Notice of Privacy Practices
Sanger Family Medical Clinic
Effective Date: July 2026
Sanger Family Medical Clinic (“SFMC,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your protected health information (“PHI”). This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your health information, your rights regarding that information, and our legal duties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
Please review this notice carefully.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
SFMC may use or disclose your protected health information for purposes related to your care, payment, and healthcare operations.
1. Treatment
We may use and share your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your medical care. Examples include:
• Reviewing lab or imaging results
• Communicating with specialists or other providers
• Requesting prior medical records
• Sending prescriptions to pharmacies
• Coordinating referrals
2. Payment
We may use or disclose your information to bill and collect payment for healthcare services. Examples include:
• Billing insurance companies
• Verifying eligibility and benefits
• Obtaining prior authorizations
• Collecting copays, deductibles, or balances
3. Healthcare Operations
We may use your information to operate and improve our clinic. Examples include:
• Quality improvement
• Staff training
• Business management
• Compliance and auditing
• Credentialing and licensing
ADDITIONAL SITUATIONS WHERE WE MAY SHARE INFORMATION
We may disclose your health information when permitted or required by law, including:
• Public health reporting
• Reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• Law enforcement requests
• Court orders or subpoenas
• Workers’ compensation claims
• Medical emergencies
• Preventing serious threats to health or safety
• Government audits or investigations
We may also share information with business associates (such as billing companies, laboratories, or electronic medical record vendors) who help us operate our practice and are required to protect your information.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR OFFICE
SFMC may contact you regarding:
• Appointment reminders
• Follow-up care
• Lab or imaging results
• Billing matters
• Prescription-related communications
We may contact you by:
• Phone
• Voicemail
• Text message
• Patient portal
• Email (when appropriate)
Please notify us if you prefer certain communication methods or if your contact information changes.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
You have the following rights regarding your medical records:
Right to Access
You may request to inspect or obtain copies of your medical records, subject to limited exceptions.
Right to Request Corrections
If you believe information in your medical record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request a correction.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may request limits on how we use or disclose your health information. While we will consider all requests, we are not always required to agree.
Right to Confidential Communications
You may request that we contact you in a specific way or at a specific location.
Examples:
• Only call your cell phone
• Do not leave voicemail
• Send mail to a different address
Right to Receive an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made outside treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Right to a Paper Copy
You may request a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time, even if you previously received it electronically.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
SFMC is required by law to:
• Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information
• Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices
• Follow the terms of the current notice
• Notify you if a breach occurs that may compromise your information
We reserve the right to update this notice at any time. Updated versions will be posted in our office and on our website.
QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS
If you have questions about this notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact us:
Sanger Family Medical Clinic
1000 Sable Ave
Sanger, TX 76266
Phone: 940-302-0006
Fax: 940-302-0027
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Filing a complaint will not affect your care or result in retaliation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
By receiving care at Sanger Family Medical Clinic, you acknowledge that you have been offered access to this Notice of Privacy Practices.