Privacy Policy

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.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA") is a federal program that requires all medical records and other individually identifiable health information used or disclosed by us in any form, whether electronically, on paper, or orally, to be kept properly confidential. HIPAA gives you, the patient, important rights to understand and control how your health information is used and provides penalties for entities that misuse personal health information.

As required by HIPAA, Greenwich has prepared this explanation of how we are required to maintain the privacy of your health information and how we may disclose your information.

Permitted Uses and Disclosures

Greenwich may use and disclose your medical records only for each of the following purposes: treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

Treatment

Providing, coordinating, or managing health care or related services by one or more healthcare providers. Example: a physical examination.

Payment

Activities such as obtaining reimbursement for services, confirming coverage, billing or collection, and utilization review. Example: sending a bill for your visit to your insurance company for payment.

Healthcare Operations

Includes administrative and business aspects such as quality assessment, improvement activities, audits, cost-management, and customer service. Example: internal quality assessment review.

Greenwich may create and distribute de-identified health information by removing all references to individually identifiable information.

We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices and make the new terms effective for all protected health information we maintain. Updated notices will be posted on our website, and printed copies are available upon request.

Your Rights and Complaints

If you believe your privacy protections have been violated, you have the right to file a written complaint with Greenwich or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Civil Rights. Greenwich will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Contact Information

Greenwich Ophthalmology Associates
2046 West Main Street, Suite 2
Stamford, CT 06902
Privacy Officer: Rabia Hamid, Director of Quality, Safety, and Compliance
rabia.hamid@refocuseye.com

To File a HIPAA Complaint

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: (202) 619-0257 or Toll-Free: (877) 696-6775

Mobile SMS and Call Policy

By booking an appointment with us, you consent to receive SMS messages and phone calls from Greenwich, our affiliates, or approved vendors. These communications include appointment reminders, requests to confirm visits, billing notifications, and similar functions.

We never sell or share your mobile number with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes, except to remind patients about overdue eye exams or appointments. Message and data rates may apply.

To opt out, text STOP to any message we send. You will receive a confirmation text. Because we use multiple texting systems, you may need to repeat this step for different message types (e.g., billing or appointment reminders).

Voicemails may also be used for administrative reminders and will not include specific health information unless you have authorized it.