Effective Date: 01.11.2025
Last Updated: 01.11.2025
This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes how Open MRI of Bala Cynwyd (“we,” “our,” or “us”) may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (PHI), and how you can access this information.
We are required by federal law under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide you with this Notice, and to follow the privacy practices described herein.
1. Our Legal Duty
We are legally obligated to:
- Protect the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information (PHI);
- Provide you with this Notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices; and
- Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may compromise the privacy or security of your information.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. The revised Notice will apply to all PHI we maintain and will be posted on our website and in our facility.
2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following categories describe the ways we may use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization.
a. For Treatment
We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. For example, we may share your imaging results with your referring physician or other healthcare providers involved in your care.
b. For Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for the services we provide. This may include providing information to your insurance company for billing, claims processing, and eligibility verification.
c. For Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI for operational purposes, such as quality assessment, staff training, accreditation, auditing, and compliance activities.
d. As Required by Law
We may disclose your PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law, including public health reporting or law enforcement requests.
3. Other Permitted or Required Uses and Disclosures
We may also disclose your PHI in the following situations:
- Public Health and Safety: To prevent or control disease, report adverse events, or notify individuals at risk.
- Health Oversight Activities: To government agencies for audits, investigations, or inspections.
- Judicial or Administrative Proceedings: In response to court orders or legal processes.
- Law Enforcement: When required by law or to locate a suspect, witness, or missing person.
- Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors: To carry out their legal duties.
- Organ or Tissue Donation: To facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.
- Workers’ Compensation: To comply with workers’ compensation laws.
- Serious Threats to Health or Safety: To prevent a serious threat to a person’s or the public’s safety.
- Military and National Security: For authorized military or national security activities.
4. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization
We will not use or disclose your PHI for purposes other than those described in this Notice unless you provide written authorization.
This includes, for example:
- Marketing communications not otherwise permitted by law
- Sale of your health information
If you provide authorization, you may revoke it at any time in writing. Revocation will not apply to information already used or disclosed in reliance on your authorization.
5. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights concerning your PHI:
a. Right to Access
You may request to review or obtain a copy of your medical records and imaging reports.
Requests must be made in writing. Reasonable fees may apply for copies.
b. Right to Amend
If you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment in writing. We may deny your request in certain cases, but we will inform you in writing of any denial and the reason.
c. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made during a specified time period, excluding those made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
d. Right to Request Restrictions
You may request restrictions on how your PHI is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
While we are not required to agree to all requests, we will comply when legally obligated or when the request involves information shared with your health plan for services paid for out of pocket in full.
e. Right to Request Confidential Communications
You may request that we contact you in a specific way (for example, at home, at work, or via a specific phone number). We will accommodate reasonable requests.
f. Right to a Paper or Electronic Copy of This Notice
You may request a printed or electronic copy of this Notice at any time.
6. Breach Notification
In the event of a breach of unsecured PHI, we will notify you as required by HIPAA.
The notification will include a description of the breach, the types of information involved, and any steps you can take to protect yourself.
7. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
Open MRI of Bala Cynwyd
1 Presidential Blvd, Suite 130
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Phone: +1 (610) 668-3505
Email: info@openmribala.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at:
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
8. Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Notice or your privacy rights, please contact us at:
Open MRI of Bala Cynwyd
1 Presidential Blvd, Suite 130
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Phone: +1 (610) 668-3505
Email: requests@openmribala.com