NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective Date: May 6, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU MAY ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
VirtualMed Iowa is committed to maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of your protected health information (“PHI”) in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your medical information, your rights regarding that information, and our legal duties related to the protection of your health information.
OUR LEGAL DUTIES
VirtualMed Iowa is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and comply with the terms of this Notice currently in effect. We reserve the right to revise or amend this Notice at any time. Any revised Notice will apply to all protected health information maintained by VirtualMed Iowa and will be made available through our website and within the clinic.
USES AND DISCLOSURES OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
Your protected health information may be used and disclosed for purposes of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without obtaining additional written authorization from you.
For treatment purposes, VirtualMed Iowa may use and disclose your health information to physicians, pharmacies, laboratories, hospitals, specialists, or other healthcare providers involved in your care in order to coordinate and manage medical treatment and related healthcare services.
For payment purposes, your information may be used to obtain payment for healthcare services rendered to you, including billing insurance companies, verifying eligibility and coverage, obtaining prior authorizations, and processing payments.
For healthcare operations purposes, VirtualMed Iowa may use and disclose your information for activities necessary to operate the clinic and ensure quality patient care, including quality assessment, staff education and training, compliance activities, accreditation, auditing, business planning, and administrative functions.
PATIENT COMMUNICATIONS
VirtualMed Iowa may contact you regarding appointment reminders, follow-up care, laboratory or diagnostic results, prescription-related matters, healthcare recommendations, billing matters, or other operational communications related to your care.
Communications may occur through telephone calls, voicemail messages, email, telehealth platforms, and secure patient portal messaging through AthenaPatient.
VirtualMed Iowa no longer provides general patient communication through standard SMS/text messaging services outside of approved healthcare communication systems.
USES AND DISCLOSURES PERMITTED OR REQUIRED BY LAW
Federal and state laws may permit or require VirtualMed Iowa to disclose protected health information without your written authorization under certain circumstances. Such circumstances may include public health reporting, communicable disease reporting, reporting abuse or neglect, health oversight activities, law enforcement requests, judicial or administrative proceedings, workers’ compensation matters, threats to public safety, or other situations authorized or required by law.
USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING AUTHORIZATION
Certain disclosures of your protected health information require your written authorization. This includes most uses involving marketing purposes, the sale of protected health information, and certain disclosures involving psychotherapy notes.
You may revoke an authorization previously provided to VirtualMed Iowa at any time in writing, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance upon that authorization.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
You have the right to request access to and obtain copies of your medical records, subject to limitations permitted by law. You have the right to request amendments to your health information if you believe the information maintained by VirtualMed Iowa is incomplete or inaccurate.
You have the right to request confidential communications by alternative means or at alternative locations. You also have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your protected health information, although VirtualMed Iowa is not required to agree to all requested restrictions.
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice upon request, even if you have previously agreed to receive the Notice electronically.
COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with VirtualMed Iowa or with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. Filing a complaint will not result in retaliation or affect the care provided to you.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Questions regarding this Notice or requests related to your protected health information may be directed to:
VirtualMed Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Phone: 515-520-8365
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND WEBSITE INFORMATION
While VirtualMed Iowa utilizes reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect electronic protected health information, no electronic communication system can guarantee absolute security. Patients are encouraged to utilize the AthenaPatient portal for secure healthcare-related communications whenever possible.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
By receiving services from VirtualMed Iowa, patients acknowledge that this Notice of Privacy Practices has been made available in accordance with applicable law.
Phone:
515-520-8365
Email:
Address:
2610 Northridge Pkwy
Suite 103
Ames, IA 50010