What HIPAA Is
HIPAA is the federal law that establishes national standards for the protection of personal health information. For a healthcare provider like BetterChoice, HIPAA requires:
- Privacy: limiting who can access your protected health information (PHI) and what they can do with it
- Security: physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect electronic health information
- Breach notification: prompt disclosure if your information is compromised
- Patient rights: your right to access, correct, and control disclosure of your information
Why 42 CFR Part 2 Adds Extra Protection
Because BetterChoice is a substance use disorder treatment program, our patient records are also protected by 42 CFR Part 2 — a federal regulation that provides additional privacy protections beyond standard HIPAA. Under Part 2:
- Even more restrictive disclosure rules apply to your substance use treatment records
- Disclosures generally require your written consent, even to other healthcare providers
- Re-disclosure is restricted: even if we share your information with another provider, they generally cannot share it further without your separate consent
- Court orders are required for most law enforcement access to records
Your Rights as a Patient
You have the right to:
- Receive a Notice of Privacy Practices that explains in detail how we use and protect your information (provided at admission)
- Access your records and request copies
- Request corrections to your records if you believe they are inaccurate
- Request restrictions on how your information is used or disclosed
- Request confidential communications through specific channels (a particular phone number, mailing address, etc.)
- Receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of your information
- File a complaint with us, with the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, or with the SAMHSA Office for Civil Rights
How We Protect Your Information
Administrative Safeguards
- All staff receive HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 training, both at hire and annually
- Background checks for all employees with access to PHI
- Documented privacy and security policies
- Designated Privacy Officer and Security Officer
- Business Associate Agreements with all vendors who handle PHI
Physical Safeguards
- Secured facilities with controlled access
- Locked storage of paper records
- Secured workstations
- Visitor access controls
Technical Safeguards
- Encrypted electronic health records
- Secure transmission of PHI
- Access controls limiting which staff can see which records
- Audit logs of all PHI access
- Regular security assessments
What We Communicate, To Whom, When
By default, your treatment at BetterChoice is private from everyone except the clinical team caring for you. We do not communicate with:
- Family members without your written consent (except in specific medical emergencies)
- Employers without your written consent
- Other healthcare providers without your written consent for substance use treatment records
- Insurance companies beyond what is necessary for treatment authorization and payment
You can authorize specific communications by signing a Release of Information form, and you can revoke that authorization at any time.
Breach Notification
If a breach of unsecured PHI occurs, we will:
- Notify affected patients without unreasonable delay (generally within 60 days)
- Notify the Department of Health and Human Services
- Notify prominent local media if the breach affects more than 500 residents in our area
Contact
For questions about your privacy rights or to exercise any of them:
BetterChoice Treatment Center Privacy Officer 198 Ebb Tide Cir Las Vegas, NV 89123 (725) 550-5655