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.
Effective date: October 2026
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Turner Medical Arts is required by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and California law, including the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), to protect the privacy of your health information, to give you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect, and to notify you if a breach affects your unsecured health information. When California law gives you more protection than federal law, we follow California law.
How We May Use and Share Your Health Information
Treatment
We use your health information to provide your care and share it with other providers involved in your care, such as laboratories, pharmacies, and specialists you are referred to.
Payment
We use and share your health information to bill and collect payment for your care, for example with your health plan when applicable.
Health care operations
We use your health information to run our practice, improve the quality of care, train staff, and contact you when necessary. We may also use it to send appointment reminders and to tell you about treatment options and health-related services we offer.
Business associates
We share information with companies that perform services for us, such as billing, scheduling, electronic records, and laboratory services. They must sign agreements to protect your information.
Family members and others involved in your care
Unless you object, we may share relevant information with a family member, friend, or other person you identify who is involved in your care or payment for your care, or to notify them of your location or condition. If you are not present or able to agree, we will use our professional judgment about what is in your best interest.
Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law
We may use or share your information without your written authorization in the following situations, only as permitted by HIPAA and California law:
- When required by federal, state, or local law
- For public health activities, such as preventing or controlling disease, reporting adverse reactions to medications, or reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as required by law
- For health oversight activities, such as audits, inspections, and licensure
- In response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process that meets the requirements of California law
- To law enforcement, only as permitted by California law
- To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public
- To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors, and for organ and tissue donation
- For workers’ compensation as permitted by law
- For specialized government functions, such as military and national security activities, as permitted by law
- For research approved through a process that protects your privacy
Uses That Require Your Written Authorization
We will not use or share your health information for any other purpose without your written authorization, including most uses for marketing, any sale of your health information, and most sharing of psychotherapy notes. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already relied on it.
Extra Protections Under California Law
California law gives additional protection to certain types of health information:
- Reproductive and sexual health care. Information about reproductive health care, including contraception, pregnancy, and abortion, and about gender-affirming care, receives additional protection. We will not share this information in response to an out-of-state subpoena, warrant, or law enforcement request related to care that is lawful in California, except as California law requires.
- HIV test results are not disclosed without your written authorization except as specifically permitted by law.
- Mental health information is protected by additional state law requirements.
- Minors. When California law allows a minor to consent to their own care, such as certain sexual and reproductive health services, the minor controls access to the information about that care.
- Employers. We will not share your health information with your employer without your written authorization, except as permitted by law.
Your Rights
See and get a copy of your records
You may ask to inspect or receive a copy of your medical and billing records, in paper or electronic form. Under California law, we will let you inspect your records within 5 working days and provide copies within 15 days after we receive your written request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as allowed by law.
Ask us to correct your records
You may ask us to correct information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. If we deny your request, we will explain why in writing, and you may submit a written addendum of up to 250 words that we will include in your record.
Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as by a certain phone number or 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 information for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree, except that if you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you may ask us not to share information about that service with your health plan, and we will agree unless the law requires us to share it.
Get a list of disclosures
You may ask for a list of the times we shared your health information in the six years before your request, with whom, and why, other than for treatment, payment, operations, and certain other disclosures. One list per year is free; we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional lists.
Get a copy of this Notice
You may ask for a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose someone to act for you
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
File a complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us using the contact information below, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints or 1-877-696-6775. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Changes to This Notice
We may change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new Notice will be available at our office and on our website.
Contact Us About Your Privacy
Turner Medical Arts, 1250 Coast Village Road, Suite L, Second Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Phone: (805) 962-1957.
