Privacy Practices We respect each individual?s health information as private and personal to that individual. Common courtesy, professionalism, and now federal law mandate that we treat your data with respect, and that we follow your wishes as to whom and how this information is used. As we have always believed, it is your right to decide! ~ Dr. Eva K. Strube and Staff

1. We keep your files in the office. Staff will not discuss you outside these walls. 2. The minimum information necessary to create your lens, contact, or therapy treatments is revealed to outside vendors. 3. In order to be paid by your insurance, your information will be transmitted to them. 4. Medical information is discussed with the specialist when referring you for surgical care. 5. Your recall card may recommend specific procedures for your next eye exam, but reveals no personal data. 6. If the government or a health care agency wants data from your chart, we are bound by law to give it to them 7. You own the data in the file (when you are paid in full) and may access that information.

Implementation of Privacy Practices

I. Confidentiality agreements with staff. Each person on staff has signed a confidentiality agreement stating that they will respect the policy of keeping your data private. Violations are grounds for dismissal. II. We have a staff Privacy Officer who at present is Jan Stuer. Her job description includes: a. Learning as much as possible about the law. b. Sharing her knowledge with the staff. c. Answering patients? questions to the best of her knowledge. d. Keeping restrictions, logs, and correspondence regarding of all the non-routine release of information, access, amendments, and violations of privacy. III. We have verbal agreements with all of our vendors of frames, contacts and spectacle lenses that they will abide by the HIPPA laws to the best of their ability. This includes destruction of identifying information after its use, or if you are deceased. We will terminate our relationship with any of our Business Associates who violate confidentiality. IV. You sign the form at the onset of the exam indicating that you are willing for Dr. Strube or the staff to use your data to bill insurance companies, create corrective lenses, design vision therapy, advocate contact lenses, or refer you to a specialist for more treatment. If you change your mind, you can invalidate that agreement at any time. V. If there is a part of your data to be kept confidential, we will do our best to follow your wishes regarding the use of that information. VI. You may access or copy your chart or ledger card at any time. You may request amendments to your chart or to your ledger card. VII. If you believe we have violated confidentiality with you in any way, we will do the best we can to mitigate any harm caused and will record such violations, and take appropriate action.