NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES – PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY

When it comes to your health and personal identifying information, Village Lane Apothecary takes your privacy and security seriously. This policy explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you understand how we use and manage your personal information. The information subject to his policy includes your “personal identifying information,” which may include data such as your social security number, drivers license number, biometric data, credit or debit card numbers, as well as “protected health information,” which includes information that you share with us treatment, payment, or our operations. You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Our Responsibilities

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your personal and protected health information. We will let you know promptly if we determine that a breach has occurred that may have compromised the privacy or security of your electronically stored information. We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it. We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

Our Website

If you use our website, you can find our web and e-commerce related privacy practices here: https://www.digitalpharmacist.com//client/patient-privacy-policy

We Keep Your Information Confidential

Unless you provide us with permission (for instance, by authorizing the release of your records to a third party) we will not release or share your information unless the law requires us to do so.

Get A Copy Of Your Records

You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your pharmacy record and other health information at any reasonable time. We will provide a copy or a summary of your records, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when appropriate. We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days. You can also ask us not to use or share certain information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would effect your care or our ability to comply with our obligations under the law or to your insurance carrier. However, if you pay for a drug, medication or other item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information. You can also ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We will provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months. We will provide you with copies of your pharmacy records at your request, normally within fifteen days of your request, subject to the conditions and charges allowed by the laws of your state.

Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information, talk to us. You can tell us how to (i) share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care, (ii) share information in a disaster relief situation, (iii) share information through communication instructions that you provide to us (text, email, etc.). We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, or to comply with recall notifications or other important safety measures. You can ask us to correct information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail, email, or text messages to a certain address or telephone number in order to receive information about the services we provide.

Reminders and Other Communications

As a service to our customers, we may provide courtesy reminders about refills or products or services that we believe may have interest to you. We normally route these reminders and notifications to a cellphone or email address that you have provided to us, and you provide us this information, you are consenting to allow us to send communications (including reminders, advertisements or other communications) to the address or numbers you have provided. In some cases, if you use voicemail, we may leave you a voicemail message. The information transmitted can include protected health information. You have the right to opt out of these programs if you do not consent to receiving such calls, texts, emails and other reminders. If you do not want to participate, let us know in writing that you are withdrawing your consent and we will remove you from these programs.

How We Use Your Information

We can use your information and share it with other professionals who are treating you. We can use and share your health information to bill you for services, or to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. The law provides that we can also share information about you for certain things, like (i) preventing disease, (ii) helping with product recalls, (iii) reporting adverse reactions to medications, (iv) reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, (v) preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety, or (vi) doing research. We may release your records (with proper documentation) to:(1) You, or your agent (for instance, if you designate someone to pick up your medication for you);(2) A practitioner or another pharmacist if, in your pharmacist's professional judgment, the release is necessary to protect your health and well being;(3) A pharmacy board or to a person or another state or federal agency authorized by law to receive the confidential record;(4) A law enforcement agency engaged in investigation of a suspected violation of a state law related to controlled substances, or the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (21 U.S.C. Section 801 et seq.);(5) A person employed by a state agency that licenses a practitioner, if the person is performing the person's official duties; or(6) An insurance carrier or other third party payor authorized by you to receive such information.

Required Disclosures

We participate in all state controlled-substance and prescription drug monitoring programs where we do business. This means that we will make reports to each state database where the law requires us to do so. Will also share information about you if other state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law. We may share your information to respond to requests from a medical examiner, coroner, or funeral director. We may share your information in response to a proper request, for instance, (i) in relation to workers’ compensation claims, (ii) for law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official, (iii) with health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, (iv) for special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services, (v) to respond to lawsuits and legal actions, or (vi) in response to a subpoena, or a court or administrative order.

File A Complaint

You can complain if you feel that we have violated your your rights by contacting us as follows: Natalie Patten, Privacy Officer, Village Lane Apothecary, 60 Village Lane, Suite 100, Colleyville, Texas 76034, with a copy to Village Lane Apothecary Compliance and Legal Affairs, 60 Village Lane, Suite 110, Colleyville, Texas 76034. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints.

You may also file a complaint with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy by contacting them at William P. Hobby Building, Tower 3, Suite 500, 333 Guadalupe Street Austin, Texas 78701 We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Changes to the Terms of This Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our web site, at www.villagelanerx.com/privacy.