Notice of Privacy Practices

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.

Effective date: October 23, 2026

Who This Notice Covers

This notice applies to Greater Siouxland Anesthesiology and Pain (GSAP), including our anesthesia and pain management providers and staff. It covers the health information we create or receive when we care for you, including care we provide at hospitals and surgery centers. In this notice, “health information” means information that identifies you and relates to your health, your care, or payment for your care.

We also keep records from clinic locations that have closed. Those records are protected the same way and are covered by this notice, and you have the same rights to them.

Our Duties to You

  • The law requires us to keep your health information private and to give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.
  • We must tell you promptly if a breach happens that may have put your unsecured health information at risk.
  • We must follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.
  • We will not use or share your information in ways other than those described here unless you give us written permission. You can change your mind at any time.

How We Use and Share Your Health Information

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

To treat you

We use your information and share it with others who are caring for you. Example: Our anesthesia provider shares your health history and medicines with your surgeon and the nurses caring for you before, during, and after a procedure.

To bill and get paid for your care

We use and share your information to bill and get payment from health plans, other payers, or you. Example: We give information about your procedure to an outside billing service so it can send a claim to your health plan.

To run our practice

We use and share your information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when needed. This is called “health care operations.” Example: We review records to check the quality and safety of the care we provide, to train staff, or for licensing, credentialing, legal, and audit purposes.

With the hospitals and surgery centers where we provide care

When we care for you at a hospital or surgery center, we work with that facility as part of a joint care arrangement (called an “organized health care arrangement”). We and the facility may share your information with each other for treatment, payment, and health care operations. The facility may also give you its own Notice of Privacy Practices.

With our business associates

We use outside companies to help us, such as an outside billing and collections service and companies that provide our electronic health record and secure email systems. They must sign a contract, called a business associate agreement, that requires them to protect your information and use it only as the contract allows.

With family and friends involved in your care

We may share information with a family member, friend, or other person you name who is involved in your care or in paying for it. We may also share information to tell them where you are and how you are doing, or with disaster relief groups. If you are present and able, you can tell us not to share. If you cannot tell us, for example, if you are unconscious, we may share information if we believe it is in your best interest.

Other Ways We May Use or Share Your Information

The law allows or requires us to share your information in other ways, usually for the public good, such as public health and research. We must meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.

  • When the law requires it. This includes sharing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) if it wants to check that we are following federal privacy law.
  • Public health and safety. For example, to prevent or control disease, report births and deaths, report reactions to medicines or problems with medical products, and help with product recalls.
  • Abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence to the proper government agency.
  • Health oversight. To agencies that oversee the health care system, such as for audits, investigations, inspections, and licensing.
  • Lawsuits and legal actions. In response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena or other lawful request, if certain conditions are met.
  • Law enforcement. For certain law enforcement purposes, such as responding to a court order or warrant, or helping to identify or find a suspect, fugitive, witness, or missing person.
  • After death. To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors as they need it to do their jobs.
  • Organ, eye, and tissue donation. To organizations that handle organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplants.
  • Research. For health research that has been approved under rules that protect your privacy.
  • Serious threats to health or safety. To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
  • Special government functions. For military and veterans activities, national security and intelligence, protective services for the President and others, and, if you are in custody, to a correctional institution or law enforcement official.
  • Workers’ compensation. For workers’ compensation claims or similar programs that provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.

When State Law Gives You More Protection

Some state laws, including laws in South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska, may give certain kinds of health information more protection than federal law. Examples may include mental health, HIV/AIDS, genetic, and substance use disorder treatment information. When a stricter law applies, we follow it.

Substance Use Disorder Treatment Records

If we receive records of substance use disorder treatment from a program covered by federal law (42 CFR Part 2), those records, or testimony about what they say, will not be used or shared in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you unless you give written consent or a court orders it. Before a court can order this, you or the holder of the records must receive notice and a chance to be heard. A court order must also come with a subpoena or other legal requirement that compels the disclosure.

Uses That Need Your Written Permission

We will not use or share your information for the following purposes unless you give us written permission (called an “authorization”):

  • Most uses and sharing of psychotherapy notes, if any exist
  • Marketing purposes
  • Selling your information

Any other use or sharing not described in this notice will be made only with your written permission. You may take back (revoke) your permission at any time by telling us in writing. Revoking will not undo anything we already did based on your permission.

Your Rights

You have the following rights about your health information. To use any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer using the information at the end of this notice. We may ask you to make some requests in writing.

Get a copy of your health record

You can ask to see or get a copy of your health record and other health information we have about you. If we keep it electronically, you can ask for an electronic copy. We will usually give you a copy or a summary within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct your health record

If you think information in your record is wrong or incomplete, you can ask us to correct it. We may say “no,” but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Ask for confidential communications

You can ask us to contact you in a certain way, such as by a different phone number, or at a different address. We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

You can ask us not to use or share certain information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care. However, if you pay for a service or health care item out of pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information with your health plan for payment or operations. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

Get a list of those we have shared information with

You can ask for a list (an “accounting”) of the times we have shared your health information in the six years before the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. The list will not include sharing for treatment, payment, or health care operations, and certain other sharing, such as any you asked us to make. We will provide one list a year for free but may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to get it electronically. We will give you a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can use your rights and make choices about your health information. We will make sure the person has this authority before we take any action.

Be told about a breach

You have the right to be notified if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

Changes to This Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you, including information we created or received before the change. If we change this notice, the new notice will be posted on this website, and you can ask us for a copy at any time by calling 605-356-7057.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with us by contacting our Privacy Officer using the information below. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by visiting hhs.gov/ocr/complaints, by calling 1-877-696-6775, or by writing to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201.

We will not retaliate against you in any way for filing a complaint.

Contact Us

For questions about this notice, or to use any of the rights described in it, contact:

Privacy Officer
Greater Siouxland Anesthesiology and Pain
Phone: 605-356-7057
Mail: 201 E. 4th St., Suite 100, South Sioux City, NE 68776

Effective Date

This notice takes effect on October 23, 2026.