Overview of Your Rights as a Patient

Priority Emergency Center is a freestanding emergency department. Our services include the diagnosis, care, and stabilization of emergent medical conditions. Our facility is open 24 hours a day and is fully staffed and equipped with diagnostic and treatment equipment and medications necessary to handle emergency care. Since we are a fully functioning emergency department, our fees and charges are in line with accepted emergency department charges for the local area.

Fees for services provided are market-based and equal to or less than those of community emergency departments in the Austin, TX area. Fees are assessed based on emergency room treatment — not urgent care or medical clinic treatment.

Our payment policy reflects Texas obligations to treat and stabilize all emergent conditions regardless of a patient's ability to pay. We also provide additional discounts based on financial hardship and prompt payment, as is common in the industry.

For billing questions or to discuss payment options, please contact us at (737) 423-2311 or info@pec247.com.

State and federal laws give you the right to request, review, and obtain a copy of your health records from Priority Emergency Center. In certain limited cases — such as where a physician determines the information may endanger you — access to specific information may be restricted.

A provider may charge for the reasonable costs of copying and mailing your records if you request physical copies, but may not charge a retrieval fee.

Under Texas law, if Priority Emergency Center is using an electronic health records system capable of fulfilling your request, records must be provided no later than the 15th business day after receiving your written request. Records will be provided in electronic form unless you agree to receive them in another format.

If you believe that information in your medical records is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that Priority Emergency Center correct or amend the record. We must respond to your request in writing.

If we do not agree to make your requested corrections, we will notify you in writing and explain why your request was denied. You have the right to submit a written statement of disagreement that we must add to your record.

Priority Emergency Center must provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices that informs you of:

• The uses and disclosures of your Protected Health Information (PHI) we are permitted to make
• Other disclosures which require your written authorization
• Your right to receive notification in the event of a breach of unsecured PHI

This notice will generally be provided on your first visit to our facility. You may also request a copy at any time.

In general, your health information cannot be used or shared for other purposes — including sales calls or advertising — unless you first give written permission. That authorization form must identify who will receive your information and for what purpose.

Under certain circumstances, PHI may be disclosed without your authorization, including disclosures to health oversight agencies, in response to a public safety threat, in situations involving abuse or neglect, or when required by law such as a subpoena or court order. If you are incapacitated or in an emergency, providers may use or disclose your PHI without authorization if it is in your best medical interest.

Your health information cannot be used or shared for marketing communications without your written authorization. Limited exceptions apply, such as face-to-face communications between our facility and you directly.

If your PHI is used to send a written marketing communication by mail, that mailing must include the name and toll-free number of the entity that sent the communication, along with a clear explanation of your right to have your name removed from the mailing list. The envelope must show only the name and address of the sender and recipient.

As a patient at Priority Emergency Center, you have the responsibility to:

• Provide complete and accurate personal information, including your full legal name, address, telephone number, date of birth, social security number, insurance coverage, and employer when required — and to pay your bills in a timely manner
• Provide complete and accurate information about your health and medical history, including your present condition, past illnesses, changes in condition, prior hospital stays, medications, and vitamins
• Remain free of the influence of — or possession of — illegal drugs, alcohol, or weapons while on the premises of this facility
• Follow infection control procedures for yourself and your visitors, and take an active interest in learning about your health issues and treatment
• Comply with all physician requests and acknowledge that failure to comply with treatment plans, medications, diet and fluid restrictions, or other orders may result in declining health or, in serious cases, death
• Cooperate with the staff member assigned to provide your care. If you are uncomfortable with a specific staff member, please notify the facility manager

Patients and their families must be considerate of Priority Emergency Center staff and property, as well as the rights and privacy of other patients. Priority Emergency Center maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any threats, threatening behavior, or acts of violence by patients, family members, visitors, volunteers, or employees.

To file a complaint or suggestion at our facility, contact the facility director directly. All complaints are handled through our Patient Complaints Policy.

Complaints in Texas may also be directed to the following agencies:

Under the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, consumers have the right to file a complaint with the state agencies that regulate covered entities, as well as with the Texas Attorney General. For a list of those agencies and their complaint processes, visit texasattorneygeneral.gov.

To file a consumer complaint with the Office of the Texas Attorney General, visit texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/file-a-consumer-complaint.

If you believe your Protected Health Information has been used or disclosed in violation of HIPAA, you have the right to file a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights: