Hooked on Wellness Consulting PLLC
Effective Date: June 9, 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.
Hooked on Wellness Consulting PLLC (“Hooked on Wellness,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and disclose your protected health information (“PHI”), your rights regarding your health information, and our legal duties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and applicable federal and Texas privacy laws.
This Notice applies to health information created, received, maintained, or transmitted by Hooked on Wellness in connection with your care, treatment, payment, health care operations, and related services.
- Our Legal Duties
We are required by law 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.
- Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured protected health information.
- Not use or disclose your health information except as described in this Notice or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time. Any changes will apply to all health information we maintain, including information created or received before the revised Notice was issued. The current Notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.
- How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
HIPAA allows us to use and disclose your health information for certain purposes without your written authorization. The following sections explain the most common ways we may use and disclose your information.
- Treatment
We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your medical care and related services.
For example, we may use your medical history, lab results, medications, symptoms, diagnoses, allergies, vital signs, lifestyle information, and treatment goals to evaluate you and create a care plan. We may share your information with another health care provider, pharmacy, laboratory, specialist, hospital, imaging center, counselor, or referral partner involved in your care.
- Payment
We may use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payment for services we provide.
For example, we may use or disclose information to process payments, send invoices, confirm membership status, collect fees, verify benefits if applicable, coordinate with third-party billing vendors, or respond to payment-related questions.
If we bill insurance or work with a third-party payer for any service, we may disclose information necessary for claims processing, eligibility, authorization, payment, or coverage determinations.
- Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your health information for business and administrative activities necessary to operate our practice.
For example, we may use your information for quality improvement, care coordination, staff training, provider review, compliance, legal services, auditing, scheduling, technology support, patient communications, recordkeeping, credentialing, business planning, and internal practice management.
- Appointment Reminders and Health-Related Communications
We may use your contact information to remind you about appointments, follow-up visits, lab work, medication monitoring, membership matters, wellness services, or other health-related services that may be of interest to you.
We may contact you by phone, voicemail, email, text message, patient portal, mail, or other communication methods you have provided or authorized. You may request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location.
- Individuals Involved in Your Care
Unless you object, we may share relevant health information with a family member, caregiver, personal representative, or other person involved in your care or payment for your care.
For example, if you bring a spouse, adult child, caregiver, or trusted support person to an appointment, we may discuss relevant information with that person if you agree, if you do not object, or if we reasonably determine it is in your best interest.
- Required by Law
We may use or disclose your health information when federal, state, or local law requires us to do so.
For example, we may disclose information when required by public health laws, court orders, subpoenas, mandatory reporting laws, health oversight rules, or other legal obligations.
- Public Health and Safety
We may disclose your health information for public health and safety purposes when permitted or required by law.
This may include disclosures to:
- Prevent or control disease, injury, or disability.
- Report adverse reactions to medications or medical products.
- Report product recalls.
- Report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as required or permitted by law.
- Prevent or reduce a serious threat to the health or safety of you, another person, or the public.
- Cooperate with public health authorities or government agencies authorized by law.
- Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose your health information to health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law.
These activities may include audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, certification, disciplinary actions, civil rights compliance, government benefit programs, and other oversight activities necessary for the health care system.
- Legal Proceedings, Court Orders, and Law Enforcement
We may disclose your health information in response to a court order, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful legal process when permitted or required by law.
We may also disclose information for law enforcement purposes when permitted or required by law, such as responding to lawful requests, reporting certain injuries, identifying or locating a person, reporting a crime on our premises, or assisting in certain emergencies.
- Coroners, Medical Examiners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation
We may disclose health information to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, or organ procurement organizations when permitted or required by law.
- Workers’ Compensation
We may disclose your health information as authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with workers’ compensation laws or similar programs.
- Research
We may use or disclose your health information for research only when permitted by law and when required privacy protections are in place. In most cases, we will request your written authorization before using identifiable health information for research unless an Institutional Review Board, Privacy Board, or applicable law permits the use or disclosure without your authorization.
- Business Associates
We may share your health information with third-party vendors or service providers called “business associates” who perform services for us.
Examples may include billing companies, electronic health record systems, secure communication platforms, payment processors, accountants, attorneys, consultants, IT support vendors, cloud storage vendors, laboratory interfaces, and compliance services.
Business associates are required to protect your health information and may use or disclose it only as permitted by their agreement with us and applicable law.
- Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your health information for purposes not described in this Notice or otherwise permitted by law.
In most cases, we will also obtain your written authorization before:
- Using or disclosing psychotherapy notes, if we maintain them and the law requires authorization.
- Using your health information for marketing purposes when authorization is required by law.
- Selling your health information.
- Disclosing information for purposes not otherwise permitted or required by HIPAA or applicable law.
If you authorize us to use or disclose your information, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect uses or disclosures already made in reliance on your prior authorization.
- Sensitive Health Information
Some types of health information may receive additional protection under federal or Texas law. This may include certain mental health records, substance use disorder treatment records, HIV/AIDS-related information, genetic information, communicable disease information, sexual assault or abuse records, reproductive health information, or other sensitive categories of information.
When a state or federal law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we will follow the stricter law.
- Substance Use Disorder Records, If Applicable
If Hooked on Wellness creates, receives, or maintains substance use disorder treatment records that are protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records may receive additional federal privacy protection.
If applicable, we will not use or disclose Part 2-protected substance use disorder records except as permitted by federal law. In general, Part 2-protected records may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order and legal process.
This section applies only to records that are subject to 42 CFR Part 2.
- Your Health Information Rights
You have the following rights regarding your protected health information. To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice.
- Right to Inspect and Receive a Copy
You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of certain health information we maintain about you, including medical and billing records.
We may provide the information in paper or electronic format, depending on the record and your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by law.
We may deny your request in limited circumstances allowed by law. If we deny your request, we will explain the reason in writing and let you know whether you have a right to have the denial reviewed.
- Right to Request an Amendment
If you believe health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information.
We may deny your request if we determine that the information is accurate and complete, was not created by us, is not part of the information we maintain, or cannot legally be amended. If we deny your request, we will explain the reason in writing.
- Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request a list, or accounting, of certain disclosures we made of your health information.
This accounting does not include all disclosures. For example, it generally does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, disclosures made to you, disclosures made with your authorization, or disclosures excluded by law.
- Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request that we limit how we use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
We are not required to agree to most requested restrictions. If we agree, we will comply with the restriction unless the information is needed to provide emergency treatment or the law permits otherwise.
If you pay out-of-pocket in full for a health care item or service, you may request that we not disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or health care operations purposes. We will agree to that request unless a law requires us to disclose the information.
- Right to Request Confidential Communications
You have the right to request that we contact you in a specific way or at a specific location.
For example, you may ask that we contact you only by phone, only through a patient portal, only at a certain mailing address, or not leave voicemail messages. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
- Right to Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone medical power of attorney, if someone is your legal guardian, or if another person has legal authority to make health care decisions for you, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
We may require documentation of the person’s authority before taking action.
- Right to Receive a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
- Right to File a Complaint
You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may file a complaint directly with Hooked on Wellness by contacting:
Privacy Officer
Edward Hooks
Hooked on Wellness Consulting PLLC
8500 Village Drive, Suite 201
San Antonio, Texas 78217
Phone: 210-528-1042
Email: admin@gethookedonwellness.com
Website: https://gethookedonwellness.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
- Your Choices
For certain health information, you may tell us your choices about what we share. You may tell us whether to:
- Share information with your family, close friends, caregivers, or others involved in your care.
- Share information in a disaster relief situation.
- Contact you for certain health-related services, reminders, or communications.
If you are unable to tell us your preference, such as during an emergency or if you are incapacitated, we may share information if we believe it is in your best interest and permitted by law.
- Website, Email, Texting, and Electronic Communications
Our website may provide general information about our services and may allow you to contact us or request information. Submitting information through the website, email, text message, voicemail, or social media may not be secure unless specifically stated.
Please do not use website forms, email, text messages, voicemail, or social media to send urgent medical concerns, emergency information, or highly sensitive medical information.
Established patients should use the approved patient portal or other secure communication method when available.
Website visitors who are not patients should review our Website Privacy Policy for information about general website data collection and use. This HIPAA Notice applies to protected health information maintained by Hooked on Wellness in connection with health care services.
- Direct Primary Care, Wellness, and Membership Information
If you participate in a direct primary care membership, wellness program, weight management service, hormone-related service, vitamin injection service, counseling service, or other service offered by Hooked on Wellness, health information related to those services may be protected under HIPAA and applicable privacy laws.
Membership, payment, intake, consent, and treatment records may be used and disclosed as described in this Notice.
- We Do Not Sell Your Health Information
We do not sell your protected health information. If any activity would be considered a sale of protected health information under HIPAA, we will obtain your written authorization before doing so unless the law permits otherwise.
- Marketing
We may communicate with you about health-related services, appointment reminders, care coordination, treatment alternatives, wellness services, or other services we offer when permitted by law.
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your protected health information for marketing when HIPAA requires authorization.
- Fundraising
We do not currently use protected health information for fundraising. If this practice changes, we will comply with applicable law and provide any required opt-out rights.
- Minimum Necessary
When we use, disclose, or request protected health information, we make reasonable efforts to limit the information to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose, when required by law.
This minimum necessary standard does not apply to all uses and disclosures, such as disclosures to or requests by a health care provider for treatment purposes.
- Breach Notification
If a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured protected health information, we will notify you as required by law.
- Changes to This Notice
We may change this Notice at any time. The revised Notice will apply to all protected health information we maintain.
The most current version will be available:
- On our website.
- At our office.
- Upon request.
- Contact Information
For questions about this Notice, privacy practices, records requests, amendments, restrictions, confidential communications, or complaints, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Edward Hooks
Hooked on Wellness Consulting PLLC
8500 Village Drive, Suite 201
San Antonio, Texas 78217
Phone: 210-528-1042
Email: admin@gethookedonwellness.com
Website: https://gethookedonwellness.com