Privacy Policy

CARE ANIMAL CENTER

NOTICE ON PRIVACY OF HEALTH INFORMATION PRACTICES

This notice is required by Privacy Regulations and is adopted pursuant to Care Animal Center’s commitment to protect our client’s and their pet’s personal and health information.

Care Animal Center has the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice. If we make a material change to our privacy practices, we will provide you with a revised notice at your first visit after the revision or electronically as permitted. In all cases, we will post the revised notice on our website at www.careanimal.net. We reserve the right to make any revised or changed notice effective for information that we already have and for information that we receive in the future.

We are required by law to protect the privacy of your pet’s health information and your personal information. We are also required to provide you with this notice, which explains how we may use information about you and/or your pet(s) and when we can give out or “disclose” that information to others. You also have rights regarding your personal information and your pet’s health information that are described in this notice. We are required by law to abide by the terms of this notice.

The terms “information”, “health information”, or “medical information” in this notice include any information that we maintain that reasonably can be used to identify you, that relates to the health and medical condition of your pets under our care, the provision of medical care to your pets, or the payment for their care.

Contact Information:

To exercise your rights, restrictions, or requests, please direct your written correspondence to the following address:

Care Animal Center

ATTN: Practice Manager

3454 West Main Street

Dothan, AL 36305

If you have questions about this notice or wish to file a privacy complaint, please contact the Practice Manager at 334-794-6333.

Our Pledge Regarding Medical Information:

We understand that health and medical information is personal. We are committed to protecting your information. We are required by law and are committed to:

*Making sure that medical and personal information which identifies you is kept private.

*Giving you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical and personal information about you and your pets.

*Following the terms of this notice.

How We May Use & Disclose Your Pet’s Medical Information Or Your Personal Information:

*For Treatment. We may use your personal/medical information to provide your pet(s) with medical treatment, services, or care. We may disclose that information to doctors, veterinary technicians, or other personnel at Care Animal Center who are involved in caring for your pet. We may also disclose that information to other veterinary professionals whom we may consult with or who may be involved in your pet’s medical care in the future.

*For Healthcare Operations. We may use and disclose your pet’s medical information for hospital operations. Those uses and disclosures are necessary to run Care Animal Center and make sure all of our clients and pets receive quality care. For example, we may use medical information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you and your pet(s). We also may combine medical information about many pets to decide what additional services we should offer, what services are not needed, and whether certain new treatments are effective.

*Business Associates. During the course of providing treatment to your pet(s), obtaining payment for your care, and conducting normal hospital operations, Care Animal Center works with business partners. For example, Care Animal Center works with computer software and hardware companies. Though every reasonable attempt will be made by Care Animal Center to limit access by business partners to client/pet information, it is impossible to prevent all such access. Therefore, Care Animal Center requires all business partners to enter into contractual agreements that require business partners to limit their access to only that information which is necessary or unavoidable. Furthermore, our contracts with business partners require that all access to personal and medical information that does occur will be managed according to strict principles of confidentiality and privacy.

*Appointment Reminders. Care Animal Center may use and disclose medical information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment for treatment, care, or service at Care Animal Center and to communicate with you regarding your pet(s).

*Treatment Alternatives/Other Services. We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that our staff have determined to possibly be of benefit to your pet(s). We may also notify you of additional services available to your pet(s) at Care Animal Center.

*Marketing Activities. Care Animal Center will not share or disclose your personal information or your pet’s medical information with any outside party or third party for marketing purposes.

*For Payment. We may use and disclose personal or medical information as necessary to facilitate timely payment and/or timely billing and payment of all care and services provided at Care Animal Center. This includes the costs of collection fees, attorney fees, and court costs if they should become necessary.

*Individuals Involved In Your Pet’s Care. We may release medical information about your pet(s) to an individual that you have identified to be actively involved in that pet(s) care. We also may release medical information to someone who helps pay for your pet(s) medical care…this would be the minimum information necessary to facilitate payment.

*Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose personal or medical information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, inspections, licensure, and investigations.

*Law Enforcement. We may release personal or medical information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official.

Your Rights Regarding Your Pet’s Medical Information or Your Personal Information:

*Right To Copy. You have the right to request a copy of your personal information and your pet’s medical information.

*Right To Request Third Party Disclosure. You have the right to request that information regarding your pet’s care be sent to a third party. Your request must be in writing, signed, and must clearly designate the third party to whom Care Animal Center should send the requested information.

*Right To Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the personal and medical information we use or disclose about you or your pet(s). You also have the right to request a limit on the information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your pet’s care or who pays for your pet’s care such as a family member or friend. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your requests. We are not legally required to agree to all of your requests, particularly if a request could compromise our ability to provide appropriate care to your pet(s). To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to the Care Animal Center Practice Manager. In your request, you must specify: what information you want restricted/limited; whether you want to limit our use, disclosure, or both; and to whom you want the limits to apply. We will inform you of our decision.

*Right To Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your personal information or your pet’s medical information in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you may ask that we contact you only at work or only by mail. To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to the Care Animal Center Practice Manager. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.

*Right To A Paper Copy Of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. You may obtain a paper copy of this notice at our website www.careanimal.net or by calling 334-794-6333 and requesting a paper copy.

*Right To Be Notified Following A Breach Of Unsecured Information. You have a right to and will receive notification of a breach which affects your personal information or your pet’s medical information. If this occurs, you will be provided information about the breach, information about the steps that Care Animal Center has taken to minimize harm as a result of the breach, and the steps that you can take to lessen any harm as a result of the breach.

Changes To This Notice:

Care Animal Center reserves the right to change this Notice On Privacy Of Health Information Practices. That right includes making the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you and your pet(s) as well as any information we receive about you and your pet(s) in the future. We will post a copy of the current notice on our website www.careanimal.net. In addition, the current copy of the notice is available to be printed at each visit to Care Animal Center.