Effective Date: September 1, 2026
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.
Your Rights
When it comes to your protected health information as defined by HIPAA (your health information), you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.
Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record
- You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.
- We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
Ask us to correct your medical record
- You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.
- We may say "no" to your request, but we'll tell you why in writing within 60 days.
Request confidential communications
- You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home, office, or cell phone) or to send mail to a different address.
- We will say "yes" to all reasonable requests.
Ask us to limit what we use or share
- You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations.
- We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say "no".
- If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say "yes" unless a law requires us to share that information.
Get a list of those with whom we've shared information
- You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we've shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
- We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We'll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.
Get a copy of this privacy notice
- You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.
Choose someone to act for you
- If someone has authority to act as your personal representative, such as if someone has your medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
- We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
- You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the contact information at the end of this notice.
- You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You can contact us using the information at the end of this notice if you need their contact information.
- We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
- Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.
- Share information in a disaster relief situation.
If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written authorization:
- Marketing (as defined in the HIPAA rules) purposes.
Example: We will not accept any payments from other organizations in exchange for making communications to you about products or services unless you have given us your authorization to do so or the communication is otherwise permitted by law. We may provide refill reminders or communicate with you about a drug or biologic that is currently prescribed to you without your authorization so long as any payment we receive for making the communication is reasonably related to our cost of making the communication. In addition, we may give you promotional gifts of nominal value without obtaining your written authorization.
- Sale of your health information (as defined in the HIPAA rules).
- Most sharing of psychotherapy notes.
- Sharing of information in substance use disorder program patient records about you, subject to federal law at 42 CFR part 2, or certain highly confidential health information about you that is protected by state laws under circumstances when the laws require your consent or authorization before the information is shared.
Example: In all cases, including those described below, if we have substance use disorder program patient records about you, subject to 42 CFR part 2, we cannot use or share information in those records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without (1) your consent or (2) a court order and a subpoena. In addition, HIV test results, genetic test results, and mental or behavioral health information are subject to extra privacy protections in some states.
How Do We Typically Use or Share Your Health Information?
We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.
Treat you
We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.
Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks another doctor about your overall health condition.
Our Health Care Operations
We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
Example: We use your health information to manage and administer our services to you.
Session Recording and AI Scribes
We may record telehealth sessions and use AI-assisted transcription tools (known as "AI scribes") to document your care. Recordings and transcriptions are used solely for clinical documentation and care coordination purposes and are treated as part of your protected health information. All such recordings and transcriptions are subject to the same privacy protections described in this notice.
Example: An AI tool automatically transcribes your telehealth visit with your provider so that an accurate clinical note can be generated without the provider having to type during your appointment.
Bill for your services
We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.
Example: We may share your health information with your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.
Business Associates
We may share your health information with our business associates, which are service providers that perform billing, administrative or other services for us. We contractually require our business associates to protect the privacy and security of your health information.
Example: We share your information with Carrot Fertility, Inc., which provides management and administrative services to us.
Health Information Exchanges
We participate in health information exchanges (HIEs) and similar services and may use these services as a method to share, request, and receive your health information with health care providers, health plans, public health departments and other participating health care organizations for treatment, payment, health care operations, and public health. Sharing information electronically is a faster, more coordinated way to get your health information from your other health care providers. HIE participants are required to meet rules that protect the privacy and security of your health information. If your medical record contains highly confidential health information that requires your authorization under applicable law to be shared, we will not share the information through an HIE until you provide authorization.
You can opt-out of all HIEs and not have your health information shared through any HIE at any time, by filling out the "Health Information Exchange Opt-Out" request, available here or by contacting us using the contact information at the end of this notice.
If you choose to opt out of having your information shared through an HIE, this will not affect your access to care from us.
How Else Can We Use or Share Your Health Information?
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet certain conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.
Help with public health and safety issues
We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
- Preventing disease
- Helping with product recalls
- Reporting adverse reactions to medications
- Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone's health or safety
Following up on abnormal lab results
If your lab results are abnormal and we are unable to reach you by phone, Carrot Medical may contact your local health care provider and follow up with a letter to the address you have provided to us.
Do research
We can use or share your information for health research.
Comply with the law
We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we're complying with federal privacy law.
Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.
Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.
We can use or share health information about you:
- For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
- With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
- For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
Our Responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
- We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
Changes to the Terms of This Notice
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our web site.
Privacy Official Contact Information:
HIPAA Compliance Officer