NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

SOUTH TEXAS ADVANCED IMAGING LLC

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: November 1, 2026

OUR PLEDGE REGARDING YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)

South Texas Advanced Imaging LLC ("we", "our", or "us") is dedicated to maintaining the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). In accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and applicable state and federal laws, we create a record of the imaging services, scans, and clinical care you receive. This Notice applies to all records of your care generated or maintained by South Texas Advanced Imaging LLC.

We are required by law to:

·        Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.

·        Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your medical information.

·        Notify you promptly following a breach of your unsecured protected health information.

·        Abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION

We may use and disclose your PHI for the following core purposes without your written authorization:

1. For Treatment:

We may use your health information and share it with healthcare professionals who are treating you. For example, our imaging technologists share your MRI, CT, X-ray, or ultrasound scans and preliminary reports with radiologists, referring physicians, and other care providers involved in your treatment and clinical care decisions.

2. For Payment:

We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and obtain payment from health plans, health insurance providers, Medicare/Medicaid, or other entities. For example, we share your diagnosis codes, date of service, and imaging procedure details with your health insurance company so they will pay for your scan.

3. For Healthcare Operations:

We may use and disclose your PHI to run our practice, improve quality of care, evaluate staff performance, conduct medical reviews, and manage business operations. For example, we use imaging records to audit the quality of our diagnostic equipment and clinical protocols.

OTHER PERMITTED USES AND DISCLOSURES WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION

We are permitted or required by law to share your information in other situations that contribute to the public good or safety, subject to strict legal conditions:

·        Public Health and Safety: To prevent or control disease, report adverse events or medical device problems, or prevent a serious, imminent threat to public health or safety.

·        Health Oversight Activities: To health oversight agencies (such as state health departments or CMS) for audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure.

·        Lawsuits and Disputes: In response to a valid court order, administrative order, or a lawful subpoena accompanied by appropriate legal assurances or a protective order.

·        Law Enforcement & Specialized Government Functions: As required by law or in limited circumstances to law enforcement officials, coroners, or medical examiners.

·        Workers' Compensation: As authorized by state workers' compensation laws for work-related injuries.

·        Business Associates: We may disclose your PHI to third-party vendors ("Business Associates") who perform administrative, technical, or billing services on our behalf under contracts requiring strict HIPAA privacy and security safeguards.

USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION

Any uses or disclosures of your PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. Specifically:

·        Psychotherapy Notes: We do not disclose psychotherapy notes without your written consent (except where permitted by law).

·        Marketing: We will never use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes without your prior written authorization.

·        Sale of PHI: We will never sell your protected health information.

You have the right to revoke your written authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on it.

YOUR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI

You have the following rights regarding the health information we maintain about you:

1. Right to Inspect and Obtain Copies:

You have the right to inspect and obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical records and imaging files (DICOM / radiological reports) contained in our designated record set. Requests must be submitted in writing. We will provide copies within 30 days and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for reproduction and media costs.

2. Right to Request an Amendment:

If you believe your medical or imaging records are incorrect or incomplete, you may request that we amend the information. Your request must be made in writing and provide a reason. We may deny your request under certain circumstances permitted by HIPAA (such as if we did not create the record or if the record is already accurate), and we will provide a written explanation.

3. Right to Request Restrictions:

You have the right to request a restriction on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. While we are generally not required to agree to requested restrictions, we must agree if you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full and request that we not submit the claim or disclosure to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations.

4. Right to Request Confidential Communications:

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a specific way or at an alternative location (for example, by cell phone only, via encrypted patient portal, or to a specific mailing address). We will accommodate all reasonable requests.

5. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures:

You have the right to request an "accounting of disclosures," which lists certain disclosures of your PHI made outside of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations during the six years prior to your request. The first list in a 12-month period is free; subsequent requests may incur a reasonable cost-based fee.

6. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice:

You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. To request a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices, email Helpdesk@southtexasadvancedimaging.com.

7. Right to Breach Notification:

You have the right to receive prompt written notification if a breach occurs that compromises 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 changes will apply to all PHI we maintain, including records created prior to the update. When we make a material change, the revised Notice will be available upon request by emailing Helpdesk@southtexasadvancedimaging.com.

COMPLAINTS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

To request a copy of this Notice, email: Helpdesk@southtexasadvancedimaging.com

To file a complaint with us or for questions about this Notice, contact:

Privacy Officer:

Joshua Gomez, Privacy Official

South Texas Advanced Imaging LLC

Email: joshua@southtexasadvancedimaging.com

To file a complaint with HHS:

Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Room 509F, HHH Building

Washington, D.C. 20201

Website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.htm