Patient Privacy
Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: October 7, 2026
Last Updated: October 7, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to Pacific Foot & Ankle Center, Inc., its healthcare professionals, staff members, and others involved in providing or supporting your care.
Your Information. Your Rights.
Our Responsibilities.
This notice explains:
- Your rights regarding your health information
- The choices you have about certain uses and disclosures
- How we may use and share your health information
- Our responsibilities for protecting your information
- How to submit a privacy question or complaint
Your Rights
You have certain rights regarding the health information we maintain about you. This section explains those rights and some of our responsibilities.
Get a Copy of Your Medical Record
You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
Ask our office how to submit your request. We will generally provide a copy or summary within 30 days, as required by applicable law.
We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee where permitted.
Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record
You may ask us to correct health information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
We may deny your request in certain circumstances. If we deny it, we will explain the reason in writing, generally within 60 days.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a specific location.
For example, you may ask us to:
- Call your mobile phone instead of your home phone
- Leave only limited information in a voicemail
- Send mail to a different address
- Contact you through another reasonable method
We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
We are not always required to agree to your request. We may deny a request if limiting the information could affect your care or if disclosure is otherwise required by law.
If you pay for a healthcare service or item in full out of pocket, you may ask us not to share information about that service with your health insurer for payment or healthcare operations. We will honor that request unless the law requires us to disclose the information.
If we agree to a restriction, we may still disclose information when necessary to provide emergency treatment.
Receive a List of Certain Disclosures
You may request a list, called an accounting of disclosures, describing certain instances in which we disclosed your health information during the six years before your request.
The accounting does not include every disclosure. For example, it generally does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or disclosures you specifically authorized.
We will provide one accounting during a 12-month period at no charge. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests during the same period.
Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or another person is legally authorized to act as your representative, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
We will verify the person’s authority before taking action.
File a Complaint
You may submit a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You can contact Pacific Foot & Ankle Center using the information at the end of this notice.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
Pacific Foot & Ankle Center will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.
Your Choices
For certain health information, you may tell us how you want the information shared.
Family Members and Others Involved in Your Care
You may tell us whether we can share relevant information with:
- Family members
- Close friends
- Caregivers
- Other people involved in your care
- People helping pay for your care
If you cannot tell us your preference, such as when you are unconscious, we may share relevant information when we believe it is in your best interest and the disclosure is permitted by law.
Disaster-Relief Situations
We may share limited information with an organization assisting with disaster-relief efforts so that family members or others responsible for your care can be notified about your condition or location.
You may tell us if you do not want this information shared when circumstances allow.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety
We may use or disclose information when necessary to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of another person, as permitted by law.
Written Authorization
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing health information for purposes not otherwise permitted by law or described in this notice.
Written authorization is generally required for:
- Most marketing activities
- The sale of protected health information
- Other uses or disclosures not permitted by law
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect actions already taken based on the authorization.
Fundraising
If we contact you about fundraising, you may tell us not to contact you again for that purpose.
How We Use and Disclose Health Information
We may use or disclose your health information without written authorization in the following circumstances.
To Treat You
We may use your health information and share it with other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Example: We may share relevant information with another physician, imaging provider, pharmacy, surgical facility, physical therapist, or laboratory participating in your treatment.
To Operate Our Practice
We may use and share health information to operate the practice, improve care, train staff, manage services, and contact you when necessary.
Example: We may review patient records to evaluate the quality of care or coordinate follow-up services.
To Bill for Services
We may use and disclose health information to bill and obtain payment from insurance plans, government programs, or other responsible parties.
Example: We may provide information about your diagnosis or treatment to your insurance carrier to determine coverage or obtain payment.
Appointment Reminders and Health-Related Services
We may contact you about:
- Upcoming appointments
- Scheduling changes
- Follow-up care
- Test or imaging information
- Treatment alternatives
- Other health-related services that may interest you
Public-Health and Safety Activities
We may disclose health information for permitted public-health and safety activities, including:
- Preventing or controlling disease
- Reporting adverse reactions to medications or medical devices
- Assisting with product recalls
- Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety
Research
We may use or disclose health information for research when the research complies with applicable legal requirements and appropriate privacy protections.
Compliance With the Law
We will disclose health information when required by federal, state, or local law.
We may disclose information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when it is reviewing our compliance with federal privacy law.
Organ and Tissue Donation
We may disclose health information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation when applicable.
Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors
We may disclose health information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when permitted or required by law.
Workers’ Compensation
We may disclose health information as authorized or required for workers’ compensation claims or similar programs.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose health information to authorized oversight agencies for activities such as:
- Audits
- Inspections
- Investigations
- Licensing
- Disciplinary proceedings
- Other activities authorized by law
Law Enforcement and Government Requests
We may disclose health information:
- For certain law-enforcement purposes
- In response to authorized government requests
- For military or veterans’ activities
- For national-security or protective services
- For correctional institutions or individuals in lawful custody
- As otherwise permitted or required by law
Lawsuits and Legal Proceedings
We may disclose health information in response to a valid court order, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful legal process.
Our Responsibilities
Pacific Foot & Ankle Center is required to:
- Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information
- Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice
- Provide you with a copy of this notice
- Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information
- Honor your rights as required by applicable law
We will not use or disclose your health information except as described in this notice or as otherwise permitted or required by law unless you provide written authorization.
If California or another applicable law provides greater privacy protection than federal law, we will follow the more protective requirement.
Electronic Communication
Email, text messaging, and general website forms may not always be secure.
Please do not use general website forms or unsecured electronic communication to submit detailed medical information, payment-card information, Social Security numbers, or emergency concerns.
Contact the office if you would like to discuss available methods for communicating confidentially.
Changes to This Notice
We may change the terms of this notice and make the revised notice apply to all health information we maintain, including information created or received before the change.
The current notice will be:
- Available upon request
- Posted in our office
- Published on our website
- Provided in paper form when requested
The effective date shown at the beginning of the notice will identify the current version.
Privacy Questions or Requests
To ask a privacy question, request a copy of this notice, exercise a privacy right, or submit a complaint, contact:
Privacy Contact
Pacific Foot & Ankle Center, Inc.
24191 Paseo De Valencia, Suite E
Laguna Woods, CA 92637
Phone: (949) 855-1177