Notice of Privacy Practices
Thomas Scary, MD Effective Date: March 30, 2026
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.
I. Our Commitment to Your Privacy
As a psychiatric practice, we understand that the history and details of your mental health and substance use treatment are deeply personal. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI) and to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.
II. How We May Use and Disclose Your Information
We may use or disclose your PHI for the following purposes without your written authorization:
Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your health care. For example, we may consult with another healthcare provider or specialist regarding your care.
Payment: To obtain reimbursement for services, such as confirming coverage with your insurance carrier or processing "out-of-network" claims.
Healthcare Operations: For activities that run the practice, such as quality assessment, legal audits, or administrative planning.
As Required by Law: We will disclose PHI when required by federal, state, or local law (e.g., reporting elder/child abuse or responding to a court order).
III. Special Protections: Psychotherapy Notes & SUD Records
Our practice provides specialized care that involves heightened privacy protections:
Psychotherapy Notes: Notes recorded by Dr. Scary documenting or analyzing the contents of a conversation during a private or group counseling session are kept separate from the rest of your medical record. We will not use or disclose these notes without your specific written authorization, except as required by law (e.g., to prevent serious and imminent threat to health or safety).
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Records: In accordance with 42 CFR Part 2 (Updated 2026), records related to the identity, diagnosis, or treatment of substance use disorders are subject to extra protections. We will not disclose these records to law enforcement or in civil/criminal proceedings without your express written consent or a specific, specialized court order.
AI Note-Writing assistants: Dr. Scary does NOT utilize any service that listens in on appointments or transcribes notes for him. No recording would ever take place during an appointment without your explicit consent.
IV. Your Rights Regarding Your PHI
Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to look at or get copies of your medical records. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.
Right to Amend: If you feel that information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend it.
Right to Request Restrictions: You may request that we limit how we use or disclose your PHI. We are not required to agree to every restriction, except for requests to withhold information from a health plan if you have paid for the service in full out-of-pocket.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of certain instances in which we disclosed your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or operations.
Right to a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time.
V. Breach Notification
In the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI, we are required by law to notify you promptly. This notification will include what happened, the types of information involved, and the steps we are taking to mitigate the situation.
VI. Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this notice. The new notice will apply to all PHI we already have, as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post the current notice on our website at thomasscarymd.com.
VII. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Contact Information
For questions regarding this notice or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact:
Thomas Scary, MD
Address: 748 N Bethlehem Pike, Suite 301, Ambler, PA 19002
Phone: 267-225-3787
Fax: 215-933-6120