Cockerell Dermatopathology | Protected Health Information Policy

This Notice explains how we may use and disclose your health information, your rights regarding that information, and the steps we take to protect it. Please take a few minutes to read through it.

Our Legal Duty

Cockerell Dermatopathology is required by law to keep your health information private, to give you this Notice describing how we handle that information, and to follow the terms currently in effect. We may revise this Notice from time to time; when we do, the updated version will apply to health information we already hold and anything created afterward, and the current Notice will always be available at our office and posted at www.dermpath.com.

How We May Use and Share Your Health Information

Below are the main circumstances under which your protected health information (PHI) may be used or shared, along with an illustration of each.

Providing your care

We share diagnostic and clinical information among the pathologists, physicians, and other providers involved in evaluating your case, so that everyone treating you has an accurate picture.

Illustration: A dermatopathologist reviewing your biopsy consults with your referring physician about prior findings relevant to the diagnosis.

Running our practice

Internally, we use case information for quality review, staff training, and day-to-day operations needed to deliver accurate and timely results.

Illustration: A case file is reviewed as part of routine quality assurance before the final report is issued.

Billing and payment

We share the information necessary to bill your insurer or other responsible party and to collect payment for services rendered.

Illustration: Diagnostic codes from your report are submitted to your health plan so the claim can be processed.

Public health and safety

Where the law requires it, we report information to public health authorities—for example, to track disease patterns, respond to product safety concerns, or flag suspected abuse or neglect. We disclose the abuse/neglect category only with your agreement or as the law otherwise requires.

Legal, regulatory, and oversight matters

We may disclose information in response to subpoenas, court orders, workers' compensation proceedings, law enforcement requests, or reviews by agencies that oversee healthcare compliance, and to the Department of Health and Human Services when it is auditing our compliance with federal privacy law.

Death-related matters and research

Information may be shared with a medical examiner, coroner, or funeral director in connection with a patient's death, with organizations that coordinate organ or tissue donation, and, under the safeguards required by law, for approved health research.

Outside of the situations above, we will not use or share your PHI without your written authorization, and you can revoke any authorization in writing at any time going forward.

Situations Where You Direct What Happens

For certain limited purposes, we will follow your stated preference rather than making the call ourselves:

Sharing details with a family member, friend, or caregiver involved in your treatment
Sharing information for disaster-relief coordination
Listing you in a facility directory, where applicable

If you're unable to tell us your preference — for instance, you're incapacitated — we may use judgment to share what's necessary for your care or to prevent a serious safety threat. One category is never shared without your written go-ahead, no matter the circumstance: use of your information for marketing.

Your Rights Regarding Your Information

The list below summarizes the rights HIPAA gives you and how we support each one.

Access your records

You may request a paper or electronic copy of your medical and billing records.
We will respond within 30 days and may apply a reasonable, cost-based fee of $25.00.

Request a correction

If you believe something in your record is wrong or incomplete, you can ask us to amend it in writing, along with your reasoning.
We generally must respond within 30 days; if we decline, we will explain why in writing. We may decline where the record wasn't created by us, isn't part of what we maintain, wouldn't otherwise be available for you to inspect, or is already accurate and complete.

Request how we contact you

You can ask us to use a particular phone number, address, or method to reach you, and we will accommodate all reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit certain sharing

You may ask us not to share particular information for treatment, payment, or operational purposes; we're not obligated to agree if it would interfere with your care.
One exception is mandatory on our end: if you pay out of pocket in full for a service, we must honor your request not to report that service to your health insurer, unless another law requires the disclosure.

Get a record of disclosures

You can request a list of certain disclosures we've made over the prior six years (not before April 13, 2003), including who received the information and why.
Routine disclosures for treatment, payment, and operations, along with a few other categories, are not included in this list. The first request in a 12-month period is free; we may charge a reasonable fee for additional requests within that period.

Name someone to act on your behalf

A healthcare proxy or legal guardian may exercise these rights for you once we've confirmed their authority.

Get a paper copy of this Notice

Even if you've received this Notice electronically, you can request a printed copy at any time.

File a complaint

You may raise concerns directly with our Privacy Officer at (214) 530-5200.
You may also file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights — 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201; 1-877-696-6775; www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints.

Submitting a Request

To exercise any of the rights above — records access, corrections, confidential communications, restrictions, an accounting of disclosures, an extra copy of this Notice, or naming a personal representative — please contact our office and complete the applicable request form; our staff can provide it and walk you through the process.

Practical Details

Copies of records and disclosure accountings are delivered by secure, encrypted email as a PDF attachment.
Standard copying fee: $25.00
This Notice is effective as of September 1, 2026.
Cockerell Dermatopathology does not sell your PHI and does not use it for fundraising or marketing without your written permission.
If our privacy practices change materially, the updated Notice will be posted at our office and made available to you on request.

Questions or Concerns

For questions about this Notice or how your information is handled, contact the Cockerell Dermatopathology Privacy Officer at (214) 530-5200. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can raise it with our Privacy Officer or write directly to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Filing a complaint will never affect your care or result in retaliation.