BERNENS CONVALESCENT PHARMACY, INC

BERNENS CONVALESCENT PHARMACY, INC.�S NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES As Required by the Privacy Regulations Promulgated Pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO YOUR

IDENTIFIABLE� HEALTH INFORMATION.

PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.

A. Our Commitment To Your Privacy

Bernens is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your identifiable health information. In conducting our business, we will create records regarding you and the treatment and services we provide to you.� We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies you.� We are also required to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices concerning your identifiable health information. By law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices that we have in effect at the time.

To summarize, this notice provides you with the following important information:

1. How we may use and disclose your information

2. Your privacy rights in your identifiable health information

3. �Our obligations concerning the use and disclosure of your identifiable health information.

The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your identifiable health information that are created or retained by our practice. We reserve the right to revise or amend our notice of privacy practices. Any revision or amendment to this notice will be effective for all of our records our practice has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records we may create or maintain in the future. Our organization will post a copy of our current notice in our offices in a prominent location, and you may request a copy of our most current notice during any office visit.

B. If You Have Questions About This Notice, Please Contact:

Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services�� 513-471-7575 ext. 18

C. We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information In The Following Ways

The following categories describe the different ways in which we may use and disclose your identifiable health information.

1. Treatment. Bernens Convalescent Pharmacy may use your identifiable health information to treat you.� For example, we may ask you to have laboratory tests preformed and we may use the results to help us treat you. Many of the people who work for Bernens may use or disclose your identifiable health information in order to service you or to assist others in your treatment. Additionally, we may disclose your identifiable health information to others who may assist in your care, such as your physician, therapists, nurses, spouse, children or parents.

2. Payment. Bernens Convalescent Pharmacy may use or disclose your identifiable health information in order to bill and collect payment for the services and items you may receive from us. For example, we may contact your health insurer to certify that you are eligible for benefits and for what range of benefits, and we may provide your insurer with details regarding you treatment to determine if your insurer will cover, or pay for, your treatment or services. We also may use and disclose your identifiable health information to obtain payment from third parties that may be responsible for such costs, such as family members. Also, we may use your identifiable health information to bill you directly for services or items.

3. Health Care Operations. Bernens may use and disclose your identifiable health information to operate our business. As examples of the ways in which we may use and disclose this information for our operations, Bernens may use your health information to evaluate quality of care you received from us, or to conduct cost-management and business planning activities for our business.

4. Appointment Reminders. Bernens may use or disclose your identifiable health information to contact you and to remind you of visits/deliveries.

5. Health-Related Benefits or Services. Bernens may use or disclose your identifiable health information to inform you of health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.

6. Release of Information to Family/Friends. Bernens may use or disclose your identifiable health information to a friend or family member that is helping you pay for your health care, or who assists in taking care of you.

7. Disclosures Required by Law. Bernens will use or disclose your identifiable health information when we are required to do so by federal, state or local law.

D. Use and Disclosure of Your Identifiable Health Information in Certain Special Circumstances

The following categories describe unique scenarios in which we may use or disclose your identifiable health information:

1. Public Health Risks. Bernens Convalescent Pharmacy may disclose your identifiable health information to public health authorities that are authorized by law to collect information for the purpose of:

� Maintaining vital records, such as births and deaths

� Reporting child abuse or neglect

� Preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability

� Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease

� Notifying a person regarding a potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition

� Reporting reactions to drugs of problems with products or devices

� Notifying individuals if a product or device they may be using has been recalled

� Notifying appropriate government agency(ies) and authority(ies) regarding the potential abuse of neglect of an adult patient (including domestic violence); however we will only disclose information if the patient agrees or we are required or authorized by law to disclose this information

� Notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance.

2. Health Oversight Activities. Bernens may disclose your identifiable health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. Oversight activities can include, for example, investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure, and disciplinary actions; civil, administrative, and criminal procedures or actions; or other activities necessary for the government to monitor government programs, compliance with civil rights laws and the health care system in general

3. Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings. Bernens may disclose your identifiable health information in response to a court or administrative order, if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceedings. We also may disclose your identifiable health information in response to a discovery request, subpoena or other lawful process by another party involved in the dispute, but only if we have made an effort to inform you of the request or to obtain an order protecting the information the party has requested.

4. Law Enforcement. We may release identifiable health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:

� Regarding a crime victim in certain situations, if we are unable to obtain the person�s agreement

� Concerning a death we believe might have resulted from criminal conduct

� Regarding criminal conduct at our facility

� In response to a warrant, summons, court order, subpoena or similar legal process

� To identify/locate a suspect, material witness, fugitive or missing person

� In an emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victim(s) of the crime, or the description, identity or location of the perpetrator)

5. Serious Threats to Health or Safety. Bernens may use or disclose identifiable health information when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. Under these circumstances, we will only make disclosures to a person or organization able to help prevent the threat.

6. Military. Bernens may disclose your identifiable health information if you are a member of U.S. or foreign military forces (including veterans) and if required by the appropriate military command authorities.

7. National Security. Bernens may disclose your identifiable health information to federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized by law. We also may disclose your identifiable health information to federal officials in order to protect the President, other officials or foreign heads of state or to conduct investigations.

8. Inmates. Bernens may disclose your identifiable health information to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under custody of a law enforcement official.� Disclosure for these purposes would be necessary: (a) for the institution to provide health care services to you, (b) for the safety and security of the institution and/or (c) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of other individuals.

9. Workers� Compensation. Bernens may release your identifiable health information for workers� compensation and similar programs.

E. Your Rights Regarding Your Identifiable Health Information

You have the following rights regarding the identifiable health information that we maintain about you:

1. Confidential Communications. �You have the right to request that Bernens communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular manner or at a certain location. For instance, you may ask that we contact you at home, rather than work. In order to request a type of confidential communication you must make a written request to Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext 18 specifying the requested method of contact or the location where you wish to be contacted. Bernens will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not need to give a reason for your request.

2. Requesting Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of� your identifiable health information for treatment, payment or health care operations.� Additionally, you have the right to request that we limit our disclosure of your identifiable health information to individuals involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as family members or friends. We are not required to agree to your request; however if we do agree, we are bound by our agreement except when otherwise required by law, in emergencies, or when the information is necessary to treat you. In order to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your identifiable health information, you must make your request in writing to Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext 18. Your request must describe in a clear and concise fashion: (a) the information you wish restricted; (b) whether you are requesting to limit our business� use, disclosure or both; and (c) to whom you want the limits applied.

3. Inspection and Copies. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the identifiable health information that may be used to make decisions about you, including patient medical records and billing records, but not including psychotherapy notes if applicable. You must submit you request in writing to Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director� of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext. 18 in order to inspect and/or obtain a copy of your identifiable health information. Bernens may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor and supplies associated with your request. Our practice may deny your request to inspect and/or copy in certain limited circumstances; however, you may request a review of our denial. Another licensed health care professional chosen by us will conduct reviews.

4. Amendment. You may ask us to amend your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for Bernens. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext 18. You must provide us with a reason that supports your request for amendment. Bernens will deny your request if you fail to submit your request (and the reason supporting your request) in writing. Also, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that is: (a) accurate and complete: (b) not part of the identifiable health information kept by or for Bernens; (c) not part of the identifiable health information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or (d) not created by Bernens, unless the individual or entity that created the information is not available to amend the information.

5. Accounting of Disclosures. All of our patients have the right to request an �accounting of disclosures.� An �accounting of disclosures� is a list of certain disclosures Bernens has made of your identifiable health information.� In order to obtain an accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext 18. All requests for an �accounting of disclosures� must state a time period, which may not be longer than six years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. The first list you request within a 12-month period is free of charge, but Bernens may charge you for additional lists within the same 12-month period. Bernens will notify you of the costs involved with additional requests, and you may withdraw your request before you incur any costs.

6. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You are entitled to receive a paper copy of our notice of privacy practices. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. To obtain a paper copy of this notice contact: Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext.18

7. Right to File a Complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Bernens or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with Bernens, contact Ann Marie Engelhardt, RN, Director of Healthcare Services, 513-471-7575 ext. 18.� All complaints should be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

8. Right to Provide an Authorization for Other Uses and Disclosures. Bernens will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures that are not identified by our notice or permitted by applicable law. Any authorization you provide to us regarding the use and disclosure of your identifiable health information may be revoked at any time in writing.� After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your identifiable health information for the reasons described in the authorization. Please note, we are required to retain records of your care.