Terms of Service for greygenetics.com and Grey Genetics, LLC
By using Grey Genetics’ website and/or counseling or consulting services, you agree to be bound by the following Terms of Service. Please read them carefully.
Grey Genetics, LLC provides genetic counseling and consulting services, consistent with a genetic counselor’s scope of practice as defined by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) and the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC). Grey Genetics does not provide medical advice. No content on the site, no consultation note, and no discussion by way of phone, videoconferencing, electronic communication, or any other manner is intended for medical diagnosis or treatment, nor should any information provided through genetic counseling services be taken as a reason to disregard any previously given medical diagnoses or medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition.
Use of Grey Genetics’ services requires the sharing of PHI (protected health information), including but not limited to name, date of birth, email, telephone number, and credit card. By using this site and/or Grey Genetics’ Services, you acknowledge that you have reviewed our Notice of Privacy Practices, that you understand and accept that despite reasonable security measures, the security of your information can never be completely guaranteed.
Accurate Self-Representation
In using this site and Grey Genetics’ Services, you agree not to misrepresent yourself. You agree not to knowingly misrepresent your personal and family health history. You also agree not to share any confidential information about a person other than yourself unless you are authorized to do so. This includes but is not limited to copies of relatives’ genetic testing reports and other medical records.
You also agree not to misrepresent your state of residence and/or the place of service of your telegenetic counseling appointment. In receiving telegenetic counseling services through Grey Genetics you assert that you are a resident of and/or located at the time of the appointment in a state in which either a) there is no licensing requirement for genetic counselors at the time of the appointment, or b) the genetic counselor providing you with genetic counseling services holds a license from the state in question, as indicated on the Grey Genetics website.
Importance of Accurate Reporting of Personal and Family
The practice of genetic counseling relies heavily on accurate reporting of personal and family health history, ethnicity, and the results of any previous genetic testing done for either an individual or an individual’s close relatives. Providing inaccurate or incomplete information may result in an inaccurate risk assessment and may also result in more, fewer or different recommendations. If you learn of new or conflicting information after the time of your consult, you are therefore encouraged to share this information. Depending on the nature of the information shared and the potential impact on risk assessment, another genetics consult may be indicated. When the new indication is closely related to the original reason for a consult, a reduced rate for a follow-up consult will be charged. When the new indication is unrelated to the original reason for a consult, the full consult fee will be charged. In either case, if you do not wish to schedule another genetics consult with Grey Genetics, LLC, you are encouraged to seek genetic counseling elsewhere and provide accurate and complete information to that new provider.
Future Events
Future diagnoses for an individual or for someone in an individual’s family also have the potential to impact risk assessment and recommendations. More or different genetic testing options may also be available in the future. Implications of genetic testing results for medical management may also change over time, including but not limited to screening recommendations and treatment options. You are solely responsible for following up with a qualified healthcare professional regarding changes to reported family health history, available genetic testing options, and any related recommendations.
Payment for Services
By scheduling an appointment, you agree to pay the fees for service indicated on the website. Payment for services is due at the time that an appointment is scheduled. Any appointments cancelled with at least 24 hours notice will be fully refunded—minus the credit card processing fees. Any appointments cancelled less than 24 hours in advance will not be refunded. Requests to reschedule can be accommodated at no additional charge only if request is made at least 24 hours in advance of the time of the original appointment. If a request to reschedule is made fewer than 24 hours in advance of time of original appointment, a $50 rescheduling fee will be charged. Any appointments that are not attended will be treated as late cancellations and will not be refunded. Rescheduling will still be possible for the same $50 rescheduling fee. As noted above, incomplete or inaccurate information provided may result in the need for another consult and additional fees.
Grey Genetics does not accept insurance. You may submit a copy of your receipt to your insurer for reimbursement, but Grey Genetics cannot advise you as to the likelihood of coverage or the process for submitting to your insurer. Obtaining possible reimbursement is your sole responsibility.
Discussion with your Healthcare Provider(s)
Grey Genetics, LLC is a privately owned LLC and is not part of any hospital, medical center or other healthcare institution. Although in many cases, you will be encouraged to share the information discussed during your consult and to share a copy of your consult note(s) with your healthcare provider(s), the responsibility of sharing or not sharing this information lies with you. While we will not reach out to your healthcare provider, if your healthcare provider(s) contact(s) Grey Genetics and you have given your verbal or written permission, we will be happy to speak to them as a matter of professional courtesy and to assist with appropriate coordination of care and case management. There is no extra fee for speaking with your healthcare provider or with this possible assistance with coordination of appropriate care, but there is also no obligation on the part of Grey Genetics to do so.
Minors
If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about our consult.
Electronic Records and Communications
Grey Genetics does not keep any physical, written records of your PHI (Protected Health Information) and no records are kept on the hard drive of a computer. Any records are stored in cloud-based systems with third parties with whom Grey Genetics has a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). “Cloud-based” means the records are stored on servers which are connected to the internet. Under HIPAA, these third party companies must enter into a Business Associate Agreement with Grey Genetics. These BAAs legally obligate these third party companies to take measures to protect your PHI from unauthorized use or disclosure.
Companies with which Grey Genetics currently has BAAs and whose services may be used include
- Google (G Suite)
- Acuity Scheduling
- Identillect
- Doxy.me
Grey Genetics also takes security precautions to protect against unauthorized access to accounts with these cloud services. These precautions include passwords, pins and two-step authentication.
Grey Genetics also contracts with an independent physician group to facilitate ordering of genetic testing. This is a fee-based, opt-in service not necessary for all patients who would like to have genetic testing ordered. If you do opt in to this test ordering service, your PHI will also be shared with this independent physician group which is also bound by HIPAA.
Despite the measures taken to protect your information, security cannot be guaranteed. In using Grey Genetics services, you acknowledge and accept these risks to your privacy and the security of your information.
Electronic Communications
VIDEOCONFERENCING
The Google Meet videoconferencing system used by Grey Genetics consults fall under Grey Genetics’ G Suite Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with Google. Grey Genetics also has a BAA with Doxy.me, which is another videoconferencing system for telemedicine that may be used for appointments, if and as needed.
Email from @greygenetics.com is part of G Suite and falls under Grey Genetics’ BAA with Google. This alone does not, however, mean that messages are encrypted and does not protect against the possibility of email communications being intercepted. Grey Genetics also has a BAA with Identillect, which provides email encryption services. You can use this link to send us encrypted email. Grey Genetics cannot be responsible for the security of any PHI you send through an unencrypted email. By communicating over unencrypted email rather than through either encrypted email or the patient portal, you acknowledge and accept increased risks to your privacy and the security of your information. You are solely responsible for maintaining the privacy and security of all information that is printed, stored in your email account, forwarded, or shared with third party applications.
PHONE
Grey Genetics uses VOIP (Voice of Internet Protocol) and makes use of all related password and PIN protection services that available. Any voicemails left are regularly deleted after being heard. VOIP services are intended to be used only as a conduit for voice transmissions. No Protected Health Information (PHI) should be left in voicemails and Grey Genetics is absolved of any responsibility for the privacy and security of ePHI that is left on voicemail.
CONTACT FORMS AND CHAT ON WEBSITE
No Protected Health Information (PHI) should be sent through contact forms or chat boxes on the website and Grey Genetics is absolved of any responsibility for the privacy and security of ePHI that is sent through these mediums.
By using our site, you acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to review our Privacy Policy and that you accept the Terms and Conditions outlined herein.