Physician Direct Internal Medicine  

730 Avignon Drive Suite 101  

Ridgeland, MS 39157  

405 River Road  

Greenwood, MS 38930  

Notice of Privacy Practices  

October 13, 2020  

At Physician Direct Internal Medicine, PLLC (“Physician Direct” or  “we” or “us”), we are dedicated to handling your Personal Health  Information (PHI) in a way that respects you. This notice describes how  medical information Physician Direct collects about you and your PHI  may be used and under what circumstances your PHI may be disclosed.  

  1. Uses and Disclosures Of PHI  

The following categories describe the different ways in which we  may use and disclose your individually identifiable health  information, unless you object by filing a written notice to Physician  Direct as described below in section 4.  

  • Treatment. Your health information may be used by staff  members or disclosed to other health care professionals for the  purpose of evaluating your health, diagnosing medical  conditions, and providing treatment. For example, results of  laboratory tests and procedures will be available in your medical  record to all health professionals who may provide treatment or  who may be consulted by staff members. Additionally, we may  disclose your health information to others who may assist in  your care, such as other healthcare providers, your spouse, or  your children.  
  • Payment. Your health information may be used in order to bill  and collect payment for the services and items you may receive  from us. For example, we may use and disclose your health 

information to obtain payment from third parties that may be  responsible for such costs, such as family members. Also, we  may use your health information to bill you directly for services  and items.  

  • Health care operations. Your health information may be used  as necessary to support the day to day activities and management  of Physician Direct. For example, information on the services  you received may be used to support budgeting and financial  reporting, to support activities to evaluate and promote quality,  to develop protocols and clinical guidelines, to develop training  programs, and to aid in credentialing medical review.  
  • Appointment reminders. Your information may be used by our  staff to contact you and send you appointment reminders.  
  • Information about treatments. Your health information may be  used to send you information that you may find interesting on  the treatment and management of your medical condition. We  may also send you information describing other health related  products and services that we believe may interest you.  
  • Law enforcement. Your health information may be disclosed to  law enforcement agencies to support government audits and  inspections, to facilitate law enforcement investigations, and to  comply with government mandated reporting.  
  • Release of Information to Family / Friends. Our practice may  release your health information to a friend or family member  who is involved in your care or who assists in taking care of you.  
  • Patient mass communication. We may use your name and  email address(es) and/or text numbers to contact you with bulk  messaging. Possible examples include sharing new promotions  for the clinic, sending clinic newsletters, or notifying you of a  physician’s upcoming absence, such as for vacations.  

Other uses and disclosures in certain special circumstances: 

  • Public Health – i.e. vital statistics, reporting reactions to drugs  or problems with products or devices, exposure to  

communicable diseases such as COVID-19  

  • Health Oversight Activities – i.e. County Health Departments  including State and Federal Health agencies  
  • Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings – Our practice may use or  disclose in response to a court or administrative order, if you are  involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding or in response to a  discovery request, subpoena, or other lawful process.  
  • Deceased Patients – Our practice may be required to release to a  medical examiner or coroner. If necessary, we may also release  information in order for a funeral director to perform their jobs.  
  • Organ and Tissue Donation  
  • Serious Threats to Health or Safety – i.e. elder abuse / neglect  
  • Military – If you are a member of the U.S. or foreign military  forces (including veterans) and if required by the appropriate  authorities.  
  • National Security  
  • Inmates – Our practice may disclose your health information to  correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are  an inmate or under the custody of a law enforcement official.  Disclosure would be necessary for the institution to provide  health care services to you, for the safety and security of the  institution, and/or to protect your health and safety or the health  and safety of others.  
  • Worker’s Compensation – i.e. when PHI records have been  lawfully subpoenaed  
  1. Requests to Inspect Health Information 

You may generally inspect or copy the health information that we  maintain. Your request will generally be approved unless there are  legal or medical reasons to deny the request.  

  1. Right to Revise Privacy Practices  

We reserve the right to amend or modify our privacy policies and  practices without notice. Upon request, we will provide you with the  most recently revised notice. The revised policies and practices will  be applied to all health information we maintain.  

  1. Objections, complaints  

If you would like to submit a comment, objection, or complaint  about our privacy practices, you can do so by sending a letter  outlining your concerns to:  

Physician Direct Internal Medicine  

730 Avignon Drive Suite 101, Ridgeland, MS 39157 

This notice is effective on or after October 13, 2020.