Notice of Privacy Practices

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

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Effective Date: September 28, 2026

 

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

 

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Pathology Associates, P.A. is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. Federal law requires us to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI), provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices, and follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect.

 

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains those rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

 

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you. We will provide a copy or summary within the time required by law, generally within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.

 

Ask us to correct your medical record

You may ask us to correct health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request in some circumstances, but we will provide a written explanation within the time required by law.

 

Request confidential communications

You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at a particular telephone number, or to send mail to a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

 

Ask us to limit what we use or share

You may ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to every request. If you pay for a health care item or service out of pocket in full, you may ask us not to share information about that item or service with your health insurer for payment or health care operations. We will honor that request unless a law requires us to share the information.

 

Get a list of certain disclosures

You may ask for an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request. The accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, and certain other disclosures. We will provide one accounting in a 12-month period at no charge; we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests during that period.

 

Get a copy of this Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically. We will provide a copy promptly.

 

Choose someone to act for you

If another person has legal authority to act as your personal representative, such as through a medical power of attorney or guardianship, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We may verify the person's authority before taking action. www.pathbilling.com | 727-328-7800

 

File a complaint if you believe your rights were violated

You may complain to us by contacting our Privacy Officer at 727-328-7800 or info@pathbilling.com. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

 

Your Choices

For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences about what we share. If you have a clear preference in the situations below, tell us what you want us to do and we will follow your instructions when required by law.

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-Share information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.

-Share information in a disaster-relief situation.

-Include information in a hospital directory, when applicable.

 

If you are unable to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may share information if we believe it is in your best interest and the law permits it. We may also share information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

 

We will obtain your written permission when required by law, including for most uses or disclosures for marketing, the sale of your health information, and most sharing of psychotherapy notes. If we contact you for fundraising, when applicable, you may tell us not to contact you again.

 

Substance Use Disorder Patient Records

To the extent we have substance use disorder patient records that are protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we will not use or disclose information from those records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you unless permitted by federal law, including when we have your written consent or when the disclosure is authorized by an appropriate court order and subpoena. If Part 2 information is used for fundraising, when applicable, we will provide any notice and choice required by law.

 

How We Typically Use or Share Your Health Information

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Treat you

We may use your health information and share it with physicians and other health care professionals involved in your treatment. For example, pathology findings may be shared with the physicians caring for you or with other providers involved in diagnosis and treatment.

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Run our organization

We may use and share health information to operate our pathology practice, support quality assessment, manage services, conduct compliance activities, and contact you when necessary.

 

Bill for your services

We may use and share health information to bill and obtain payment from health plans, insurers, government programs, or other entities responsible for payment. This may include submitting claims, responding to coverage questions, and resolving billing matters.

 

Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

We may use or disclose health information in other circumstances permitted or required by law. These uses and disclosures are subject to applicable conditions and limitations.

 

Public health and safety

We may disclose health information for public health activities, such as preventing disease, assisting with product recalls, reporting adverse reactions to medications, reporting suspected abuse or neglect when authorized or required, and preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety.

 

Research

We may use or share health information for health research when the requirements of applicable law have been met.

 

Comply with the law

We will share health information when state or federal law requires it, including with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when necessary to demonstrate compliance with federal privacy law.

 

Organ and tissue donation

We may share health information with organ procurement organizations when applicable.

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Medical examiners and funeral directors

We may share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when permitted by law.

 

Workers' compensation, law enforcement, and government requests

We may use or disclose health information for workers' compensation claims, certain law-enforcement purposes, health-oversight activities authorized by law, and special government functions such as military, national-security, or presidential-protective activities.

 

Lawsuits and legal actions

We may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, or other lawful legal process, subject to applicable requirements.

 

Additional Legal Protections

Some types of health information may receive additional protection under federal or Florida law. When another law provides greater privacy protection or places greater limits on a disclosure, we will follow the law that provides the greater protection to the extent it applies.

 

Our Responsibilities 

-Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information 

-Notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information

-Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice and provide you with a copy upon request

-Not use or share your information other than as described in this Notice unless you give us written permission or another use or disclosure is permitted or required by law

-If you give us written permission to use or disclose your health information, you may revoke that permission in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

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Changes To The Terms Of This Notice

We may change the terms of this Notice, and the changes may apply to all health information we maintain, including information created or received before the change. A revised Notice will be available upon request, at our office, and on our website.

 

Questions, Requests, or Complaints

Privacy Officer

Pathology Associates, P.A. 6671 13th Ave N, Ste. 1B

St. Petersburg, FL 33710-5411

Phone: 727-328-7800

Email: info@pathbilling.com

Website: www.pathbilling.com www.pathbilling.com

 

You may also file a complaint with: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201; telephone 1-877-696-6775; or through the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint process at www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/.

 

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising your privacy rights.