HIPAA PRIVACY POLICY

Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information

HIPAA Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 2026

Bends Foot and Ankle is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and all applicable Ohio state privacy laws. This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information.

This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to all records of your care generated or maintained by Bends Foot and Ankle, including records created by Dr. Eric Storts, DPM, FACFAS and all clinical and administrative staff.

1. Our Commitment to HIPAA Compliance

Bends Foot and Ankle maintains strict policies and procedures to ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. We are dedicated to safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all patient health information entrusted to our care.

How We Protect Your Information:

All electronic patient health information (ePHI) is stored using secure, encrypted systems with access restricted to authorized personnel only.
All staff members receive HIPAA privacy and security training upon hire and on an ongoing basis.
Physical safeguards are maintained to protect paper records and limit access to treatment areas.
We maintain audit trails to track access to patient records, including who accessed information and when.
Our office uses secure login processes requiring unique usernames and passwords for all systems containing patient data.

2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

The following describes the ways we may use and disclose your protected health information without your written authorization:

For Treatment:

We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your podiatric care. This includes sharing information with other healthcare providers involved in your treatment, such as your primary care physician, specialists we refer you to, or facilities where you receive care.

For Payment:

We may use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payment for the services we provide. This may include sharing information with your insurance company, health plan, or other third-party payers to obtain authorization or to verify coverage for your podiatric treatment.

For Healthcare Operations:

We may use and disclose your health information for our own healthcare operations, which include quality assessment, staff training, business management, and other activities necessary to run our practice and ensure our patients receive quality care.

Appointment Reminders and Health Information:

We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives, health-related products, or other services that may be of interest to your foot and ankle health.

3. Other Permitted Uses and Disclosures

We may also use or disclose your health information without your authorization in the following situations as permitted or required by law:

As Required by Law: When federal, state, or local law requires disclosure.
Public Health Activities: To report communicable diseases, work-related injuries, or concerns about products regulated by the FDA.
Health Oversight Activities: To a health oversight agency for authorized activities including audits, investigations, and inspections.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: In response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process.
Law Enforcement: For limited law enforcement purposes, such as identifying a missing person or reporting certain types of wounds.
To Prevent a Serious Threat: When necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.
Workers' Compensation: To comply with workers' compensation laws and similar programs.
Coroners and Funeral Directors: To identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death.

All other uses and disclosures of your health information not described in this notice require your prior written authorization. You may revoke any authorization you provide to us at any time, in writing, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on your authorization.

4. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Under HIPAA and Ohio law, you have the following rights regarding your protected health information:

Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information maintained by our practice, with limited exceptions. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying costs.
Right to Request Amendments: You have the right to request that we amend your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request under certain circumstances, but will provide a written explanation.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to receive a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information, other than those made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request that we restrict certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to your request, except when the disclosure is to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations and the information pertains solely to a service you have paid for in full out of pocket.
Right to Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information in a specific way or at a specific location (for example, by mail instead of phone).
Right to a Paper Copy: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time, even if you have previously agreed to receive it electronically.

5. Business Associates

Certain services at Bends Foot and Ankle are provided through contracts with business associates — organizations that perform functions on our behalf that involve access to protected health information. Examples include billing services, electronic health record providers, and appointment scheduling platforms.

We require all business associates to enter into written agreements that obligate them to appropriately safeguard your health information in compliance with HIPAA. These agreements ensure that your information is used only for the purposes for which it was provided and is protected from misuse.

6. Our Duties

Bends Foot and Ankle is required by law to:

Maintain the privacy of your protected health information.
Provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.
Abide by the terms of this notice currently in effect.
Notify you in the event of a breach of your unsecured protected health information.

We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all protected health information that we maintain. If we make changes to this notice, we will post the revised notice in our office and on our website.

7. Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

To file a complaint with our practice:

Contact our Privacy Officer at the address, phone number, or email listed below.

To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. You may also call 1-877-696-6775 or visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints.

8. Contact Information

For questions about this notice or to exercise any of your rights, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Bends Foot and Ankle — Privacy Officer

37 N Plaza Blvd, Chillicothe, OH 45601

(740) 851-4003

info@BendsFootandAnkle.mediedgemarketing-dev.com