NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES (NPP)
Synergy Natural Medicine Clinic
(a sole proprietorship owned and operated by Dr. Jennifer Wicher ND)
Effective Date: 11/28/2025
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.
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OUR LEGAL DUTIES​
Synergy Natural Medicine Clinic is required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information (“PHI”), to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices, and to follow the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for all PHI we maintain. Any revised Notice will be available on our website and in printed form upon request.
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WHO THIS NOTICE APPLIES TO
This Notice applies to Synergy Natural Medicine Clinic, Dr. Jennifer Wicher, and all staff and personnel who provide services on behalf of the clinic and may have access to your health information.
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HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
1. For Treatment
We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and related services. This includes sharing information with laboratories, pharmacies, and other health care providers involved in your care.
2. For Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI for payment-related activities, including billing, invoicing, maintaining financial records, and responding to payment inquiries. Although we are a cash-pay practice and do not submit insurance claims, we may prepare insurance-related documentation (such as claim forms or superbills) at your request.
Self-Pay Restriction Right: If you pay for services in full out of pocket, you may request that we not disclose information about those services to your health plan, including preparing or providing insurance claim documentation. We will honor such requests as required by law.
3. For Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI for clinic operations, including quality assurance, chart review, staff training, business management, administrative activities, compliance, and legal review.
4. Appointment Reminders & Care Communications
We may contact you to remind you of appointments or to notify you that test results are available. Communication may occur by phone, voicemail, or email. Voicemails are limited to appointment reminders or notifications that results are available and will not include clinical details.
5. Business Associates
We may share PHI with third parties (“Business Associates”) who perform services on our behalf, such as email or fax service providers. Business Associates are required by law to protect your information.
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CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE DISCLOSURE MAY BE REQUIRED OR PERMITTED BY LAW
We may disclose your PHI when required or permitted by law, including for:
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Public health reporting
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Reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
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Health oversight activities
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Law enforcement requests
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Court orders or subpoenas
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Organ donation or transplant
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Workers’ compensation
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To prevent or reduce a serious threat to health or safety
This may include disclosures made in response to lawful requests from government agencies, health plans, or courts. Only the minimum necessary information will be disclosed unless otherwise required by law.
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MARKETING & PRACTICE COMMUNICATIONS
We may send appointment reminders, educational newsletters, or information about products or supplements offered by the clinic. You may opt out of marketing or promotional communications at any time by contacting us by phone or email.
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ELECTRONIC HEALTH INFORMATION
We maintain medical information in both paper and electronic formats. Electronic information may be used during visits to review laboratory results or other records with you and may be used in telehealth services. We implement reasonable safeguards in accordance with applicable law to protect electronic information.
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TELEHEALTH SERVICES
Telehealth services are provided only to existing patients and currently occur by telephone, with video-based visits potentially offered in the future. Telehealth services may be provided to patients temporarily located outside California when permitted by law.
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YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
You have the right to:
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Inspect and obtain copies of your medical records, subject to limited legal exceptions.
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Request corrections or amendments to your medical records.
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Request confidential communications, including asking us to contact you in a specific way or at a specific location. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests.
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Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your PHI. We are not required to agree to most restrictions except as required by law for certain self-pay services.
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Receive an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI.
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Receive a paper copy of this Notice, even if you have received it electronically.
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File a complaint without retaliation if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information below.
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BREACH NOTIFICATION
If there is a breach of unsecured protected health information affecting you, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law. Notification may be provided by mail or by email, as permitted by law.
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RECORD RETENTION
Medical records are retained for the period required by state and federal law and are securely destroyed when no longer required.
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CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time. The current version will always be available on our website or in printed form upon request.
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PRIVACY OFFICER & CONTACT INFORMATION
Privacy Officer:
Dr. Jennifer Wicher, Owner and Operator
Synergy Natural Medicine Clinic
698 West Foothill Blvd
Monrovia, CA 91016
Phone: 626-303-3300
Email: drwicher@synergynaturalmedicine.com
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COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.