Privacy Notice

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: July 10, 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

Network Spine is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information. This Notice explains how Network Spine may use and disclose your protected health information, your rights concerning that information, and our legal responsibilities.

This Notice applies to Network Spine and members of its workforce. Business associates that perform services involving protected health information on behalf of Network Spine are required by law and contract to safeguard that information.

Your Rights at a Glance

You have the right to:

• Access your records. You may inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical and billing records, subject to limited exceptions.

• Request a correction. You may ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.

• Request confidential communications. You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location.

• Request restrictions. You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information.

• Receive an accounting. You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request.

• Receive this Notice. You may request a paper or electronic copy at any time.

• Choose a representative. A legally authorized personal representative may exercise your privacy rights on your behalf.

• File a complaint. You may complain to Network Spine or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services without retaliation.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

We may use or disclose protected health information without your written authorization for the following purposes, as permitted or required by law.

Treatment

We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your care. This may include communicating with other health care professionals involved in your treatment, obtaining consultations, making referrals, reviewing diagnostic information, and coordinating follow-up care.

Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to bill and obtain payment for services. This may include insurance eligibility and benefit review, prior authorization, claim submission, utilization review, appeals, payment inquiries, collection activities, and communications with health plans, clearinghouses, or other responsible parties.

Health Care Operations

We may use and disclose your health information to operate the practice and support the quality and efficiency of care. Examples include quality review, compliance activities, staff training, credentialing, auditing, legal and accounting services, business planning, and patient-safety activities.

Business Associates

We may disclose protected health information to vendors and other business associates that perform services for us, such as billing, information technology, record storage, communications, and professional services. Business associates must safeguard protected health information as required by applicable law and their agreements with Network Spine.

Appointment and Administrative Communications

We may use your contact information for appointment reminders, scheduling, care coordination, billing questions, insurance administration, and other communications related to your care or our operations.

Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

We may also use or disclose information for:

• Public health and safety: Activities such as preventing disease, reporting adverse events, responding to product recalls, reporting suspected abuse or neglect, and preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

• Legal requirements and health oversight: Disclosures required by federal, state, or local law, including disclosures to health-oversight agencies and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for activities authorized by law.

• Judicial, administrative, and law-enforcement matters: Responses to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, and for law-enforcement purposes when permitted by law.

• Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors: Disclosures necessary for these individuals to perform their legal duties.

• Organ and tissue donation: Disclosures to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation.

• Research: Uses or disclosures for research when applicable legal requirements and privacy protections have been satisfied.

• Workers’ compensation: Disclosures authorized by workers’ compensation or similar laws.

• Special government functions: Disclosures for authorized military, national-security, protective-service, correctional, or other government functions.

Your Choices and Uses That Require Authorization

You may tell us whether to share relevant information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care. We may also share limited information for disaster-relief purposes. If you are unable to state a preference, we may use professional judgment and act in your best interest, as permitted by law.

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing protected health information for purposes not otherwise permitted by law. Written authorization is generally required for uses or disclosures that HIPAA defines as marketing, for the sale of protected health information, and for most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes. Network Spine does not currently use protected health information for fundraising.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. A revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on the authorization.

Additional Protection for Certain Records

Some information receives additional protection under federal or New York law, including certain HIV-related information, genetic-testing information, mental-health information, and substance-use-disorder treatment records. When these laws apply, we will use or disclose the information only as permitted or required by those laws.

To the extent that Network Spine creates, receives, or maintains substance-use-disorder patient records subject to 42 CFR Part 2, we will not use or disclose information from those records in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigation or proceeding against you without your written consent or a court order and subpoena, as required by law.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Right to Inspect and Obtain a Copy

You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of medical, billing, and other records used to make decisions about you. We generally will provide a copy or summary within 30 days, as required by law. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee and may deny access in limited circumstances permitted by law. If access is denied, we will explain the reason and any available review rights.

Right to Request an Amendment

You may ask us to correct information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. Your request should be in writing and explain the requested change. We may deny the request in certain circumstances, but we will provide a written explanation within the period required by law and describe any additional rights you may have.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at a particular phone number, email address, mailing address, or location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Right to Request Restrictions

You may ask us not to use or disclose certain information for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or not to disclose information to people involved in your care. We are not generally required to agree. If we agree, we will follow the restriction except when disclosure is needed for emergency treatment or otherwise required by law.

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

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the six years before the date of your request. The accounting will not include disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations and certain other disclosures excluded by law.

One accounting within a 12-month period will be provided without charge. Additional requests may involve a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Right to a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. The current Notice is also available on the Network Spine website and in our office.

Right to Choose a Personal Representative

A person legally authorized to act for you, such as a health care agent, parent or guardian where permitted, or another personal representative, may exercise your privacy rights. We will verify that person’s authority before acting on a request.

Right to Be Notified of a Breach

We will notify you as required by law if we discover a breach of unsecured health information that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

Right to File a Complaint

You may file a complaint with Network Spine 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. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Electronic Communications

If you provide an email address or mobile telephone number, we may use standard email or text messaging for appointment reminders and administrative communications, consistent with your preferences and applicable law. If you initiate or consent to communication through ordinary email or text, we may respond through the same channel unless you ask us to use a different method.

Ordinary email and text messages may not be encrypted. Risks include interception, misdirection, access through shared accounts or devices, forwarding by others, and storage by telecommunications or email providers. You may request a different communication method at any time.

Do not use ordinary email or text for emergencies or urgent medical concerns, and do not send sensitive medical information through those channels unless Network Spine has specifically instructed you to use an approved secure method.

Our Responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.

• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect and provide you with a copy.

• We will notify affected individuals as required by law when a reportable breach occurs.

• We will not use or disclose your information for purposes other than those described in this Notice unless you give us written authorization or the law otherwise permits or requires the use or disclosure.

Changes to This Notice

We may change the terms of this Notice. Any revised Notice may apply to all protected health information we maintain, including information created or received before the revision.

The current Notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.

Questions, Requests, or Complaints

To exercise your rights, ask a question, request another copy of this Notice, or file a complaint with Network Spine, contact:

Privacy Officer: Lisa Ironside
Network Spine
369 Lexington Avenue, Suite 18B
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-706-9082
Email: admin@networkspine.com

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201; telephone 1-877-696-6775; or online at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html.

Network Spine will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.