HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

For Treatment. We may use your medical information to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other office personnel who are involved in caring for you at the office or outside the office. Different departments of the office also may share medical information about you in order to coordinate the different services/treatments you need.

For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose your medical information for office operations. Office operations are activities that are necessary to run the office and to make sure that all of our patients receive quality care. We may combine medical information about many office patients for purposes of making decisions about what additional services the office should offer, what services are not needed, and whether certain new treatments are effective. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, and other office personnel for review and learning purposes. If ownership of the office changes as a result of sale, transfer, merger or consolidation, your medical information would be disclosed to the new entity.

Other Examples of Health Care Operations

Appointment Reminders. We may use and disclose medical information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment for treatment or medical care at the office.

Treatment Alternatives. We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or health related benefits that may be of interest to you.

As Required By Law. We will disclose your medical information when required to do so by federal, state or local law.

Special Situations. We may disclose medical information about you to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort so that your family can be notified about your condition, status and location.

Organ and Tissue Donation. If you are a potential organ donor, we may release medical information to organ procurement organizations or eye or tissue banks, as necessary, to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.

Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release your medical information as required by law. We may also release medical information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority as required by law.

Lawsuits and Disputes. If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose your medical information in response to a court order.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

You have the following rights regarding medical information we maintain about you:

Right to Inspect and Obtain a Copy. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical information that may be used to make decisions about your care.

Right to Amend. If you think that the medical information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment as long as the information is kept by or for the office. Your request for an amendment will become a legal part of your medical record, to be sent out along with the rest of the record whenever a request for copies is received. No part of the original documentation in the medical record can be destroyed. To request an amendment of your office record, your request must be made in writing and submitted to U-MEDCENTER at 67892 M-152 Dowagiac, Michigan 49047. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us at any time to give you a copy of this notice. You may obtain a copy of this notice at our website, www.umedcenter.com