01Our commitment
CISME adopts the federal HIPAA law as its standard of practice to protect all of its patients' confidential information, in addition to complying with Law 408-2000. We commit to protecting the privacy of your health information, giving you this notice, following it, and telling you if a breach affects your information. At the initial evaluation we will explain your right to confidentiality in writing and verbally, as Law 408-2000 (Art. 2.07) provides.
02Uses without your written authorisation
- Treatment: coordinating your care with CISME's clinical team.
- Payment: billing for services.
- Operations: quality, auditing, compliance and training.
- When the law requires it: abuse or neglect, serious and imminent risk to you or others, valid court orders, public health, and oversight by agencies such as the Department of Health and ASSMCA.
03Uses that need your written authorisation
- Psychotherapy notes, which are kept apart from the record.
- Marketing. CISME does not sell health information.
- Communication with relatives or support people, except in an emergency.
- Any disclosure to third parties: the authorisation states who discloses, who receives and what specific information (Law 408-2000, Art. 2.10). You may revoke it in writing at any time.
04Extra protection for substance use information
CISME offers psychotherapy for substance use, only in Puerto Rico, and does not offer medication treatment for substance use. We protect that information with the same safeguards as the federal rule 42 CFR Part 2:
- Those records cannot be used in civil, criminal, administrative or legislative proceedings against you without your specific consent or a court order that meets the rule.
- You may give a single consent for treatment, payment and operations; substance use counselling notes need a separate consent.
- Every disclosure made with your consent comes with a copy or explanation of what you authorised.
05Your rights
- See and get a copy of your record, on paper or electronically, at the cost Law 408-2000 (Art. 2.08) and HIPAA allow. Access to psychotherapy notes is a clinical decision.
- Ask for corrections to your record.
- Ask us to limit certain uses.
- Ask for confidential communications, for example to another phone or email.
- Get a list of certain disclosures from the last 6 years.
- Get a paper copy of this notice.
06Complaints
You may complain to our Privacy Officer, Dr. Carlos A. Lado-Cornejo, at info@cismepr.com or WhatsApp 787-403-4259, or to the HHS Office for Civil Rights through its complaint portal or at 1-800-368-1019. For substance use records, also to the Secretary of HHS. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
07Changes
We may change this notice. The current version will always be on this page and we will give it to you on request.
Reviewed October 16, 2026 · Approved October 16, 2026 by Dr. Carlos A. Lado-Cornejo