Notice of HIPAA Privacy practices

Gentle Hands Senior Care, LLC — Notice of HIPAA Privacy Practices
Effective Date: October 7, 2024
Last Updated: October 25, 2025

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.
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.

If you have questions or would like to contact our HIPAA Privacy Officer, please use the contact information and phone number located at the top of our website’s home page. You may also call our office directly to request a copy of this Notice or speak with our Privacy Officer.

Your Rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and our responsibilities to help you.
1. Get an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Medical Record

• You can ask to see or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
• We will provide a copy or summary of your information within 30 days of your request. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply.

2. Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record

• You may request a correction of health information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
• We may deny your request, but if we do, we will provide a written explanation within 60 days.

3. Request Confidential Communications

• You may ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, at your home, office, or by mail to a different address).
• We will agree to all reasonable requests.

4. Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share

• You may request that we not use or share certain information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
• We are not required to agree to every request and may decline if it would affect your care.
• If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you may ask us not to share that information with your health insurer.
• We will honor such requests unless required by law to share it.

5. Get a List of Disclosures

• You can request an accounting of when we shared your health information, with whom, and why, for up to six years prior to your request.
• We will include all disclosures except for those related to treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

The first list each year is free; additional requests may incur a reasonable fee.

6. Get a Copy of This Privacy Notice

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

7. Choose Someone to Act for You

•  If you have granted someone medical power of attorney or have a legal guardian, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
•  We will verify their authority before taking any action.

8. File a Complaint if You Feel Your Rights Are Violated

• You may file a complaint directly with us by contacting our HIPAA Privacy Officer.
• You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints
• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices
For certain health information, you have both the right and the choice to tell us how we share your information.
If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations below, please let us know. We will honor your instructions.

You Have the Right and Choice to Tell Us to:

• Share information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care.
• Share information during a disaster relief situation.
• Include your name or information in a hospital directory (if applicable).

If you are unable to communicate your preferences (for example, if you are unconscious), we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest or to prevent serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We Will Never Share Your Information Without Written Permission For:

•  Marketing purposes.
• Sale of your information.
• Most sharing of psychotherapy notes.

Fundraising: We may contact you for limited fundraising purposes; you may opt out of such contacts at any time.

Our Uses and Disclosures
How We Typically Use or Share Your Health Information
We typically use or share your information in the following ways:
Treat You
We can use your health information and share it with other professionals involved in your care.

Example: A doctor treating you for an injury may consult with another professional regarding
your overall health condition.
Run Our Organization
We can use and share your information to operate our agency, improve care quality, and contact you when necessary.
Example: We use information about you to manage your services and maintain our operational records.

Bill for Your Services
We can use and share your information to bill and receive payment from health plans or other entities.
Example: We provide information to your insurance plan so it can pay for your services.

Other Ways We May Use or Share Your Health Information

We are allowed or required by law to share your information in certain situations that contribute to the public good, such as public health or research.
We must meet specific legal conditions before sharing your information for these purposes.

For more information, visit: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers

Public Health and Safety
We may share information for:

• Preventing or controlling disease.
• Reporting adverse events, recalls, or product safety issues.
• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
• Preventing or reducing serious threats to health or safety. 

Research
We may use or share your information for health research under legally required safeguards.
Comply with the Law

We share information when required by federal or state law, including to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for HIPAA compliance review.

Organ and Tissue Donation

We may share information with organ procurement organizations. 

Medical Examiner or Funeral Director
We may share information as needed with coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors.

Workers’ Compensation, Law Enforcement, and Government Requests
We may use or disclose information:

•  For workers’ compensation claims.
•  For law enforcement purposes.
• To health oversight agencies as authorized by law.
• For special government functions such as military or national security operations.

Legal Actions
We may disclose information in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Important Notes

• We do not create or maintain public client directories.
• If Texas law or any other law provides stricter limits on disclosure, those stricter provisions will apply.
• You will be notified if additional State Law Addenda or updates affect your rights.

Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information (PHI).
• Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may compromise your information.
• Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice.
• Not use or share your information other than as described here unless you provide written authorization. 
• If you authorize use or disclosure, you may revoke it at any time in writing.

For more information, visit:
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html

Changes to the Terms of This Notice

We may update the terms of this Notice at any time.
Changes will apply to all information we maintain about you.
The updated Notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.

Contact Information
Gentle Hands Senior Care, LLC
Licensed Personal Assistance Services Provider (Texas HHSC)
5757 Woodway Drive, Suite 313
Houston, Texas 77057

713-731-5773

support@gentlehandsseniorcare.com

For questions or concerns about this Notice, please call during business hours and ask for our HIPAA Privacy Officer.