Introduction
This Notice of Privacy Practices is being provided to you on behalf of ACRM with respect to the reproductive medical services provided at ACRM’s locations (collectively referred to herein as “We” or “Our”). We understand that your medical information is private and confidential. This Notice of Privacy Practices applies jointly to Alabama Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM), its physicians, laboratory services, and workforce members participating in an organized health care arrangement (OHCA), and describes how medical and laboratory information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access that information. Further, we are required by law to maintain the privacy of “protected health information”. Protected health information includes any individually identifiable information that we obtain from you or others that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health, the health care you have received, or payment for your health care.
Your Rights
Although your health record is the physical property of ACRM, you have the right to:
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information as provided by applicable law
- Obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices upon request
- Inspect and copy your health record as provided by applicable law
- Request an electronic copy of your electronic health record
- Request to amend your health record as provided by applicable law
- Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information as provided by applicable law
- Request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations
- Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information to your health insurer for services for which you pay “out of pocket” in full
- Transmit copies of your health information to third parties when requested by you, in writing
Our Responsibilities
We are required to:
- Maintain the privacy of your health information
- Provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you
- Abide by the terms of this notice
- Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction
- Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations
- Where required by law, notify you in the event that there has been a breach of your unsecured health information
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain, as permitted by law. Should our information practices change, we will post the revised Notice of Privacy Practices on our website at, www.alabamareproductive.com, as well as our offices and provide you with a hard copy upon request.
We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice. We will not sell your health information (unless permitted by law) or use or disclose such information for paid marketing (for which we receive payment from a third party) without your authorization. If we obtain your authorization, you may revoke it at any time, and this revocation will take effect except where we have already relied upon your authorization.
Permitted Uses and Disclosures
We will disclose and use your health information for treatment.
For example: information obtained by a nurse, physician or other member of your healthcare team will be recorded in your record and used to determine the course of treatment that should work best for you. Your physician will document in your record his expectations of the members of your healthcare team. Members of your healthcare team will then record that actions they took and their observations. In that way the physician will know how you are responding to treatment.
We will also provide your physician or a subsequent healthcare provider with copies of various reports that should assist him/her in treating you once you’re discharged from this practice.
We will use your health information for payment.
For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer, such as an insurance company or health plan, for the purposes of receiving payment for treatment and services that you receive. The information on the bill may contain information that identifies you, your diagnosis, and treatment or supplies used during treatment.
We will use and disclose your health information for our health care operations.
For example: Members of the clinical staff, the risk or quality improvement manager, or members of the quality improvement team may use information in your health record to assess the care and outcomes in your case and others like it. This information will then be used in an effort to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the healthcare and the reproductive medicine service we provide.
We will collect health information on you and your spouse/significant other.
For example: Although health information in your medical record belongs to you, it may contain information pertaining to your spouse or significant other because infertility treatment often involves evaluation and care of a couple rather than an individual. We may share relevant health information with either partner as reasonably necessary for treatment, unless you indicate in writing otherwise. In cases where a member of a couple refuses to disclose relevant health information to the other partner and there exists a risk of harm to the unaware partner and/or offspring, ACRM may refuse to offer care or treatment if full informed consent is not possible because of the lack of disclosure.
Fertility, Genetic, and Reproductive Information
In the context of fertility evaluation and treatment, protected health information may include medical, laboratory, genetic, and reproductive information related to oocytes, sperm, embryos, reproductive tissue, and associated testing, storage, handling, and procedures. Such information is used and disclosed only as permitted or required by law and consistent with this Notice of Privacy Practices.
Other Uses or Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Notification: We may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, your location, and general condition.
- Communication with Spouse/Family: Health professionals, using their best judgement, may disclose to your spouse, family member, or any other person you identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment related to your care. We will not make these disclosures if you object.
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA health information relative to adverse events with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects or post marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs or replacement.
- Public Health: As required by law, your health information may be used or disclosed for public health activities such as assisting public health authorities or other legal authorities to prevent or control disease, injury, disability or for other health oversight activities.
- Electronic Prescribing: We may use and disclose your health information to Surescripts, an electronic prescribing network, for the purposes of continued treatment.
- Law Enforcement: We may disclose health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law, or in response to a valid subpoena. Federal law makes provision for your health information to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a workforce member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public.
Note: Note: HIV-related information, genetic information, mental health records, and other specially protected health information may be subject to additional confidentiality protections under applicable stateand federal law. Any disclosures of these types of records will be subject to these special protections. For More Information or to Report a Problem/Complaint If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you should contact ACRM’s Privacy Officer. We will not act against you for filing a complaint. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. If you have any questions or would like further information about this notice, please contact us. This notice is also available on our website at, www.alabamareproductive.com. This notice is effective as of February 2, 2026.