NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Effective Date: 07/01/2026

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.

Oaks Eye Center is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information.

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (“PHI”), explains your rights regarding your health information, and describes our responsibilities concerning that information.

YOUR RIGHTS

You have certain rights regarding your health information.

Get an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Medical Record

You may ask to see or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.

We will provide access or a copy as required by applicable law. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.

Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record

You may ask us to correct health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.

We may deny your request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If we deny the request, we will provide an explanation as required by law.

Request Confidential Communications

You may ask us to contact you in a particular way, such as only at a certain telephone number, or to send communications to a different address.

We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.

Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share

You may ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

We are generally not required to agree to all requested restrictions.

If you pay for a healthcare service or item completely out of pocket, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service or item to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations. We will honor such a request when required by law unless disclosure is otherwise required by law.

Receive an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a list, or accounting, of certain disclosures we have made of your health information.

The accounting does not include every type of disclosure. For example, certain disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations may not be included.

Receive a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

Choose Someone to Act for You

If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if another person is legally authorized to act for you, that person may exercise your rights and make choices regarding your health information as permitted by law.

We may verify the person's authority before taking action.

File a Complaint

You may file a complaint with Oaks Eye Center if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

Oaks Eye Center will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.

YOUR CHOICES

For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences regarding what we share.

In certain circumstances, you may tell us your preference regarding sharing information with:

Family members
Close friends
Other persons involved in your care
Persons involved in payment for your care
Disaster relief organizations

If you are unable to tell us your preference, for example because you are unconscious, we may share information when we determine that doing so is in your best interest and is permitted by law.

We may also disclose information when necessary to reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, as permitted by law.

Marketing and Sale of Information

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes requiring authorization under applicable law.

Oaks Eye Center does not sell your Protected Health Information.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

We may use or disclose your health information in the following circumstances.

Treatment

We may use and share your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your medical treatment.

For example, we may share information with another physician, optometrist, pharmacy, hospital, laboratory, imaging provider, or other healthcare professional involved in your care.

Payment

We may use and share your health information to bill and obtain payment from health plans or other entities.

For example, we may provide information to your health insurance company to obtain authorization or payment for ophthalmology services, diagnostic testing, procedures, medications, injections, or surgery.

Healthcare Operations

We may use and share your health information to operate our practice, improve the quality of care, train staff, conduct compliance activities, and manage our services.

Business Associates

We may share PHI with companies or individuals that perform certain services for Oaks Eye Center, such as billing, electronic health records, information technology, practice management, legal, accounting, or other services.

When required by HIPAA, these business associates must appropriately safeguard your information.

Public Health and Safety

We may disclose health information for certain public health and safety activities permitted or required by law, including:

Preventing or controlling disease
Reporting adverse reactions to medications or medical devices
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when required or permitted by law
Preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety
Complying with public health reporting requirements

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your health information when federal, state, or local law requires us to do so.

Workers' Compensation

We may disclose health information for workers' compensation claims or similar programs as authorized by law.

Law Enforcement

We may disclose health information to law enforcement officials under circumstances permitted or required by law.

Lawsuits and Legal Proceedings

We may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process when the requirements of applicable law are satisfied.

Health Oversight Activities

We may disclose health information to health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, including audits, investigations, inspections, credentialing, licensing, and disciplinary proceedings.

Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors

We may disclose health information to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors when permitted or required by law.

Organ and Tissue Donation

We may disclose health information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation when permitted by law.

Research

We may use or disclose health information for research when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied.

Specialized Government Functions

We may disclose health information for certain specialized government functions when authorized by law.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Oaks Eye Center is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information.

We are required to:

Protect the privacy and security of your PHI.
Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice while it is in effect.
Provide you with a copy of this Notice upon request.
Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI when notification is required by law.
Use or disclose only the information reasonably necessary when the HIPAA minimum-necessary requirement applies.
Obtain your written authorization for uses or disclosures that require authorization under applicable law.

We will not use or disclose your health information for purposes other than those described in this Notice unless you authorize us to do so in writing, or another use or disclosure is permitted or required by law.

If you provide written authorization, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance upon it.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Oaks Eye Center may communicate with patients electronically when permitted by law and consistent with our privacy and security policies.

Because ordinary email and text messaging may present privacy and security risks, patients should use secure communication methods provided or approved by Oaks Eye Center when transmitting sensitive medical information.

CALIFORNIA PRIVACY PROTECTIONS

Oaks Eye Center complies with applicable California laws governing the confidentiality and disclosure of medical information.

Where California law provides greater privacy protection or imposes greater restrictions on the use or disclosure of medical information than federal law, Oaks Eye Center will comply with the applicable California requirements.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices as permitted by law.

Changes may apply to health information we already maintain as well as information we receive in the future.

When material changes are made, the revised Notice will be available upon request, at our office, and on our website.

QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS

If you have questions about this Notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Oaks Eye Center
5329 Office Centre Court, Suite 110
Bakersfield, CA 93309
Phone: 661-228-0558
Email: Info@Oakseyecenter.com

You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

Oaks Eye Center will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising your privacy rights.

Oaks Eye Center
5329 Office Centre Court, Suite 110
Bakersfield, California 93309
Phone: 661-228-0558