Apteum HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
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.
Purpose and Scope
This Notice describes the privacy practices of Apteum, LLC (Apteum or the Practice). It applies to protected health information created or maintained by Apteum and to workforce members and business associates performing services for Apteum. Apteum is the covered practice represented during initial intake and triage through TSCN.
TSCN, LLC provides initial intake, triage, care coordination, and related administrative services to Apteum as Apteum's business associate under a Business Associate Agreement. TSCN does not independently diagnose, treat, prescribe, or bill patients. If another practice is selected to provide care, that practice is responsible for its treatment and medical record and may provide its own Notice of Privacy Practices.
Initial Intake and Triage Through TSCN
When you contact TSCN before another practice has been selected, TSCN collects and processes information on behalf of Apteum. This may include your name and contact details, symptoms and current medical status, medical history, insurance or claim information, appointment and provider preferences, and accident or legal-case details. Apteum and TSCN use this information to understand your request, assess the appropriate level or type of response, identify a suitable provider, arrange an appointment, and coordinate follow-up. Triage supports routing and care coordination; it is not a diagnosis or emergency service. As always, patients make the final decision.
If the information indicates a possible emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not rely on an online form, recorded call, email, or text message for emergency care.
TSCN may disclose intake and triage information to a selected treating practice for treatment and care coordination under your care-coordination consent and as otherwise permitted by law. TSCN will not share that information with an attorney, insurer, employer, or claims administrator without your written authorization, unless disclosure is required by law. Apteum may separately use or disclose protected health information for payment and other purposes permitted or required by law as described in this Notice.
TSCN's automated telephone assistant gives spoken notice before recording and transcribing a call. If you decline recording, you may use the unrecorded direct line at +1 (201) 272-6793. Call recordings and transcripts are retained in Retell for 30 days. Contact details and a call summary may be transferred to Ninox and retained for the coordination period plus one year. A call summary may contain symptoms, medical history, insurance or claim information, appointment or provider preferences, and accident or legal-case details.
Online pre-registration, appointment-request, and triage submissions are stored in Ninox and may be processed through Retell. They are retained for the coordination period plus one year. Deleted information may remain in protected backups for up to 90 days. These operational periods do not shorten any longer retention period Apteum must follow for a formal medical record or other records required by law.
Google Analytics is not used on Apteum patient-intake, triage, care-coordination, patient-message, or other healthcare-interaction pages administered through TSCN. Any analytics consent given on a general informational page does not apply to these healthcare-interaction pages.
Our Legal Duties
The Practice is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information, provide you with this Notice of its legal duties and privacy practices, follow the Notice currently in effect, and notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law.
The Practice may change this Notice and make the revised terms effective for all protected health information it maintains, including information created or received before the revision. The current Notice will be available at the Practice and, when applicable, on its website.
Uses and Disclosures for Treatment Payment and Operations
Treatment
The Practice may use and disclose your information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare. For example, it may share relevant information with another physician, therapist, imaging facility, laboratory, pharmacy, hospital, or care coordinator involved in your treatment.
Payment
The Practice may use and disclose information to bill and obtain payment for services. For example, it may send diagnosis, procedure, authorization, or claim information to a health plan, workers compensation program, or other responsible payer.
Healthcare Operations
The Practice may use and disclose information for activities needed to operate and improve the Practice, including quality assessment, patient safety, credentialing, training, auditing, compliance, business planning, customer service, and legal or administrative services. Business associates must protect information as required by contract and law.
Other Uses and Disclosures Allowed or Required by Law
Subject to applicable conditions and limitations, the Practice may use or disclose protected health information without your written authorization for the following purposes:
- When required by federal, state, or local law.
- For public-health activities, including disease reporting, product recalls, and permitted reporting to public-health authorities.
- To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when authorized or required by law.
- For health-oversight activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, and disciplinary proceedings.
- For judicial or administrative proceedings in response to a qualifying court order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
- For permitted law-enforcement purposes.
- To coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, and organ- or tissue-donation organizations as permitted by law.
- For approved research when authorization is not required and applicable safeguards have been satisfied.
- To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, or for certain specialized government functions.
- For workers compensation or similar programs as authorized by law.
- To contact you about treatment alternatives, care coordination, appointments, or health-related services that may interest you, as permitted by law.
The Practice will apply the minimum-necessary standard when required. The minimum-necessary standard does not apply to disclosures to healthcare providers for treatment or in certain other circumstances defined by law.
Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization
Uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization unless otherwise permitted or required by law. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses or disclosures for marketing, and disclosures that constitute a sale of protected health information require authorization, subject to legally defined exceptions.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation does not affect action already taken in reliance on the authorization and is subject to other limits stated in the authorization or applicable law.
Substance Use Disorder Records
If Apteum creates or maintains substance use disorder treatment records protected by 42 CFR part 2, those records receive additional protections. Such records, or testimony describing them, may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you unless permitted by your written consent or by a qualifying court order and accompanying legal process, as applicable.
Your Rights
Inspect and Obtain a Copy
You may ask to inspect or obtain a paper or electronic copy of protected health information in the Practice's designated record set. The Practice may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee and may deny access in limited circumstances. If access is denied, you may have a right to request review of the denial.
Request an Amendment
You may ask the Practice to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. The Practice may deny the request in circumstances permitted by law and will provide a written explanation when required.
Request Restrictions
You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures. The Practice generally is not required to agree. If you pay in full out of pocket for a service and request that information about that service not be disclosed to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations, the Practice must agree unless disclosure is required by law.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask the Practice to contact you by an alternative method or at an alternative location. The Practice will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
Receive an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the period allowed by law. The accounting does not include every disclosure, including many disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose a Personal Representative
A legally authorized personal representative may exercise rights on your behalf. The Practice will verify the representative's identity and authority and will apply any limitations required or permitted by law.
Communications with Family and Others
The Practice may share information relevant to your care or payment with a family member, friend, caregiver, or other person involved in your care when you agree, do not object, or when professional judgment and law otherwise permit. In an emergency or when you are unable to express a preference, the Practice may share information when it determines that doing so is in your best interest and is permitted by law.
Minors
For a patient under 18, TSCN conducts intake and coordination only through the patient's parent or legally authorized guardian. Apteum verifies the adult's identity and authority using reasonable methods and may request government-issued identification or other appropriate documentation when necessary. Federal or state law may create limited exceptions concerning a minor's consent, confidentiality, or access to records; Apteum will follow those laws when they apply.
Questions Requests and Complaints
To exercise a privacy right, ask a question, or complain about Apteum's privacy practices, email Tea Wask at Tea@tscn.care or call +1 (201) 272-6793. Apteum and TSCN use reasonable methods to verify the identity and authority of the requester and may request government-issued identification or other appropriate documentation when necessary. They aim to respond within 30 calendar days, subject to any different period or permitted extension under applicable law.
Requests to inspect, copy, or amend a formal medical record will be handled by Apteum if Apteum maintains the record. If a selected treating practice maintains the record, TSCN will forward the request to that practice for response.
You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights through the OCR complaint portal at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf. Apteum will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising a privacy right.
Availability and Revisions
Apteum will make this Notice available upon request and will post it electronically wherever Apteum provides information about its services, including the TSCN intake experience used on Apteum's behalf. When required for a direct treatment relationship, Apteum will provide the Notice no later than first service delivery and make a good-faith effort to obtain acknowledgment of receipt. Apteum may revise this Notice and make the revised terms effective for all protected health information it maintains. A current Notice will be made available and posted as required by law.