Balikian Plastic Surgery – Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: August 1, 2005
Last Updated: August 7, 2025

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.

Balikian Plastic Surgery (including Balikian Facial Plastic Surgery in San Diego and Balikian Plastic Surgery in Murrieta / Temecula Valley) values the privacy of your health information. We maintain our records and treatment environment with the goal of providing the highest level of protection for your personal health information, while ensuring that you receive exceptional medical care.

This notice applies to all medical records created or received by Balikian Plastic Surgery and to all physicians, medical staff, employees, and other personnel involved in your care.

Our Legal Obligations

We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI).
• Provide you with this notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices.
• Follow the terms of this notice currently in effect.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information

By becoming a patient, you give consent for us to use and disclose your PHI for purposes related to Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations (“TPO”):

• Treatment – We may use your health information to provide and coordinate your care. For example, we may share your information with a specialist or lab involved in your treatment.
• Payment – We may use and disclose your information to obtain payment for services, such as sending necessary details to your insurance provider.
• Health Care Operations – We may use your information to improve our services, train staff, or conduct audits.

Other Permitted Uses and Disclosures Without Your Authorization

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Appointment reminders.
• Notifying a family member or caregiver involved in your care.
• Emergency treatment situations.
• Health-related services or benefits that may interest you.
• As required by law (federal, state, or local).
• Reporting communicable diseases.
• Health oversight activities (audits, inspections, investigations).
• Reports of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence (as allowed by law).
• FDA reporting of adverse events or product issues.
• Legal proceedings, court orders, subpoenas.
• Law enforcement requests.
• National security or protective service purposes.
• Coroners, funeral directors, and organ donation coordination.
• Approved research projects that protect your privacy.
• Workers’ Compensation claims.
• To prevent or lessen a serious threat to health or safety.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the right to:

• Inspect and copy your medical and billing records.
• Request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI (we are not required to agree, but will comply when possible).
• Request confidential communications by alternative means or at alternative locations.
• Amend your records if you believe information is incorrect or incomplete.
• Receive an accounting of disclosures made in the past six (6) years, except for those related to TPO.
• Request a paper copy of this notice at any time.

All requests must be made in writing to:

Balikian Plastic Surgery
25220 Hancock Avenue, Suite 115
Murrieta, CA 92562

Our Responsibilities

We are required to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to notify you following a breach of unsecured health information as required by law. We will only use or disclose your PHI as described in this notice unless you provide written authorization. You may revoke such authorization in writing at any time.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to update or change this notice and make the new terms effective for all PHI we maintain. The current notice will always be posted at our offices and on our websites:

www.drbalikian.com
www.drbalikiansandiego.com

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:

Office Manager
Balikian Plastic Surgery
25220 Hancock Avenue, Suite 115
Murrieta, CA 92562
Phone: 951-719-2950

You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

Questions

If you have questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, contact:

Office Manager
Balikian Plastic Surgery
Phone: 951-719-2950