| Notice of Privacy Practice

Notice of Privacy Practices
Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

Effective Date: July 31, 2026

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This Notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, how you may access this information, and the responsibilities of Health Choices Now regarding your protected health information.

Please review this Notice carefully.

Who This Notice Applies To

This Notice applies to:

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John Parks Trowbridge, M.D.
Health Choices Now

The physicians, nurses, medical assistants, administrative personnel, contractors, volunteers, and other members of our workforce
Other healthcare professionals who are permitted to use our facilities and who have agreed to follow this Notice where applicable

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For purposes of this Notice, these individuals and organizations may be referred to as “Health Choices Now,” “the Practice,” “we,” “our,” or “us.”

What Is Protected Health Information?

Protected health information, or PHI, is information that identifies you and relates to:

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Your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition
Healthcare services provided to you
Payment for your healthcare services

PHI may include medical records, test results, diagnoses, treatment information, payment records, photographs, appointment information, and communications with our office.

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Your Rights

You have certain rights regarding your health information. This section explains those rights and how you may exercise them.

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Obtain an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Medical Record

You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information maintained by the Practice.

We will generally provide a copy or summary within the period required by law. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copying, supplies, labor, or postage when permitted.

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In limited circumstances, we may deny access to certain information. When applicable, we will explain the reason for the denial and whether you have the right to request a review.

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Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record

You may ask us to correct or amend health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.

We may deny your request in certain circumstances, such as when the information was not created by us or when we determine that the existing record is accurate and complete. When a request is denied, we will provide a written explanation within the time required by law.

You may submit a written statement of disagreement that may be included with your record.

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Request Confidential Communications

You may ask us to communicate with you in a particular way or at a particular location

For example, you may ask us to:

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• Call a specific telephone number

• Avoid leaving detailed voicemail messages

• Send correspondence to a different mailing address

• Communicate through a particular email address when appropriate

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We will accommodate reasonable requests. You are responsible for keeping your contact information and communication preferences current.

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Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share

You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

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We are not generally required to agree to every requested restriction. We may deny a request when the restriction could affect your care or our ability to operate the Practice.

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If we agree to a restriction, we will follow it except when the information is needed to provide emergency treatment or when disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

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Receive an Accounting of Certain Disclosures

• You may ask for a list of certain disclosures we made of your health information during the six years before the date of your request.

• The accounting will generally not include disclosures made:

• For treatment, payment, or healthcare operations

• Directly to you

• With your written authorization

• To family members or others involved in your care with your permission

• For certain national security, correctional, or law-enforcement purposes

• When an accounting is not otherwise required by law

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We will provide one accounting during a 12-month period without charge. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests within the same period after notifying you of the cost.

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Receive a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even when you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

The current Notice is also available on our website and at our office.

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Choose Someone to Act on Your Behalf

A person who has legal authority to act for you, such as a legal guardian, healthcare agent, medical power of attorney, or other authorized personal representative, may exercise your privacy rights.

Before taking action, we may request documentation confirming that person’s authority.

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File a Privacy Complaint

You may file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

You may submit a complaint to our Privacy Officer using the contact information at the end of this Notice.

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You may also file a complaint with:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201

Telephone: 1-877-696-6775

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Additional complaint information is available through the Office for Civil Rights section of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

Health Choices Now will not retaliate against you, deny you treatment, or otherwise penalize you for filing a complaint.

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Your Choices

For certain health information, you may tell us how you would like the information to be used or disclosed.

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Family Members and Others Involved in Your Care

You may tell us whether we may share relevant health information with:

• A spouse

• A family member

• A close friend

• A caregiver

• Another person involved in your healthcare

• A person responsible for paying for your care

 

We will generally follow your instructions.

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When you are unable to communicate your preference, such as during an emergency or when you are unconscious, we may share limited information when we determine that doing so is in your best interest and is permitted by law.

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Disaster-Relief Situations

We may disclose limited information to an organization assisting with disaster-relief efforts so that your family or others responsible for your care can be notified about your condition, location, or status.

You may tell us not to make this disclosure when circumstances permit.

 

Serious Threats to Health or Safety

We may use or disclose health information when reasonably necessary to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of another person.

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Any disclosure will be made only to a person who may reasonably help prevent or reduce the threat.

 

Marketing and Sale of Health Information

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your health information for marketing when authorization is required by law.

We will not sell your protected health information without your written authorization unless the disclosure is otherwise expressly permitted by law.

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Certain communications about your treatment, care coordination, medications, services offered by the Practice, or treatment alternatives may not be considered marketing under applicable law.

 

Psychotherapy Notes

We will obtain written authorization before using or disclosing psychotherapy notes when authorization is required by law.

 

Fundraising

Health Choices Now does not currently use patient health information for fundraising communications.

Should that practice change, you will be given an opportunity to opt out of future fundraising communications as required by law.

 

Written Authorizations

Uses or disclosures of your health information that are not described in this Notice will generally require your written authorization.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on the authorization.

 

How We May Use or Share Your Health Information

We may use or disclose your health information without written authorization in the circumstances described below and as otherwise permitted or required by law.

 

Treatment

We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare.

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For example, we may:

• Share information with another physician or healthcare professional involved in your care

• Obtain or review laboratory results

• Coordinate referrals

• Request previous medical records

• Communicate with a pharmacy regarding a prescription

• Discuss your treatment with clinical personnel

• Contact you about appointments, follow-up care, or treatment instructions

• Payment

 

We may use and disclose your health information to collect payment for healthcare products and services provided by the Practice.

 

For example, we may:

• Prepare and provide invoices, receipts, or account statements

• Process credit card, debit card, electronic, or other authorized payments

• Communicate with you about an outstanding balance

• Respond to payment or account questions

• Work with payment-processing, accounting, or collection service providers

• Maintain financial and transaction records as required by law

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We will disclose only the information reasonably necessary to complete the applicable payment or account-related function.

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Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose health information to operate the Practice and improve the services we provide.

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Healthcare operations may include:

• Quality assessment and improvement

• Reviewing the performance and qualifications of healthcare professionals

• Staff training

• Credentialing

• Licensing

• Accreditation

• Compliance activities

• Audits

• Business planning

• Customer service

• Legal and professional consultation

• Information-technology support

• Cybersecurity and data-protection activities

• General administrative functions

• Business Associates

• We may disclose health information to outside individuals or companies that provide services on our behalf, known as business associates.

• Business associates may include:

• Laboratories

• Payment-processing providers

• Technology and software providers

• Medical-record storage providers

• Consultants

• Attorneys

• Accountants

• Cybersecurity providers

• Other professional or administrative service providers

 

When required, these parties must enter into agreements requiring them to appropriately safeguard protected health information.

Appointment Reminders and Health-Related Communications

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We may use your information to:

Confirm or remind you about appointments
Contact you regarding follow-up care
Provide test-result notifications
Discuss treatment alternatives
Inform you about health-related products or services that may be relevant to your care

Provide information about office scheduling, closures, or operational changes

Communications by ordinary email or text message may carry privacy risks. We will use reasonable safeguards and respect communication restrictions you have requested and that we have accepted.

 

Public Health and Safety Activities

We may disclose health information for legally authorized public-health and safety activities, including:

• Preventing or controlling disease

• Reporting certain illnesses or injuries

• Reporting adverse reactions to medications or medical products

• Assisting with product recalls

• Reporting births or deaths where required

• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety

• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or domestic violence when permitted or required by law

• Complying with public-health investigations or reporting obligations

• Health Oversight Activities

• We may disclose health information to authorized health-oversight agencies for activities such as:

• Audits

• Investigations

• Inspections

• Licensing proceedings

• Disciplinary proceedings

• Accreditation

• Civil, administrative, or criminal proceedings authorized by law

• Research

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We may use or disclose health information for research when the research has received required approval, authorization, or a legally recognized waiver.

When required, we will obtain your written permission before using identifiable health information for research.

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Compliance With the Law

We will disclose health information when federal or state law requires us to do so.

This may include disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when it requests information to determine whether we are complying with federal privacy law.

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When Texas or another applicable law provides greater privacy protection than federal law, we will follow the more protective requirement.

 

Organ and Tissue Donation

We may disclose health information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation when applicable.

 

Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors

We may disclose health information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when legally authorized and reasonably necessary for that person to perform their duties.

 

Law-Enforcement Requests

We may disclose health information to law-enforcement officials only as permitted or required by applicable law.

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Examples may include:

• Responding to a court order, warrant, subpoena, summons, or administrative request

• Identifying or locating certain individuals

• Reporting certain wounds or injuries when required

• Reporting suspected criminal conduct occurring on our premises

• Providing information concerning a crime victim in limited circumstances

• Preventing or addressing a serious threat to health or safety

• Additional protections may apply to certain categories of information.

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Lawsuits and Legal Proceedings

We may disclose health information in response to:

• A court or administrative order

• A subpoena

• A discovery request

• Another lawful legal process

• We will disclose only the information authorized or required and will follow applicable procedural safeguards.

• Military, National Security, and Government Functions

• When legal requirements are satisfied, we may disclose health information for:

• Military and veterans’ activities

• National-security or intelligence activities

• Protective services

• Correctional-institution functions

• Lawful-custody purposes

• Other special government functions authorized by law

• Inmates and Individuals in Lawful Custody

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When you are an inmate or are in lawful custody, we may disclose health information to a correctional institution or law-enforcement official when permitted by law and necessary for your healthcare, the health or safety of others, or the safety and security of the institution.

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Specially Protected Information

Certain types of health information may receive additional protection under federal or Texas law.

These records may include information concerning:

• Mental-health services

• Psychotherapy notes

• Substance-use-disorder treatment

• HIV or AIDS testing and treatment

• Genetic testing

• Certain communicable diseases

• Records involving minors

• Other specially protected services or conditions

 

When another law provides greater protection or requires specific consent, we will follow that law.

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Substance-Use-Disorder Records

To the extent that we maintain records governed by 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional federal confidentiality protections.

We generally will not use or disclose Part 2 records in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigation or proceeding against you unless:

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You provide specific written consent; or
The disclosure is authorized by a court order and accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement.

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When Part 2 applies, additional restrictions may also apply to redisclosure, fundraising, legal proceedings, and other uses of the information.

Our Responsibilities

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Health Choices Now is required to:

Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information
Provide you with this Notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices
Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect
Use reasonable safeguards to protect your information
Limit uses, disclosures, and requests to the minimum necessary amount when that standard applies

Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law
Respect the privacy rights described in this Notice
Avoid retaliation against individuals who exercise their privacy rights or file complaints

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We will not use or disclose your information for purposes not described in this Notice unless you provide written authorization or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

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Electronic Communications and Patient Portals

When available, secure patient portals or other approved communication systems should be used for sensitive medical information.

 

Ordinary email, text messaging, and website forms may not always provide the same level of security as a secure patient portal. Please do not use general website forms or ordinary email for emergencies or to submit highly sensitive information unless instructed by our office.

The website is not intended for emergency communications. Call 911 or seek immediate medical attention when experiencing a medical emergency.

 

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices.

Changes may apply to all health information maintained by the Practice, including information created or received before the effective date of the revised Notice.

When material changes are made, the updated Notice will be:

Available upon request
Posted in our office
Published on our website when applicable
Provided as otherwise required by law

The effective date shown at the beginning of the Notice identifies the version currently in effect.

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Questions, Requests, or Complaints

To ask a question, exercise a privacy right, request a copy of this Notice, or submit a complaint, contact:

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Privacy Officer
Health Choices Now / John Parks Trowbridge, M.D.
Humble Medical Arts Building
9816 Memorial Boulevard, Suite 205
Humble, Texas 77338

Telephone: 1-800-FIX-PAIN
Email: info@healthchoicesnow.com

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Please write “Attention: Privacy Officer” on mailed correspondence or include it in the subject line of an email.

We will not retaliate against you for submitting a privacy request or complaint.