Privacy & Patient Policies

Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective date: July 30, 2026  •  Georgia Spine Institute, P.C. (the “Practice”)

Georgia Spine Institute, P.C. is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (“PHI”), to give you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect, and to notify you if a breach occurs that compromises the privacy or security of your unsecured PHI. This Notice applies to all records of your care generated or maintained by the Practice, whether made by our physicians, advanced practice providers, or staff, at any of our locations.

How we may use and disclose your health information

Treatment

We use your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your medical care. For example, we may share your information with physicians, physical therapists, imaging centers, hospitals, surgery centers, laboratories, pharmacies, or other providers involved in your care, including your referring provider and primary care physician if you have authorized us to send them visit notes.

Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to bill for and collect payment for services, including verifying insurance coverage and benefits, obtaining prior authorizations, submitting claims to your health plan, and, where applicable, to workers’ compensation insurers in accordance with Georgia law.

Health care operations

We may use and disclose your health information for the operations of the Practice, such as quality review, training, licensing and credentialing, business planning, auditing, and customer service. We may also share your information with business associates — vendors who perform services for us (for example, billing, electronic health records, appointment reminder, and secure messaging vendors) — under written contracts that require them to safeguard your information as the law requires.

Appointment reminders, treatment alternatives, and health-related services

We may contact you to remind you of appointments, to tell you about test or imaging results, and to tell you about treatment options or health-related services that may be of interest to you, using the contact methods and preferences you have given us.

Individuals involved in your care and disaster relief

Unless you object, we may share information relevant to your care or payment for your care with a family member, friend, or other person you identify as involved in your care, and we may notify such persons of your location and general condition. You may limit or revoke this at any time. We may also disclose information to disaster-relief organizations to help locate or notify your family.

Uses and disclosures required or permitted by law

We may use or disclose your health information without your authorization in the following circumstances, subject to all applicable legal requirements and limits:

• As required by law, including federal, Georgia, or local law that requires the use or disclosure.
• Public health activities, such as reporting communicable diseases, reporting to the FDA regarding drugs, devices, and medical products (including adverse events and recalls of spinal implants or other devices), and reporting as required to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
• Reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of children, elders, or at-risk adults, as required or permitted by Georgia law.
• Prescription drug monitoring. We report and review information in the Georgia Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) as required or permitted by Georgia law in connection with controlled substance prescribing.
• Health oversight activities, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure actions by government agencies, including the Georgia Composite Medical Board.
• Judicial and administrative proceedings, in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process when legal requirements for protecting your information are satisfied.
• Law enforcement, in limited circumstances, such as responding to a warrant, reporting certain injuries as required by law, or identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person.
• Workers’ compensation. If your care relates to a workers’ compensation claim, we may disclose relevant information to your employer, its insurer, and their representatives as authorized by the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-207).
• Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors, as necessary to carry out their duties.
• Organ and tissue donation, to organizations that handle organ, eye, or tissue procurement or transplantation.
• Research, when an institutional review board or privacy board has approved the research and established protections for your information, or as otherwise permitted by law.
• To avert a serious threat to health or safety, when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
• Specialized government functions, such as military command authorities for members of the armed forces, national security and intelligence activities, protective services, and correctional institutions or law enforcement custodial situations.

Uses and disclosures that require your written authorization

Except as described in this Notice, we will not use or disclose your health information without your written authorization. The following always require your authorization:

• Marketing. Most uses and disclosures of your information for marketing purposes, including subsidized treatment communications.
• Sale of information. Any disclosure that would constitute a sale of your health information. The Practice does not sell patient information.
• Psychotherapy notes, in the limited circumstances where such notes exist, except as otherwise permitted by law.

If you give us an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect uses or disclosures we have already made in reliance on it.

Highly confidential information; substance use disorder records

Certain categories of information — including mental health records, HIV/AIDS-related information, and genetic information — receive additional protection under federal and Georgia law, and we will obtain any consent or authorization those laws require before disclosing them.

If we receive or maintain records that are subject to the federal substance use disorder confidentiality rules at 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part 2 records”), the following also applies:

• Part 2 records, or testimony relaying information contained in them, may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you unless based on your written consent or a specific court order under Part 2.
• You may provide a single written consent for all future uses and disclosures of your Part 2 records for treatment, payment, and health care operations, and you may revoke that consent in writing at any time (revocation will not affect disclosures already made in reliance on it).
• Part 2 records disclosed under such a consent may be redisclosed only as permitted by the Part 2 rules.
• You have a right to an accounting of certain disclosures of your Part 2 records and to request restrictions on certain disclosures, as described below.
• You may file a complaint about a violation of Part 2 with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; filing a complaint will not affect your care.

Your rights regarding your health information

• Right to inspect and copy. You may inspect and obtain a copy of your medical and billing records, in paper or electronic form, with limited exceptions. Requests should be made in writing. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by HIPAA and Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 31-33-3). We will respond within the time required by law.
• Right to request amendment. If you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request in writing that we amend it, with your reason. We may deny the request in certain circumstances; if we do, you may submit a statement of disagreement that will be kept with your record.
• Right to an accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your information during the six years before your request (this does not include disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, or those you authorized). The first accounting in any 12-month period is free.
• Right to request restrictions. You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your information for treatment, payment, or operations, or to persons involved in your care. We are not required to agree, except that we must agree not to disclose information to your health plan for payment or operations purposes if the information relates solely to an item or service you (or someone on your behalf) paid for in full out of pocket, unless disclosure is required by law.
• Right to confidential communications. You may ask, in writing, that we contact you in a specific way or at a specific location (for example, only at a certain phone number, or by mail to an alternate address). We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
• Right to a paper copy of this Notice. You may request a paper copy at any time, free of charge, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. This Notice is available at each of our offices and on this page.
• Right to be notified of a breach. We will notify you as required by law following a breach of your unsecured PHI.
• Right to choose someone to act for you. A person with a valid power of attorney for health care, a legal guardian, or a parent of a minor patient (subject to exceptions under Georgia law) may generally exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will verify that person’s authority before acting on a request.

Our duties and changes to this Notice

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI, provide you this Notice, abide by the Notice currently in effect, and notify you of breaches of unsecured PHI. We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for information we already have as well as information we receive in the future. The current Notice, with its effective date, will be posted in our offices and on this page. Medical records are retained for at least the period required by Georgia law.

Questions and complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer at the contact above, or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, by calling 1-800-368-1019 (TDD 1-800-537-7697), or online at hhs.gov/ocr/complaints. You may also contact the Georgia Composite Medical Board. You will not be penalized or retaliated against in any way for filing a complaint.

↑ Back to top

Website Privacy Policy

Applies to georgiaspine.com  •  Effective date: July 30, 2026

This Website Privacy Policy describes how Georgia Spine Institute, P.C. collects and uses information through this website. It is separate from, and in addition to, the Notice of Privacy Practices above, which governs health information we hold about you as a patient. If information you submit through this website becomes part of your medical or billing record, the Notice of Privacy Practices governs it.

Information we collect through this site

• Information you provide — such as your name, contact information, and the contents of appointment requests or contact forms you choose to submit.
• Information collected automatically — such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and referring pages, collected through cookies and similar technologies for site operation, security, and analytics.

How we use it

We use information collected through this site to respond to your inquiries, schedule and manage appointments, operate, secure, and improve the website, and comply with legal obligations. We do not sell personal information collected through this website, and we do not use or disclose it for third-party advertising.

Cookies, analytics, and tracking technologies

This site may use cookies and analytics tools to understand how visitors use the site. We configure the site so that tracking technologies are not used to disclose protected health information to third parties except as permitted by HIPAA. You can set your browser to refuse cookies, although some site features may not function.

Please do not use this website for emergencies or medical advice

Children

This website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, contact us and we will delete it.

Third-party sites

This site may link to other websites (for example, patient portals, payment processors, or health information resources). Their privacy practices are their own; we encourage you to review their policies.

Security, retention, and your choices

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information collected through this site, though no internet transmission can be guaranteed secure. We retain information as long as needed for the purposes described here and as required by law. To ask what information we hold about you from this website, or to request correction or deletion of information that is not part of a medical, billing, or other legally required record, contact us using the information below. Patient rights in health records are described in the Notice of Privacy Practices above. Georgia residents may also have rights under Georgia law with respect to certain businesses’ handling of personal data; health information we maintain as a medical practice is governed by HIPAA and Georgia medical records law.

Changes and contact

We may update this policy from time to time; the current version, with its effective date, will always be posted on this page. Questions: Privacy Officer, Georgia Spine Institute, P.C., Tel 404-222-2030.

↑ Back to top

Text Message (SMS) Terms & Privacy

For patients who opt in to calls and texts from Georgia Spine Institute, P.C.

With your consent, Georgia Spine Institute, P.C. and vendors acting on its behalf send informational calls and text (SMS/MMS) messages about your care: appointment reminders and scheduling, registration, pre- and post-operative instructions and check-ins, test and imaging result notifications, prescriptions and refills, referrals and care coordination, billing and account notices, and patient satisfaction surveys. Calls and texts may be placed using an automatic telephone dialing system and may use prerecorded or artificial voice messages, including voices or message content generated or assisted by artificial intelligence (AI). Marketing messages are sent only to patients who separately opt in to marketing, and never as a condition of treatment.

• Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.
• Opt out at any time: reply STOP to cancel texts, or revoke consent by any reasonable means, including calling 404-222-2030. Reply HELP for help.
• Consent is not a condition of treatment or services. If you prefer not to receive calls or texts, you may still schedule and receive care by calling 404-222-2030.
• Standard texting is not encrypted. Do not use text messages for emergencies or urgent clinical matters.
• No sharing for marketing: mobile phone numbers and text-messaging originator opt-in data and consent are not shared with or sold to third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes. Information may be shared with vendors only so they can send messages on our behalf, under contracts requiring them to protect it.
• Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

↑ Back to top

Patient Policies

The policies below are presented to every new patient during registration and acknowledged by signature. They are posted here for your reference; the versions you sign at registration control.

Consent to Treatment

Patients consent to evaluation, diagnosis, and medical treatment by Parth N. Desai, MD, and by the physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical staff of Georgia Spine Institute, P.C., as they consider necessary in their professional judgment, including examination, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, review of outside records, medications, office-based injections, bracing, and other routine office-based services. This consent covers routine office care only: any surgery, interventional procedure, anesthesia, or other invasive treatment requires separate, specific informed consent (O.C.G.A. § 31-9-6.1). Medicine is not an exact science and no guarantees are made about outcomes. Patients may ask questions, refuse treatment, and seek a second opinion at any time. This consent extends to licensed providers who join the Practice and remains in effect until revoked in writing.

Assignment of Benefits, Release for Claims & Medicare Signature on File

Patients assign and authorize payment of medical benefits directly to Georgia Spine Institute, P.C. for services provided, and remain responsible for charges not covered except where prohibited by law or plan contract. Patients authorize the Practice to release to their insurers, plan administrators, and their agents any information needed to determine benefits, process claims, or obtain authorization. Medicare/Medicaid patients request that payment of authorized benefits be made on their behalf to Georgia Spine Institute, P.C., and authorize any holder of medical information to release to CMS and its agents any information needed to determine these benefits; this is a lifetime signature on file until revoked in writing. A copy of this authorization is as valid as the original.

Financial Policy

Photo ID and current insurance cards are required at every visit; please tell us about insurance or contact changes. Copays are due at time of service; deductibles and coinsurance are billed after your plan processes the claim; verification is a courtesy, not a guarantee of payment. Required referrals and authorizations are ultimately the patient’s responsibility. Self-pay: payment is due at time of service, and you are entitled to a Good Faith Estimate (see below). Non-covered services are the patient’s responsibility. Workers’ compensation requires claim information and employer authorization before the visit. We do not bill third-party liability carriers directly. Completion of disability, FMLA, insurance, and similar forms requires a scheduled visit. The adult accompanying a minor is responsible for payment at the time of service.

Appointment Cancellation & No-Show Policy

Your appointment time is reserved for you. Please give at least 24 hours’ (one business day) notice to cancel or reschedule an office visit, and as much notice as possible for a scheduled procedure or surgery, so we can offer the time to another patient. There is no fee for cancellations or missed appointments. After 3 missed appointments without notice, the Practice may discharge a patient from non-emergency care with appropriate written notice.

Medication & Controlled Substance Policy

Controlled substances, when prescribed, come from one practice and one designated pharmacy. We check the Georgia PDMP as required or permitted by law. Refill requests are handled during business hours and completed within 3 business days; no refills after hours, on weekends, or by the on-call provider; no early refills; lost or stolen prescriptions are generally not replaced (a police report may be required). Random urine drug screening and/or pill counts may be a condition of continued prescribing. Multiple undisclosed prescribers, altered prescriptions, or diversion ends prescribing and may be reported as required by law. Ongoing opioid therapy may require a separate treatment agreement or pain-management referral.

Patient Rights & Responsibilities

You have the right to respectful, non-discriminatory care; understandable information about your diagnosis and options; participation in decisions, including refusal of treatment; privacy and access to your records as provided by law; information about charges; and to voice complaints — to our staff, to Dr. Desai, or to the Georgia Composite Medical Board — without retaliation. You are responsible for accurate information, following the agreed plan of care or telling us when you cannot, keeping appointments, meeting financial obligations, and treating staff and other patients with courtesy.

Communication Preferences & Disclosures to Family and Friends

At registration, patients choose whether to receive informational calls and texts (see the SMS Terms above), whether to opt in to marketing messages (always optional and never a condition of treatment), and whether to consent to email communication, which is not encrypted. Patients may also name individuals — family members or friends — with whom the Practice may discuss their health, appointment, and billing information, set voicemail preferences, and allow mail to their home address. Naming someone is optional, the scope can be limited (for example, scheduling only or billing only), and any of these choices can be changed or revoked at any time by notifying the Practice in writing.

↑ Back to top

Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate

Under the federal No Surprises Act, health care providers must give patients who are uninsured or who are not using insurance an estimate of expected charges for medical items and services.

↑ Back to top

Nondiscrimination & Language Assistance

Georgia Spine Institute, P.C. complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude people, or treat them differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity) in its health programs and activities.

We provide, free of charge, reasonable modifications and appropriate auxiliary aids and services to people with disabilities, and language assistance services, including qualified interpreters and information in other languages, to people whose primary language is not English. If you need these services, or if you believe the Practice has failed to provide them or discriminated in another way, contact our office at 404-222-2030. You may also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at ocrportal.hhs.gov or 1-800-368-1019 (TDD 1-800-537-7697).

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 404-222-2030.   CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 404-222-2030.   주의: 한국어를 사용하시는 경우, 엠어 지원 서비스를 무료로 이용하실 수 있습니다. 404-222-2030번으로 전화해 주십시오.

↑ Back to top