Patient Privacy

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

AthleticsMD® · Columbia and Laurel, Maryland · Effective July 1, 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.

The short version

  • We use your health information for three things: treating you, billing for your care, and running our clinics.
  • You can see your record, correct it, limit how it is shared, and get a list of who we have shared it with.
  • We never sell your information or use it for marketing without your written permission.

Your Rights

Your health information belongs to you. Here is what you can ask of us, and what we will do.

See and copy your record

Ask for your medical record and we will provide a copy or a summary, usually within 30 days. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply.

Correct your record

If something is wrong or incomplete, ask us to amend it. If we decline, we will explain why in writing within 60 days.

Choose how we reach you

Tell us to call only your cell, or to mail a different address. We say yes to every reasonable request.

Limit what we share

Ask us not to use certain information for treatment, payment, or operations. We may decline if it would affect your care. One exception is absolute: if you pay for a visit in full out of pocket, you can tell us not to share it with your insurer, and we will agree unless the law requires otherwise.

See who we have shared with

Request an accounting of disclosures covering the past six years. It excludes routine sharing for treatment, payment, and operations. One list per year is free.

Get this notice on paper

Ask any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Appoint someone to act for you

A person with medical power of attorney or legal guardianship can exercise these rights for you. We confirm their authority first.

Complain without fear

Raise a concern with us or file with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will never retaliate against you.

Your Choices

For certain sharing, you decide. Tell us your preference and we will follow it:

  • Whether we share information with family, close friends, or others involved in your care
  • Whether we share information in a disaster relief situation


If you cannot tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may share what is needed if we believe it is in your best interest or necessary to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.


Three things require your written authorization before we act, and you can revoke that authorization at any time: marketing, any sale of your information, and most sharing of psychotherapy notes where they exist.


How We Use and Share Your Information

To treat you

We use your information to deliver your care and share it with other professionals treating you.

Example: your physical therapist updates the surgeon who referred you for prehabilitation.

To bill for your care

We share information with health plans and payers so your services are covered and paid.

Example: we send your rehabilitation visit records to your insurer with a claim.

To run our clinics

We use information to operate the practice, improve quality, and contact you, including appointment reminders and information about treatment options.

Other disclosures the law permits or requires

These serve the public good, and the law sets many conditions before we can make them:


  • Public health and safety, including disease prevention, reporting suspected abuse or neglect, medication adverse events, and preventing a serious threat to anyone's health or safety
  • Research, under legally required protections
  • Compliance with federal or state law, including reviews by the Department of Health and Human Services
  • Organ, eye, or tissue donation requests, and work with medical examiners, coroners, or funeral directors
  • Workers' compensation, law enforcement, health oversight agencies, and specialized government functions such as military and national security
  • Court orders, subpoenas, and other legal proceedings


Our Responsibilities

  • The law requires us to protect the privacy and security of your health information, and we do.
  • If a breach may have compromised your information, we will tell you promptly.
  • We follow the practices described in this notice and will give you a copy on request.
  • We will not use or share your information in any other way unless you authorize it in writing, and you can withdraw that authorization at any time.

Changes to this Note

We can update this notice, and changes apply to all information we hold. The current version is always posted here with its effective date, available in our clinics, and yours on request.

Questions and Complaints

Start with us. If you prefer, file directly with the federal government: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201, phone 1-877-696-6775, or online at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints.

Privacy Officer
AthleticsMD®
8815 Centre Park Drive, Suite 330, Columbia, MD 21045
844-FIT-MD4U (844-348-6348) · care@athleticsmd.org