Notice of Privacy Practices
Your Information. Your Rights. My Responsibility.
This notice describes how personal health information (PHI) about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Request confidential communication
- Get a copy of this privacy notice
- File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
Your Choices
You have some choices in the way that I use and share information as I:
- Collaborate and consult with other professionals on your behalf
- Tell family and friends about your condition
- Provide you mental health care
- Provide disaster relief or emergency mental health treatment
Our Uses and Disclosures
I may use and share your information as I:
- Treat you
- Run my practice
- Coordinate treatment and comply with health plan requirements
- Comply with mandatory reporting laws
- Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
Your Rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights.
This section explains your rights and some of my responsibilities to help you.
Request confidential communications
- You can ask me to contact you in a specific way (for example, by home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
- I will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
Get a copy of this privacy notice
You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. I will provide you with a paper copy promptly.
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
- You can complain if you feel I have violated your rights by contacting me.
- You can file a complaint with the Singapore Association of Counselling, or visit sacsingapore.org/contactus/.
- I will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
For certain health information, you can tell me your choices about what I share.
If you have a clear preference for how I share your information in the situations described below, talk to me. Tell me what you want me to do, and I will follow your instructions.
In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell me to:
- Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
- Share information in a disaster relief or emergency situation
If you are not able to tell me your preference, for example, if you are unconscious, I may go ahead and share your information if I believe it is in your best interest.
In these cases I never share your information unless you give me written permission:
- Requests from family, friends, or others
- Requests for copies of your records (unless accompanied by a subpoena)
- Most sharing of psychotherapy notes
Our Uses and Disclosures
How do I typically use or share your health information?
I typically use or share your health information in the following ways.
Treat you
Although it is not my practice to do so without first informing you, I can use your health information and share it with other professionals for consultation.
Example: I may consult with another therapist about whether or not a particular treatment may be helpful, considering your diagnosis and history.
Although it is not my practice to do so without first informing you, I can use your health information and share it with other healthcare professionals who are treating you.
Example: I may ask your psychiatrist or primary care doctor about your overall health condition.
Run my business
I can use and share your health information to run my practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
Example: I use health information about you to manage your treatment outcomes and monitor trends within my practice.
How else can I use or share your health information?
I am allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as mandatory reporting for potential child abuse. I have to meet many conditions in the law before I can share your information for these purposes. For more information please reference the Consent for Services document.
Help with public health and safety issues
I can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
- Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect
- Preventing or reducing a serious threat to an identified person’s health or safety
Comply with the law
I will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that I am complying with federal privacy law.
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
Although it is not my practice to do so without first discussing the situation with you, I can share health information about you in response to a subpoena or if required to do so by a judge.
My Responsibilities
- I am required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- I will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- I must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
- I will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell me I can in writing. If you tell me so, you may change your mind at any time. Let me know in writing if you change your mind.
Changes to the Terms of this Notice
I can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information I have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in my office, and on my website.
This notice was last updated on 31 March 2022.
Privacy Officer Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about this notice or about your privacy while receiving services, please contact me, the Privacy Officer:
Elena Ho