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HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices of Licensed Psychologist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst

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HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices by Dr. Vanderhorst based in Chevy Chase, MD

Effective Date: June 27, 2025

Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst is committed to protecting the confidentiality of your health information
in compliance with federal law.
This HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully to understand your rights and our responsibilities.

1. Purpose of This HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

This HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices explains how your protected health information (PHI) may be used and shared when you receive therapy services. It also outlines your rights regarding this information and how you can exercise them. As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Vanderhorst follows all regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to ensure your data is handled with care and integrity.

2. How Your Health Information May Be Used

Your health information may be used for the following reasons:

  • Treatment: To plan and coordinate your care. This includes communication with other healthcare professionals only with your consent.
  • Payment: For you to proccess payment if applicable.
  • Healthcare operations: To maintain and improve the quality of services provided.

Your PHI will never be sold or shared for marketing purposes without your explicit, written consent.

3. Your Rights Under HIPAA

As a client, you have several important rights under HIPAA:

  • Right to Access: You may request copies of your clinical records.
  • Right to Amend: You can request corrections to your health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • Right to Restrict Disclosures: You may request limitations on how your information is used or shared.
  • Right to Confidential Communications: You can request communications through specific channels, such as secure email or phone.
  • Right to a Paper Copy: You have the right to receive a printed copy of this HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

Requests can be submitted in writing to gkvanderhorst@gmail.com or via secure fax at (202) 204-5659.

4. Safeguarding Your Protected Health Information

All client information is stored on secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms. Dr. Vanderhorst uses encrypted systems for documentation, scheduling, and session notes. Email is used strictly for administrative purposes and should not be used to send sensitive or clinical information.

In addition, client forms should be submitted via secure fax, not email, to maintain confidentiality.

5. Limits to Confidentiality

In accordance with HIPAA and professional ethics, information may be disclosed without your authorization in certain situations, such as:

  • If there is suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or vulnerable adult
  • If you present a serious threat to yourself or others
  • If required by court order or legal proceedings

These exceptions are rare and exist to protect your safety and the safety of others.

6. Complaints and Concerns

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:

There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint.

7. Third-Party Services and Your Data

If you use third-party scheduling tools such as Zocdoc or other external links on this website, please note that those services have separate privacy policies and data practices. You are encouraged to review their privacy standards independently. While Dr. Vanderhorst takes all necessary steps to protect your PHI, she is not responsible for the practices of external platforms.

8. Updates to This HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

This HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices may be updated periodically to comply with legal, technological, or procedural changes. When updates occur, the revised date will appear at the top of this page.

To ensure you are familiar with all applicable privacy protections, please also review the full Privacy Policy, which outlines how non-clinical data is handled and safeguarded on this website and our Terms and Conditions.