HIPAA 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: May 1, 2026
Our commitment to your privacy
True Path Functional Medicine (the "Practice," "we," "us," "our") is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act ("HITECH"), and other applicable federal and state laws to maintain the privacy of your protected health information ("PHI"), to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI, and to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
How we may use and disclose your PHI without your authorization
For treatment. We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. For example, we may share information with another healthcare provider involved in your care — a specialist we refer you to, a pharmacy filling your prescriptions, or a lab performing your testing.
For payment. We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for services. Because the Practice is direct-pay and is not in network with any insurance company, this typically means generating a superbill at your request that you may submit to your insurance, or providing documentation to your HSA or FSA administrator.
For healthcare operations. We may use and disclose your PHI for internal operations such as quality assessment, training, scheduling, business management, and other administrative activities that allow us to run the Practice and provide quality care.
Appointment reminders and follow-up. We may contact you to remind you of appointments, provide test results, share educational information, or follow up on your care.
As required by law. We may use and disclose your PHI when required by federal, state, or local law — including reporting of certain communicable diseases, suspected abuse or neglect, or domestic violence; responding to a valid subpoena or court order; and reporting to public health authorities.
Other permitted disclosures without authorization. HIPAA permits disclosure of PHI in additional limited circumstances, including: to avert a serious threat to health or safety; for health oversight activities; to coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors; for organ donation; for research conducted under specific safeguards; for workers' compensation; to law enforcement under specific circumstances; for specialized government functions; to military and veterans authorities; and for inmates in correctional institutions.
Uses and disclosures requiring your written authorization
Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses or disclosures for marketing purposes, sales of PHI, and any uses or disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already taken action in reliance on it.
Your rights regarding your PHI
Right to inspect and copy. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI in our designated record set. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies. Requests must be made in writing.
Right to amend. You may request that we amend PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances; if we deny it, we will explain why in writing.
Right to an accounting of disclosures. You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us, generally for a period of up to six years prior to your request.
Right to request restrictions. You have the right to request that we limit how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to all requested restrictions, except where you pay out-of-pocket in full for a specific service and request that we not disclose related PHI to a health plan — in that case, we will honor your request.
Right to request confidential communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location — for example, only by mail, only at a specific phone number, or only at your work email.
Right to a paper copy. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice on request, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
Right to be notified of a breach. You have the right to be notified following a breach of unsecured PHI affecting you.
Right to file a complaint. You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. See "Complaints" below. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Our duties
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.
- We are required to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.
- We are required to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
- We are required to notify you if a breach affects the privacy or security of your unsecured PHI.
Changes to this Notice
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. Any new Notice will be effective for all PHI we maintain. The most current version will be posted on our website at truepathfunctionalmedicine.com/pages/hipaa-notice and a paper copy will be available in our office on request.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us by contacting our Privacy Officer at the address below. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW, Room 509F HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-877-696-6775
hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Contact us
For questions about this Notice or to exercise any of your rights, please contact our Privacy Officer:
Lauren Skyles, FNP-C, IFMCP
Privacy Officer, True Path Functional Medicine
11709 Old Ballas Rd, Suite 103
St. Louis, MO 63141
hello@truepathfunctionalmedicine.com
(314) 432-2428 ext. 108