Notice of Privacy Practices | Cognitive Refinery

Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING THAT INFORMATION, AND OUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

At The Cognitive Refinery, we understand that your health information is deeply personal. Protecting the privacy and security of your information is an essential part of the care we provide. Federal law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), requires us to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI), provide you with this Notice of our privacy practices, and follow the terms of this Notice.

Protected Health Information (PHI) includes information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, the healthcare services you receive, or payment for those services.

How We May Use Your Information:

Treatment Within Our Practice

Your Protected Health Information may be used by members of The Cognitive Refinery who are involved in providing your care. This may include consultation between clinicians, clinical supervision, administrative staff performing necessary scheduling or billing functions, and other internal operations required to provide quality behavioral health services. Your session notes and other clinical documents are not viewable by our administrative employees. Only your therapist and their supervisor can access this information within the practice.

The Cognitive Refinery requests your written authorization before communicating with physicians, psychiatrists, therapists, schools, attorneys, or other providers and organizations outside of our practice, unless disclosure is otherwise required or permitted by law, such as during an emergency or when mandatory reporting laws apply.

Payment

We may use your information as necessary to bill insurance companies, collect payment for services, verify insurance eligibility, process payments through our payment processor, or respond to insurance requests related to payment.

If another individual will be responsible for payment or wishes to discuss your billing information, we require your written authorization before communicating with that individual.

Health Care Operations

We may use your information for activities necessary to operate our practice, including quality improvement, staff training, licensing, accreditation, credentialing, auditing, legal compliance, business planning, and other administrative functions necessary to provide effective behavioral healthcare.

Electronic Communication

We may communicate with you regarding appointment reminders, scheduling, billing, or other administrative matters using text message, email, telephone, or our secure client portal, depending on your communication preferences.

We do not routinely leave voicemail appointment reminders. These reminders are provided through our electronic health record system and are sent through text or email depending on identified preferences.

While we make reasonable efforts to safeguard electronic communications, no method of electronic communication can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We encourage clients to avoid transmitting sensitive clinical information through standard email or text messaging whenever possible.

How We Protect Your Information

The Cognitive Refinery maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your Protected Health Information.

Access to client information is limited to workforce members who require access to perform their job responsibilities. We utilize secure technology systems and work with third-party service providers that support functions such as electronic health records, secure communications, payment processing, information technology, and cloud-based services. When these providers have access to Protected Health Information, they are required to safeguard that information in accordance with applicable law and, where required, enter into Business Associate Agreements with our practice.

Situations Where We May Disclose Information Without Your Authorization

Federal and state law permit or require certain disclosures without your written authorization. Examples include:

When required by federal, state, or local law.
Reporting suspected child abuse, elder abuse, or abuse of vulnerable adults.
Responding to court orders or other lawful legal processes.
Certain public health reporting requirements.
Reporting information necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person.
Health oversight activities such as licensing, audits, or investigations.
Certain law enforcement purposes when permitted or required by law.
Workers' compensation claims and other specialized government functions as authorized by law.

Uses Requiring Your Written Authorization

Except as otherwise permitted or required by law, we will obtain your written authorization before releasing your Protected Health Information to individuals or organizations outside The Cognitive Refinery.

Examples include:

Communication with outside healthcare providers when not otherwise required by law.
Communication with family members or friends involved in your care.
Release of records to attorneys, employers, schools, or other third parties.
Any other disclosure that is not otherwise permitted by HIPAA or applicable law.

You may revoke an authorization at any time by submitting a written request, although the revocation will not apply to actions already taken in reliance upon your authorization.

Clinical Records and Psychotherapy Notes

HIPAA distinguishes between your clinical record and psychotherapy notes.

Your clinical record contains documentation used to provide and coordinate your care. Subject to applicable law, these records may be released with your written authorization or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

Psychotherapy notes are separate notes maintained by a therapist for personal use in analyzing the contents of conversations during therapy. These notes receive special protection under HIPAA and generally are not released, even with a standard authorization, except in the limited circumstances specifically permitted by law.

Marketing and Sale of Information

The Cognitive Refinery does not sell Protected Health Information.

We do not use client names, photographs, or other identifying information for marketing purposes. Testimonials are only used with your specific written authorization and without identifying information.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

Inspect or obtain a copy of your clinical record, subject to limited exceptions permitted by law.
Request that your record be amended if you believe information is incomplete or inaccurate.
Request an accounting of certain disclosures of your information.
Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your information. While we will consider all requests, we are not always legally required to agree.
Request that we communicate with you in a particular manner or at a particular location.
Obtain a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time.
File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

You will never be penalized or retaliated against for exercising your privacy rights or filing a complaint.

Our Responsibilities

The Cognitive Refinery is required by law to:

Maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information.
Notify you following a breach of unsecured Protected Health Information when required by law.
Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices.
Follow the terms of this Notice currently in effect.

We reserve the right to revise this Notice at any time. Any revisions will apply to all Protected Health Information maintained by our practice. The current version will always be available upon request and on our website.

Questions or Complaints

If you have questions about this Notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact:

Megan Harden, LCSW
Owner, The Cognitive Refinery

948 Elm St. Suite 2

Bowling Green, KY 42101

and

1039 College St. Floors 1 and 4

Bowling Green, KY 42101

compliants@cognitiverefinery.com

270-266-1188

You may also file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Filing a complaint will not affect your care, and you will not be retaliated against for exercising your rights.