Notice of Privacy Policies
NOTICE OF PRIVACY POLICIES
Green Mountain Menopause, PLLC
Effective Date: May 1, 2026
Green Mountain Menopause, PLLC (“GMP”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how your personal and health information is collected, used, and disclosed by GMP. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact our privacy officer:
Kimberly Phelps
info@greenmountainmenopause.com
(802) 810-8290
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information:
This document serves as notice of how we will utilize your health information to support treatment, payment, and health care operations. The following are the ways in which your health information may be used and disclosed:
Treatment. We will use or disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage health care and related services. An example would be consulting with a medical lab regarding your lab results.
Payment. We will use or disclose your health information to obtain payment or reimbursement for your health care services after we have treated you. In some cases, we may share information about you with your health insurance company to determine whether it will cover your treatment. An example of this would be sending a bill for services to your patient portal for payment.
Health Care Operations. We may use or disclose your health information to support the business activities of our practice. An example would be an internal quality assessment review.
Appointment Reminders. We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Health-related Benefits and Services. We may use or disclose your health information to contact you to inform you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and service that may be of interest to you. If we use or disclose your health information for fundraising activities, we will provide you the choice to opt out of those activities and to opt back in as desired.
Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. Unless you object, we may share your health information with a person who is involved in your medical care or payment for your care, such as your family or a close friend. We also may notify your family about your location or general condition or disclose such information to an entity assisting in a disaster relief effort.
Incidental Disclosures. While we will take reasonable steps to safeguard the privacy of your health information, certain disclosures of your health information may occur during or as an unavoidable result of our otherwise permissible uses or disclosures of your health information. For example, during the course of a treatment session, other patients in the treatment area may see, or overhear discussion of your health information.
As Required by Law. We will disclose health information when required to do so by federal or state law.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose health information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Disclosures, however, will be made only to someone who may be able to help prevent the threat.
Business Associates. We may disclose health information to business associates that provide use with services, if the information is necessary for the services. For example, we may use another company to perform billing services on our behalf, or consult with us about our electronic records. All of our business associates are obligated to protect the privacy of your information and are not permitted to use or disclose any health information other than as specified in our contract.
Research. We may disclose your health information to researchers conducting research with respect to which your written authorization is not required as approved by an Institutional Review Board or privacy board, in compliance with governing law.
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information Based Upon Your Written Authorization
Any other uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke such authorization in writing, and we are required to honor and abide by that written request, except to the extent that we have already taken actions relying on your authorization. We may create and distribute de-identified health information by removing all references to individually identifiable information.
Special Protections for Certain Health Information
Certain types of health information are subject to additional protections under state and federal law. These laws may limit when and how we may share the following types of health information about you with or without your consent:
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Records (42 CFR Part 2). If we receive records from a substance use disorder treatment program, that is subject to 42 CFR Part 2, those records are subject to additional federal privacy protections than other protected health information.
In general, SUD treatment records, that are subject to 42 CFR Part 2, may not be used or disclosed without your specific written consent, even for treatment, payment, or health care operations, except as otherwise permitted by law.
SUD treatment records may not be used or disclosed in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you without your specific written consent or a qualifying court order.
Vermont’s Shield Law. Vermont’s Shield Laws, 1 VSA § 150 and 18 VSA § 1881(c), provide additional protections for information related to legally protected health activities. In Vermont receiving or attempting to receive reproductive healthcare and gender affirming care are legally protected activities.
According to Vermont’s Shield Laws, we will not disclose your information related to legally protected health activities to governmental entities other than the State of Vermont, or for legal proceedings against you or your health care providers without a specific court order.
We may otherwise use or disclosure information related to your protected health activated for uses and disclosures stated in this Notice.
Redisclosure
Information that we disclose pursuant to this Notice may be subject to redisclosure by the recipient and may no longer be protected by the privacy laws discussed in this Notice.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change the terms of our notice of Privacy Practices and to make the new notice provisions effective for all protected health information that we maintain. We will post, and you may request, a written copy of a revised Notice of Privacy Practices from this office.
Communications
We may communicate with you about non‑urgent medical matters through Electronic Communication (including, without limitation, the Provider’s patient portal, email, text and other electronic messaging, and audio or video conferencing) using the cell phone number and/or unsecured email, with the understanding that such communications may not be secure. We will use reasonable efforts to maintain their confidentiality. We may include such communications in your medical record. For emergency or other time‑sensitive issues call 911 or seek emergency care.
Your Consent
By using the Patient Portal, registering an account, signing the general consent form, or agreeing to the Patient Services Agreement, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.