HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND/OR DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.

Notice of Privacy Practices Effective:July 22, 2024 Revised: March 27, 2025

Introduction

Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC (“CNS”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your protected health information (“PHI”). This HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes how we may use and disclose your PHI, your rights concerning your PHI, and how you can exercise those rights. CNS is dedicated to complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) and other applicable laws and regulations.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI Without Written Authorization

CNS may use or disclose your PHI without your written authorization in certain circumstances, including but not limited to:

Treatment:CNS may use your PHI to provide you with medical treatment or services. CNS may also share your PHI with other healthcare providers involved in your care.
Payment:CNS may disclose PHI to obtain payment for services provided.
Healthcare Operations:CNS may use your PHI for activities necessary to run our organization effectively (i.e., evaluate the performance of our staff, assess quality of care, or improve our services.)

Additionally, CNS may disclose PHI for purposes such as public health activities, compliance with legal requirements, and certain government functions.

Disclosures We May Make Unless You Object

Unless you instruct otherwise, CNS may disclose relevant PHI to family members, friends, or others involved in your healthcare.

Uses and Disclosures with Your Written Authorization

For uses and disclosures not covered by this Notice or applicable laws, CNS will obtain your written authorization. You have the right to revoke such authorization at any time. For example, the following uses and disclosures of your PHI require authorization:

The use and disclosure of psychotherapy notes, except i) use by the originator of the psychotherapy notes for treatment; ii) use or disclosure for training programs in which students, trainees, or practitioners in mental health learn under supervision to practice or improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling; or iii) use or disclosure to defend in a legal action or other proceeding brought by you.
Uses and disclosures for marketing purposes. Face-to-face communication by us to you or a promotional gift of nominal value will not require your authorization.
Disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI.

Your Rights Concerning Your PHI

You have several rights regarding your PHI:

Request Restrictions:You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI, which CNS will consider but is not obligated to agree to, except in cases where the disclosure is to a health plan for purposes of payment or healthcare operations and the information pertains solely to a healthcare item or service for which you or a person on your behalf has paid in full.
Confidential Communications:You may request to receive communications of PHI by alternative means or at alternative locations.
Access to PHI:You have the right to inspect and obtain copies of your PHI, including in electronic format, with limited exceptions.
Amendment of PHI:You may request an amendment of your PHI if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete, under certain circumstances.
Accounting of Disclosures:You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made by CNS.
Notice of Breach:If there is a breach of your unsecured PHI, CNS will notify you as required by applicable law.

Non-Discrimination

CNS does not discriminate against patients or staff because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, including gender identity and sexual orientation.

Email and SMS Opt-In

By providing your email address or mobile phone number, you consent to receive communications from CNS, including appointment reminders and other healthcare-related information via email or SMS. You may revoke this consent at any time by contacting CNS at the address at the bottom of this Notice. SMS opt-in or phone numbers for the purpose of SMS are not being shared.

Changes to This Notice

CNS reserves the right to amend this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time. Any material changes will be communicated through our website or other appropriate means.

Communication of Privacy Concerns

You may contact CNS and/or the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You will not be retaliated against for filing a concern. You may contact CNS by sending a written notice to the address at the bottom of this page.

You may contact HHS at 1-877-696-6775 or visit https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-

complaint/index.html or contact:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights

200 Independence Ave, S.W.

Washington, D.C., 20201

CNS Contact Information

If you have questions or concerns about this Notice, or wish to exercise your rights as described herein, please contact:

CNS Cares

ATTN: Privacy Officer

1114 North First Street, Suite 200, Grand Junction, CO 81501

Phone: 970-254-9001

Email: HIPAA@cnscares.com

Effective Date

This Notice is effective as of March 27, 2025.