Notice of Privacy Practices
(Patient Health Privacy - HIPPA)
Published Date: March 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
At Desert River Family Medicine LLC and Desert River Direct PLLC, we understand that your health information is personal. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:
Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your health care. Example: Sharing information with a specialist we are referring you to.
Payment: To bill and get payment for your health care services. Example: Giving a superbill to you or your insurance company for reimbursement.
Health Care Operations: To run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights regarding the medical information we maintain about you:
Electronic or Paper Copies: You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record. We will provide this within 30 days of your request.
Amendments: You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete.
Request Confidential Communications: You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
Limit What We Share: You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. Note: If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you have the right to ask that this information not be shared with your health insurer.
Accounting of Disclosures: You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
Important 2026 Updates (SUD & Legal Protections)
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Records: To the extent that we maintain SUD patient records subject to 42 CFR Part 2, we cannot use or share those records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a specific court order.
Notice of Redisclosure: Once we share your information in a permitted way, it may be redisclosed by the recipient. After redisclosure, the information may no longer be protected by federal privacy laws.
Our Responsibilities
We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. You may change your mind at any time by letting us know in writing.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
Contact Information:
Desert River Family Medicine LLC
Desert River Direct PLLC
info@desertrivermed.com