request (with a one-time 30 day extension with proper notice of this extension to the you), free of charge for the first request within any 12 month period and, if informed in advance, for a reasonable cost-based fee for subsequent requests within the period, as specified by HIPAA.
Vori Health will temporarily suspend your right to receive an accounting of disclosures, at the request of a health oversight agency or law enforcement official-for the time specified by such agency or official-provided the agency or official furnishes the organization a written statement declaring that such an accounting to you would reasonably be likely to impede the agency's activities, and specifies the time for which such a suspension is required.
If your authorization is given in the context of a written declaration which also concerns other matters, Vori Health will ensures requests for authorization are presented in a manner that is clearly distinguishable from the other matters, in an intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language.
Vori Health will terminate an agreement we make to restrictions that we have placed on your PII/PHI, if (i) you agree to or request the termination in writing; (ii) an oral agreement with you is documented; or (iii) if we inform you of the termination of the agreement and termination is effective only for PHI created, or received thereafter.
Vori Health policy ensures you have the right to amend PII (e.g., PHI or a record about you in a designated record set) for as long as the PII is maintained. Vori Health will deny your request for amendment only if (i) it determines the PHI or record was not created by Vori Health (unless the originator no longer exists), (ii) is not part of the designated record set, (iii) is not available for inspection, or (iv) is otherwise accurate and complete.
If Vori Health accepts your request for an amendment to your PII//PHI, in whole or in part, Vori Health will (i) makes the amendment, (ii) informs your that the amendment was made in a timely manner, and (iii) makes reasonable efforts to notify all required relevant parties, within a reasonable timeframe.
Vori Health permits and accommodates reasonable requests by you, if you represent that you are in danger, to receive communications of PHI from us by alternative means or at alternative locations.
Vori Health has the ability to deny your access to your PHI without providing you an opportunity to review, for psychotherapy notes (services not provided by Vori Health); information compiled in anticipation of legal proceedings; information subject to, or exempt from, the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988; information related to your involvement in research in-progress; information contained in records subject to the Privacy Act; or information obtained from an entity other than Vori Health on the promise of confidentiality.
If your requested amendment is denied, in whole or in part, Vori Health will provide you (i) a written denial; (ii) permit you to submit a statement of disagreement; (iii) prepare a written rebuttal, if the you submit a statement of disagreement; (iv) maintain denials, disagreements, and rebuttals as organizational records; and, (v) provide relevant information regarding any disagreements in future disclosures of the your PHI.
Vori Health will ensure you that if you exercise any of your lawful rights, including the filing of a complaint related to Vori Health, that you are not subject to intimidation, threats, discrimination, or any other retaliatory action by Vori Health.
This section provides more details related to your rights regarding your PHI. For any form you need related to this section, for questions or additional information, please email privacy@vorihealth.com. Appropriate forms will be sent to you with instruction on the form for submission to Vori Health.
You have the following rights regarding the PHI maintained by Vori Health:
Confidential Communication. You have the right to receive confidential communications of your PHI. You may request that Vori Health communicate with you through alternate means or at an alternate location, and Vori Health will accommodate your reasonable requests. You must submit your request in writing to Vori Health. To submit such a request, please contact the Chief Privacy Officer at Vori Health at privacy@vorihealth.com and we will send you the Request for Alternate Means of Confidential Communications Form.
Restrictions. You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of PHI for treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You also have the right to request that Vori Health restrict its disclosures of PHI to only certain individuals involved in your care or the payment of your care. You must submit your request in writing to Vori Health. Vori Health is not required to comply with your request. However, if Vori Health agrees to comply with your request, it will be bound by such agreement, except when otherwise required by law or in the event of an emergency. To submit such a request, please contact the Chief Privacy Officer at Vori Health at privacy@vorihealth.com and we will send you the Request for Restriction on Use/Disclosure of PHI Form.
Inspection and Copies. You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. You must submit your request in writing to Vori Health. Vori Health may impose a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor and supplies associated with your request. Vori Health may deny your request to inspect and/or copy your PHI in certain limited circumstances. If that occurs, Vori Health will inform you of the reason for the denial, and you may request a review of the denial. To request access to your PHI that is not already accessible to you, please contact the Chief Privacy Officer at Vori Health at privacy@vorihealth.com and we will send you the Patient Request to Access and Authorization to Disclose PHI Form.
Amendment. You have a right to request that Vori Health amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is maintained by Vori Health. You must submit your request in writing to Vori Health and provide a reason to support the requested amendment. Vori Health may, under certain circumstances, deny your request by sending you a written notice of denial. If Vori Health denies your request, you will be permitted to submit a statement of disagreement for inclusion in your records.
Please contact the Chief Privacy Officer at Vori Health at privacy@vorihealth.com to request the "Patient Request to Amend PHI Form".
Accepting the Amendment Request
If the Vori Health clinician accepts or partially accepts your requested amendment, the Vori Health clinician will take the following steps:
Indicate that your record has been amended and place a copy of the amendment in your medical record or provide a reference to the location of the amendment within the medical record.
Notify you and any parties (i.e., someone else) identified by you or listed on "Patient Request to Amend PHI Form".
Make reasonable efforts to notify other parties, including business associates, who had received the original medical record of the amendment in a reasonable time.
Vori Health will notify you that the amendment was accepted, and that the amendment was shared with other parties that you identified on the "Patient Request to Amend PHI Form". This information will be placed in your medical record.
When Vori Health is notified by another covered entity (e.g., a medical practice) that there is an amendment to your PHI which that cover entity accepted, Vori Health will amend your PHI in your Vori Health medical record to reflect that amendment.
Denial of the Amendment Request
If the Vori Health clinician decides to deny or partially deny your amendment request, the Vori Health clinician will send an amendment denial letter to you no later than 60 days after receiving your amendment request.
Written Statement of Disagreement
If an amendment request is denied, you may submit a written statement of disagreement to Vori Health Chief Privacy Officer at privacy@vorihealth.com. If you submits a written statement of disagreement, the Vori Health clinician will review your statement of disagreement, seek any clarification(s) if needed, and may prepare a written rebuttal to the statement. If created, the Vori Health clinician shall provide a copy of the written rebuttal to you. Furthermore, Vori Health will place in your medical record the following documents related to your statement of disagreement as well as maintaining:
• Your "Patient Request to Amend PHI Form" The Vori Health clinician's denial letter
• Your statement of disagreement, if any
• The Vori Health clinician's written rebuttal, if any
Accounting of Disclosures. You have a right to receive an accounting of all disclosures Vori Health has made of your PHI. However, that right does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment or healthcare operations, disclosures made to you about your treatment, disclosures made pursuant to an authorization, and certain other disclosures. You must submit your request in writing to Vori Health and you must specify the time period involved (which must be for a period of time less than six years from the date of the disclosure). Your first accounting will be free of charge. However, Vori Health may charge you for the costs involved in fulfilling any additional request made within a period of 12 months. Vori Health will inform you of such costs in advance, so that you may withdraw or modify your request to save costs. To make a request for an accounting of disclosures, please contact privacy@vorihealth.com and we will send you the Request for an Accounting of Disclosures Form.
Suspensions of Accounting
In some cases, a health oversight agency or law enforcement official may request that Vori Health suspend a patient's right to receive an accounting of the disclosures made to that agency or official. Contact the Vori Health Privacy Officer to determine if a portion of or the entire medical record is under suspension. If no such suspension exists, continue with the procedures under Accounting of Disclosures, otherwise, the following procedures must be followed.
Written Suspension Request.
The agency or official must present to Vori Health a statement, in writing, that providing the patient with an accounting of disclosures made to the agency or official would be reasonably likely to impede the agency or official's activities. This statement must also specify how long the suspension will be required.
• During the period of suspension, Vori Health must prepare the accounting list requested by you, but exclude any disclosures that were made to the agency or official. Vori Health will not notify you that these disclosures were excluded.
• When the suspension period is over, Vori Health must record the disclosures made to the agency or official in an accounting for you in the Accounting of Disclosures Log.
Oral Suspension Request
If the agency or official asserts that there is insufficient time to prepare a written statement, Vori Health may grant a suspension for 30 days based on the agency or official's oral representation that suspension is needed for the reasons above (in person or on the telephone).
Vori Health must document that the agency or official in person or on the phone made these statements. Vori Health must also record the identity of the agency or the official.
After 30 days, Vori Health must record the disclosures made to the agency or official in an accounting for you in the Accounting of Disclosures Log, unless the agency or official has provided a written statement seeking further suspension. The agency's written statement must meet the requirements explained above about why the suspension is necessary and how long it will last.
Breach Notification. You have the right to be notified in the event that Vori Health (or a Vori Health Business Associate) discovers a breach of unsecured PHI.
• Paper Copy. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice from Vori Health at any time upon request. To obtain a paper copy of this Notice, please contact the Privacy Officer by sending an email to privacy@Vorihealth.com.
• Complaint. You may complain to Vori Health and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services if you believe that your privacy rights have been violated. To file a complaint with Vori Health, you must submit a statement in writing to: Vori Health, 100 Powell Place #1441, Nashville, TN 37204, Attention: Chief Privacy Officer, or sending an email to: privacy@Vorihealth.com. Vori Health will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
• Further Information. If you would like more information about your privacy rights, please send an email to the Chief Privacy Officer at privacy@Vorihealth.com.
This section provides more details related to potential denial of your request for your PHI. For any form you need related to this section, for questions or additional information, please email privacy@vorihealth.com. Appropriate forms will be sent to you with instruction on the form for submission to Vori Health.
In certain limited circumstances, Vori Health may deny your request for access to all or part of your PHI. Such circumstances may include:
• The requested PHI is in a designated record set that is part of a research study that includes treatment (e.g., clinical trial) and is still in progress, provided the individual agreed to the temporary suspension of access when consenting to participate in the research. The individual's right of access is reinstated upon completion of the research.
• An inmate requests a copy of his or her PHI held by Vori Health and providing the copy would jeopardize the health, safety, security, custody, or rehabilitation of the inmate or other inmates, or the safety of correctional officers, employees, or other person at the institution or responsible for the transporting of the inmate. However, in these cases, an inmate retains the right to inspect his or her PHI.
• The requested PHI is in Privacy Act protected records (i.e., certain records under the control of a federal agency, which may be maintained by a federal agency or a contractor to a federal agency), if the denial of access is consistent with the requirements of the Act.
• The requested PHI was obtained by someone other than a health care provider (e.g., a family member of the individual) under a promise of confidentiality, and providing access to the information would be reasonably likely to reveal the source of the information.
In certain limited circumstances, Vori Health may deny your request for access to all or part of your PHI and you have a right to have the denial reviewed by a licensed health care professional designated by Vori Health who did not participate in the original decision to deny your access. In this circumstance, the denial may be upheld if the licensed health care professional has determined in the exercise of professional judgment that:
• The access requested is reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of you or another person. This ground for denial does not extend to concerns about psychological or emotional harm (e.g., concerns that the individual will not be able to understand the information or may be upset by it).
• The access requested is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to a person (other than a health care provider) referenced in the PHI.
• The provision of access to your personal representative that requests such access is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to you or another person.
Vori Health will provide you in writing the basis of the denial or all or part of your PHI within 30 calendar days of your request (or no later than within 60 calendar days if Vori Health notified you of an extension). If applicable, the communication will include if you have the right to have the decision reviewed and how such a request can be made, as well as how to submit a compliant to Vori Health or the HHS Office of Civil Rights. If you have the right to have the decision reviewed and you request such a review in writing, Vori Health will promptly refer your request to a licensed health care professional designated by Vori Health who did not participate in the original decision to deny your access. The reviewing official will determine, within a reasonable period of time, whether to reaffirm or reverse the denial. Vori Health will then promptly provide written notice to you of the determination of the reviewing official, as well as take other action as necessary to carry out the determination.
Vori Health may not require you to provide a reason for requesting access to your PHI. If you voluntarily offer your reason for requesting access to your PHI, Vori health will not deny access, assuming denial reasons listed above are not applicable.
If Vori Health does not maintain the PHI you request, but we know where the information is maintained, we will inform you where to direct your request for access to your PHI.
Further Information. If you would like more information about your privacy rights, please send an email to the Chief Privacy Officer at privacy@Vorihealth.com.
Effective date of this notice: January 21, 2021 Update of this notice: April 23, 2024
Approved by Mary I. O'Connor, MD, Chief Privacy Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
1 For purposes of this Notice, all references to "Vori Health" herein shall, collectively, refer to the following professional entities: Vori Health Medical Group, PLLC, a Tennessee professional limited liability company, Vori Health Medical Group, P.C., a California professional corporation, Vori Health Medical, PLLC, a New York professional limited liability company, Vori Health Medical Group, PLLC, a Michigan professional limited liability company, Vori Health Medical Group, P.C., an Alaskan professional corporation and Vori Health Medical Group, PLLC, a Massachusetts professional limited liability company.
