Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Last Updated: January 1, 2026
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. Your privacy is important to us.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
GastroCares, the practice of Dr. Amber Khan, MD, is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI) in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the HITECH Act, and all applicable federal and state laws. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI, provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect.
Information We Collect
In the course of providing you with medical care, we may collect the following types of information:
- Personal identification information (name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, phone number, email address)
- Medical history and clinical records
- Diagnostic test results and laboratory reports
- Insurance and billing information
- Prescription and medication history
- Information provided by other healthcare providers involved in your care
How We Use and Disclose Your Health Information
We may use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes without your written authorization:
Treatment
We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. This includes sharing information with other physicians, nurses, technicians, and staff members involved in your care, as well as with other healthcare facilities or providers to whom you may be referred.
Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the healthcare services we provide. This may involve sharing information with your health insurance plan, Medicare, Medicaid, or other third-party payers to obtain approval for treatment, verify coverage, and process claims.
Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI for our internal operations, including quality assessment and improvement activities, staff training, accreditation activities, compliance programs, audits, and business planning.
Other Permitted Uses and Disclosures
We may also use or disclose your PHI without your authorization in the following circumstances, as permitted or required by law:
- When required by federal, state, or local law
- For public health activities (disease reporting, FDA safety reporting)
- To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- For health oversight activities (audits, investigations, inspections)
- In response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process
- To law enforcement officials under certain limited circumstances
- To coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors
- For organ and tissue donation purposes
- For research purposes, subject to specific safeguards
- To avert a serious threat to health or safety
- For workers' compensation purposes
- To military and veterans' authorities, if applicable
Uses Requiring Your Written Authorization
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes not described above, including:
- Marketing communications
- Sale of your health information
- Most uses of psychotherapy notes (if applicable)
- Any other uses not described in this notice
You may revoke any authorization you provide to us at any time by submitting a written request to our office. Revocation will not affect any actions we took in reliance on the authorization before we received your revocation.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
Under HIPAA, you have the following rights with respect to your PHI:
- Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical records. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying, mailing, or other costs associated with your request.
- Right to Amend: You may request that we amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request under certain circumstances, but we will provide a written explanation.
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI.
- Right to Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI. We are not required to agree to all restriction requests, but we will consider each request carefully.
- Right to Request Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location (for example, contacting you only at your work address or phone number).
- Right to a Paper Copy: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice at any time by contacting our office.
- Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Website Privacy
When you visit our website, we may collect non-personal information such as browser type, operating system, and pages visited through the use of cookies and analytics tools. This information is used solely to improve our website and is not linked to your medical records. We do not collect personal health information through our website unless you voluntarily submit it through a contact form.
Data Security
We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your PHI from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These safeguards include encrypted electronic records, secure office facilities, staff training on privacy and security practices, and access controls that limit who can view your information.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this privacy notice at any time. Any changes will apply to information we already hold as well as information we receive in the future. The updated notice will be posted on our website and available at our office.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this privacy policy, wish to exercise any of your rights, or would like to file a complaint, please contact us:
GastroCares
Dr. Amber Khan, MD
200 Sheffield Street, Suite 213
Mountainside, NJ 07092
Phone: (908) 522-1313
Email: support@gastrocares.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints or calling 1-877-696-6775.