Thinking about IVF?
Learn More Today!This notice describes how your medical information may be used or disclosed and how you can gain access to it. Please read this notice carefully.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a federal program that requires strict confidentiality for all your personal health information. That includes all your medical and dental information used or disclosed by us in any form, whether electronic, written or verbal. The Act gives you significant rights to understand and control how your health information is used. The Act also provides penalties for the misuse of Protected Health Information (PHI).
PHI is any information about you, including demographic data that identifies you and your past, present or future physical or mental health condition, as well as related healthcare services. This Privacy Policy describes how we may use or disclose your PHI to provide treatment, payment or healthcare operations or other purposes that are permitted or required by law. This policy also describes your rights to access and control your PHI.
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Your PHI may be used or disclosed by our physician, office staff or others involved in your care and treatment, whether providing healthcare services to you, paying your healthcare bills, supporting the operation of our practice or any other lawful use.
Treatment: We will use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate or manage your healthcare and related services. This includes the coordination or management of your healthcare by a third party. For example, your PHI may be given to a physician you have been referred to in order to ensure that he or she has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.
Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose your PHI to support our business activities. These activities may include quality assessment, employee review and conducting or arranging other business activities. We may also use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your physician. We may call you by name in our reception area when your physician is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your PHI, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment. We may phone your home and leave a message (on an answering machine or with the person answering the phone) to remind you of an upcoming appointment, the need to schedule a new appointment or to call our office. We may also mail a postcard reminder or letter to your home address. Please tell us if you prefer that we call or contact you at another phone number or location.
We may use or disclose your PHI under the following circumstances without your authorization. These include, as required by law:
Required Uses and Disclosures: The law requires us to disclose to you when we are investigated by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to determine our compliance with HIPAA. Other permitted and required uses and disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization or opportunity to object unless required by law. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time except to the extent that your physician or the physician’s practice has taken action in reliance on the use or disclosure indicated in your authorization.
Payment: Your PHI will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for healthcare services. For example, obtaining approval for a hospital stay may require that your relevant PHI be disclosed to your health insurance plan to obtain approval for a hospital admission or a health-related procedure.
Your Rights:
You have the right to inspect and copy your PHI. Under federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records:
You have the right to request a restriction of your health information. This means you may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment or healthcare operations. You may also request nondisclosure of any part of your PHI to family members or friends who may be involved in your care or for notification purposes described in these Privacy Practices. Your request must state the specific restriction and to whom you want the restriction to apply.
Your physician is not required to agree to your requested restriction. If your physician believes it is in your best interests to permit use and disclosure of your PHI, your PHI will not be restricted. You then have the right to use another healthcare professional.
You have the right to request to receive confidential communications from us by alternative means or at an alternative location. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice from us, upon request, even if you have agreed to accept this Notice alternatively (e.g., electronically).
You have the right to have your physician amend your PHI. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us and we may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal. You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your PHI.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and will inform you of any changes. You then have the right to object or withdraw as provided in this Notice.
Complaints
You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us. You may file a complaint by notifying our privacy officer at our office and main telephone number. We will not retaliate against you for exercising your right to file a complaint.
“It is difficult to write reviews for fertility clinics since there is so much inherent bias in terms of whether or not one receives a positive outcome. My wife and I, both physicians, understand that online reviews are largely skewed in this regard and tend to focus on things like "customer service" and factors that are somewhat irrelevant to the quality of the medical care received. In our case, however, there is no choice but to give Dr. Acacio and his staff 5 stars.”
“If you want to be treated exceptionally well by helpful staff, a welcoming front office and a highly knowledgeable, caring and responsive clinical team, then look no further. Dr. Brian Acacio and his team helped us conceive and also made sure that we never felt alone in the process. It's an extremely dedicated group of people that genuinely help people fulfill their dream of parenthood.”
Dr. Acacio has had some of the highest IVF success rates in Southern California. His outstanding academic credentials and extensive clinical experience have been vital in achieving major breakthroughs and successes in many challenging cases that have failed prior treatments. Highly respected by his peers, Dr. Acacio is often consulted by other physicians who come to him for infertility evaluation and treatment.
He is described by his patients as being personable, kind, and encouraging. His dedication to excellence and compassionate care are motivated by his passion for what he loves doing best- helping patients attain the dream of parenthood. CONTINUE READING
27882 Forbes Road, Suite 200
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Phone number: 949-249-9200
Fax number: 949-249-9203
2225 19th Street
Bakersfield,
CA 93301
Phone number: 661-326-8066
Fax number: 661-843-7706