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.
I. Who We Are
This Notice of Privacy Practices ("Notice") describes the privacy practices of ADPS Network, PLLC ("ADPS," "we," or "us"), including our affiliated physicians, healthcare practitioners, and other personnel who provide telehealth services to patients in the State of Texas. ADPS Network, PLLC is a professional limited liability company organized under the laws of Texas and operates exclusively through telehealth.
II. Our Privacy Obligations
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information ("Protected Health Information" or "PHI") and to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI. We are also required to notify you in the event of a Breach of unsecured PHI. When we use or disclose your PHI, we are required to abide by the terms of this Notice (or other notice then in effect at the time of the use or disclosure).
III. Permissible Uses and Disclosures Without Your Written Authorization
In certain situations described in Section IV below, we must obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI. For the following purposes, however, no authorization is required:
A. Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations.
We may use and disclose your PHI (but not your Highly Confidential Information, as defined in Section IV.B) for the following purposes:
- Treatment. We may use and disclose your PHI to provide you with medical treatment and services, including through telehealth consultations, clinical evaluations, and prescription services. We may disclose your PHI to other healthcare providers involved in your care.
- Payment. We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and obtain payment for the treatment and services we provide to you, including verification of eligibility, claims processing, and collection activities.
- Healthcare Operations. We may use and disclose your PHI for our internal healthcare operations, including quality improvement activities, evaluating the performance of our practitioners, resolving patient complaints, conducting audits, and healthcare fraud and abuse detection.
B. Disclosure to Relatives, Close Friends, and Other Caregivers.
We may use or disclose your PHI to a family member, relative, close personal friend, or other person you identify, when you are present and we obtain your agreement, provide you an opportunity to object and you do not object, or we reasonably infer you do not object. If you are not present or are incapacitated, we may use our professional judgment to determine whether disclosure is in your best interests.
C. Public Health Activities.
We may disclose your PHI to public health authorities for purposes including: preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability; reporting child abuse or neglect; reporting information to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; alerting persons to communicable disease exposure; and reporting work-related illnesses and injuries as required by law.
D. Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence.
If we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, we may disclose your PHI to a governmental authority authorized by law to receive such reports.
E. Health Oversight Activities.
We may disclose your PHI to health oversight agencies responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws and government health program requirements.
F. Judicial and Administrative Proceedings.
We may disclose your PHI in response to a court order, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
G. Law Enforcement.
We may disclose your PHI to law enforcement officials as required or permitted by law, including in response to a court order, warrant, subpoena, or administrative request.
H. Decedents.
We may disclose your PHI to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director as authorized or required by law.
I. Research.
We may use or disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization for research purposes if an Institutional Review Board or Privacy Board approves a waiver of authorization for the disclosure.
J. Serious Threat to Health or Safety.
We may use or disclose your PHI when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
K. Specialized Government Functions.
We may use and disclose your PHI to authorized units of the government with specialized functions, such as the U.S. military or the U.S. Department of State, under applicable legal requirements.
L. Workers' Compensation.
We may disclose your PHI as authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with Texas and federal laws relating to workers' compensation or similar programs.
M. As Required by Law.
We may use and disclose your PHI when required to do so by any applicable federal, state, or local law not otherwise described in this Notice.
IV. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization
A. Authorization Required.
We must obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes and for disclosures that constitute the sale of PHI. All other uses and disclosures of your PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke any such authorization at any time by delivering a written statement to our Privacy Officer, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance upon it.
B. Highly Confidential Information.
Federal and Texas state law require heightened privacy protections for certain categories of sensitive health information ("Highly Confidential Information"). This includes PHI that relates to:
- Mental health and developmental disabilities services
- Alcohol and drug abuse prevention, treatment, and referral
- HIV/AIDS testing, diagnosis, or treatment
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Genetic testing
- Child abuse and neglect
- Domestic abuse of an adult with a disability
- Sexual assault
We will not disclose your Highly Confidential Information for purposes other than those permitted by law without your written authorization.
V. Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information
A. Right to File a Complaint.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer (contact information below) or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. To file a complaint with HHS, visit hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints or call 1-800-368-1019. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
B. Right to Request Restrictions.
You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations purposes, or to persons involved in your care. We are required to comply with your request if the PHI pertains solely to a healthcare item or service for which you have paid in full out of pocket and the disclosure would be to a health plan. For all other restriction requests, we are not required to agree but will attempt to accommodate reasonable requests. Submit restriction requests in writing to our Privacy Officer.
C. Right to Receive Confidential Communications.
You may request that we communicate with you about your PHI by alternative means or at an alternative location. We will accommodate reasonable written requests.
D. Right to Inspect and Copy Your Health Information.
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI maintained in our records. To request access, contact our Privacy Officer. We may charge a cost-based fee for copies, including labor, supplies, and postage if applicable. Under limited circumstances, we may deny access to certain portions of your records.
E. Right to Request Amendment.
You have the right to request that we amend PHI in your records if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. Submit amendment requests in writing to our Privacy Officer. We will comply unless we determine the information is accurate and complete or another legal exception applies.
F. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures.
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us during the six years prior to your request. If you request an accounting more than once in a twelve-month period, we may charge a reasonable fee and will inform you in advance.
G. Right to Receive a Copy of This Notice.
You may request a copy of this Notice at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer. We will provide a copy by email upon request. You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
VI. Effective Date and Right to Change This Notice
This Notice is effective September 1, 2026. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. If we change this Notice, the new terms will apply to all PHI we maintain, including information created or received before the change. Any revised Notice will be posted on our website at steadicarehealth.com. You may also obtain a copy of any revised Notice by contacting our Privacy Officer.
VII. Privacy Officer
For questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights under this Notice, please contact our Privacy Officer:
Dr. Pippa Schnee, MD — Privacy Officer
ADPS Network, PLLC
9639 Hilcroft St, Unit 5175
Houston, TX 77096
adps@steadicarehealth.com