HIPAA Compliance and Health Information Protection

At GlucoWellness, we take the privacy and security of your health information seriously. This page outlines how we comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable regulations to protect your sensitive health data.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

GlucoWellness is committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and security of all protected health information (PHI) entrusted to us by our clients. This commitment extends throughout all aspects of our operations, from our nutrition consultations to our educational programs and digital resources.

This notice describes how medical and health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Understanding HIPAA and Your Rights

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that provides privacy protections and patient rights with regard to the use and disclosure of your Protected Health Information (PHI) used for the purpose of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

What is Protected Health Information (PHI)?

Protected Health Information includes any individually identifiable health information that relates to:

Your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition
The provision of healthcare services to you
Payment for your healthcare services
Information that could reasonably be used to identify you

This includes information collected during nutrition consultations, health assessments, and when developing personalized nutrition plans.

Our Privacy Practices

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

GlucoWellness may use and disclose your health information only for the following purposes:

For Treatment

We may use your health information to provide you with nutrition services and education. This includes developing personalized nutrition plans, monitoring your progress, and coordinating with other healthcare providers involved in your care when authorized by you.

For Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide to you, such as billing your insurance company (if applicable) or processing your payment for nutrition consultations or educational programs.

For Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose your health information for our internal operations, which include quality assessment, staff training, and business management activities that help us provide quality nutrition services.

With Your Authorization

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes other than those described above or as otherwise permitted by law. You may revoke an authorization at any time by submitting a written request to our Privacy Officer.

Special Circumstances

We may use or disclose your health information without your permission in certain limited circumstances, including:

When required by law or for public health activities
To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
For health oversight activities authorized by law
For judicial and administrative proceedings
To avert a serious threat to health or safety

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Under HIPAA, you have several rights regarding your health information. You have the right to:

Access Your Health Information

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information maintained by GlucoWellness, with limited exceptions. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.

Request Restrictions

You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to your request unless it relates to disclosures to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations purposes and the information pertains solely to a healthcare item or service for which you have paid out-of-pocket in full.

Request Confidential Communications

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Request Amendments

You have the right to request that we amend your health information. Your request must be in writing and explain why the information should be amended. We may deny your request under certain circumstances.

Receive an Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of your health information for purposes other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and certain other activities.

Receive a Paper Copy of This Notice

You have the right to receive a paper copy of this notice upon request, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.

How We Protect Your Health Information

GlucoWellness implements comprehensive administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the privacy and security of your health information, including:

Administrative Safeguards

Regular staff training on privacy and security policies
Designated Privacy and Security Officers
Regular risk assessments and policy reviews
Business Associate Agreements with service providers who may access PHI

Technical Safeguards

Encryption of electronic PHI both in transit and at rest
Secure, password-protected electronic health record systems
Access controls limiting PHI access to authorized personnel only
Audit controls that record and examine activity in systems containing PHI
Integrity controls to ensure PHI is not improperly altered or destroyed

Physical Safeguards

Secure facilities with controlled access
Proper disposal procedures for PHI (shredding physical documents, secure deletion of electronic files)
Workstation and device security measures

Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a breach of unsecured PHI, GlucoWellness will notify affected individuals, the Department of Health and Human Services, and, when required by law, the media. This notification will include:

A description of what happened
The types of information involved
Steps individuals should take to protect themselves
What we are doing to investigate, mitigate harm, and prevent future breaches
Contact information for questions or concerns

Changes to This Notice

GlucoWellness reserves the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all PHI we maintain. If we revise this notice, we will post the revised notice on our website and make it available upon request during consultations or educational sessions.

Contact Information

If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your rights, or have a complaint regarding our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer at:

GlucoWellness
1300 Wirt Rd
Houston, TX 77055, USA
Phone: +17138711046
Email: support@glucowelness.com

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Effective Date

This notice is effective as of June 1, 2023.