Frequently Asked Questions

We have the answers

Become a patient >

Our philosophy of patient care at Bell Pharmacy is centered around compassion, accessibility, and personalized support. We believe that every individual deserves not only access to essential medications but also a trusted healthcare partner who understands their unique needs.

We are committed to building genuine connections with our patients, ensuring they feel seen, respected, and valued. By offering individualized consultations, actively listening to concerns, and providing practical solutions, we aim to empower each person to take charge of their health journey with confidence and clarity.

Our approach goes beyond just filling prescriptions; we prioritize affordability, inclusivity, and advocacy, working tirelessly to remove financial barriers and create a supportive, welcoming environment. Ultimately, our goal is to deliver patient care that not only meets medical needs but also uplifts and supports our patients’ overall well-being.

A specialty pharmacy focuses on managing and dispensing medications for complex, chronic, or rare conditions that often require advanced care, specific handling, and personalized support. These medications, known as specialty drugs, are typically high-cost, may need to be injected or infused, and often come with unique storage or handling requirements. Conditions commonly treated through a specialty pharmacy include cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C, and rare genetic disorders, among others.

Specialty pharmacies provide a level of care that goes beyond traditional pharmacies. They offer services like patient education, financial assistance programs, medication adherence support, and close coordination with healthcare providers to monitor and adjust treatments as needed. Specialty pharmacists are highly trained to guide patients in managing side effects, navigating insurance complexities, and finding support programs to make these medications more accessible.

Overall, specialty pharmacies play a critical role in supporting patients with unique healthcare needs, ensuring they receive the comprehensive care required to manage their conditions effectively.

A compounding pharmacy specializes in creating customized medications tailored to the unique needs of individual patients. Unlike standard pharmacies that dispense mass-produced medications, compounding pharmacies use specific formulations to prepare medications from scratch when commercial drugs may not meet a patient’s requirements.

Compounding pharmacies are beneficial in various scenarios, such as when:

  • A patient is allergic to certain ingredients in standard medications (e.g., dyes, preservatives) and needs an alternative formulation.
  • A patient requires a different dosage or form (such as a liquid instead of a tablet) that isn’t available commercially.
  • Pediatric or veterinary patients need specific dosages or flavors to make medications more palatable.
  • A patient needs a discontinued or hard-to-find medication.

Pharmacists at compounding pharmacies are specially trained to prepare these medications safely and precisely, working closely with healthcare providers to ensure the right formulation. Compounded medications can come in various forms, including creams, gels, capsules, liquids, and more, allowing for a highly personalized approach to treatment.

The primary difference between a retail pharmacy and a specialty pharmacy lies in the type of medications they provide and the level of care they offer:

  1. Medication Type:

    • Retail Pharmacy: Provides medications that are commonly prescribed for short-term or routine conditions, like antibiotics, blood pressure medications, and diabetes supplies. These medications are usually straightforward to dispense and don’t require extensive handling or special storage.
    • Specialty Pharmacy: Focuses on high-cost, complex medications for chronic, rare, or severe conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV. These drugs often require special handling, storage (like refrigeration), and administration (such as injections or infusions).

  2. Patient Support:

    • Retail Pharmacy: Offers general guidance on medications, drug interactions, and over-the-counter products. Services are usually more transactional, with a primary focus on dispensing medications quickly and efficiently.
    • Specialty Pharmacy: Provides a higher level of patient support, including individualized care plans, education on managing complex therapies, side effect management, and regular follow-ups. Specialty pharmacists work closely with patients and healthcare providers to monitor treatment progress and adherence.

  3. Insurance and Financial Assistance:

    • Retail Pharmacy: Works with insurance for common prescriptions but usually has limited involvement in complex insurance approval processes.
    • Specialty Pharmacy: Frequently assists patients with navigating insurance approvals, prior authorizations, and finding financial assistance programs, as specialty medications are often expensive and require extensive insurance coordination.

  4. Coordination of Care:

    • Retail Pharmacy: Primarily dispenses medications prescribed by a range of healthcare providers and doesn’t typically engage in long-term treatment management.
    • Specialty Pharmacy: Coordinates closely with healthcare teams to track the patient’s response to medication, adjust treatment as needed, and ensure adherence. This care model is essential for patients managing chronic, complex conditions.

In summary, while retail pharmacies offer convenient access to commonly used medications, specialty pharmacies provide a comprehensive, supportive approach tailored to patients with complex and chronic health needs.

Privacy & Security

If you have questions about privacy and security, you can take the following steps:

  1. Contact Bell Pharmacy Directly: Reach out to us by phone, email, or in person to discuss any privacy and security concerns you may have. Our team is here to clarify how we handle your personal information and protect your privacy.

  2. Request Our Privacy Policy: Ask for a copy of our Privacy Policy, which outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your information. This document will provide you with a detailed understanding of our privacy practices and your rights regarding your data.

  3. Speak with a Pharmacist or Privacy Officer: Many pharmacies have a designated Privacy Officer or a knowledgeable team member who can answer questions about data protection and patient confidentiality. They can address specific concerns you may have about the handling of your medical information.

  4. Ask About Our Security Measures: If you want to know how your information is protected, ask us about the steps we take to secure our systems and safeguard your data, including encryption, secure access protocols, and employee training on confidentiality.

  5. Understand Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with your privacy rights under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) or other applicable regulations. If you’re unsure, our team can guide you on how these laws protect your information and what options you have if you feel your privacy has been compromised.

Your privacy and security are top priorities for us, and we’re always here to address any questions or concerns you may have to ensure you feel confident and informed about your healthcare choices.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”)

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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

This Notice of Privacy Practices (the “Notice”) describes the privacy practices of Bell Pharmacy.

Bell Pharmacy wants you to know that nothing is more central to our operations than maintaining the privacy of your Protected Health Information (“PHI”). PHI is information about you that we obtain to provide our services to you and that can be used to identify you. It includes your name and other basic contact information as well as information about your health, medical conditions, and prescriptions. We take our responsibility to protect this information very seriously. 

Our Pledge Regarding Your Health Information

We are required by law to protect the privacy of your health information and to provide you with this notice explaining out legal duties and privacy practices regarding your health information. We are also required to notify you in the event there is a breach of your PHI. Our pharmacy staff is required to protect the confidentiality of your PHI and will disclose your PHI to a person other than your or your personal representative only when permitted under federal or state law. This protection extends to any PHI that is oral, written, or electronic, such as prescriptions transmitted by facsimile, mode, or other electronic device. This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your PHI. In some circumstances, as described in this notice, the law permits us to use and disclose your PHI without your express permission. In all other circumstances, we will obtain your written authorization before we use or disclose your PHI. This Notice also describes your rights and the obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your PHI. Under federal and applicable state law, we are required to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect, We are required to follow state privacy laws when they are stricter (or more protective of your PHI) than the federal law. If applicable, please see state provisions at the end of this notice.

How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI Without Your Permission

Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations

Below are examples of how Federal law permits use or disclosure of your PHI for these purposes without your permission:

  • Treatment: PHI obtained by Bell Pharmacy will be used to dispense prescription medications. We will document information related to the medications dispensed and services provided in your record. We may also disclose your PHI to your prescriber or physician to assist them in providing care to you. We may contact you to provide treatment-related services, such as refill reminders, treatment alternatives (e.g., available generic products), and other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you,
  • Payment: We may contact your insurer, payer, or other agent and share your PHI with that entity to determine whether it will pay for your prescriptions and the payment amount. We may also contact you about a payment or balance due for prescriptions dispensed to you at Bell Pharmacy.
  • Health care operations: We may use and disclose your PHI to monitor the effectiveness and quality of our healthcare services, to provide customer services to you and to resolve complaints. We may transfer it for purposes of carrying our pharmacy services if we buy or sell pharmacy locations. We may also use your PHI to tell you about opportunities that may be of interest to you, such as benefits for preferred Bell Pharmacy customers or clinical research projects.

Business associates: We use contractors, known as business associates, to provide certain services for us. These contractors are required by law and their agreements with us to protect your PHI in the same way we do.

Other Limited Circumstances

We may also use and disclose your PHI without your permission for following limited purposes:

Individuals involved in your care or payment for care: We may disclose your PHI to a friend, personal representative, or family member involved in your medical care. For example, if we can reasonably infer that you agree, we may provide prescriptions and related information to your caregiver on your behalf.

Disclosures to parents or legal guardians: If you are a minor, we may release your PHI to your parents or legal guardians when we are permitted or required under federal and applicable state law.

Worker’s Compensation: We may disclose your PHI to the extent authorized and necessary to comply with laws relating to worker’s compensation or similar programs established by law.

Law enforcement: We may disclose your PHI in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons, or similar process for law enforcement purposes; to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; as certain information about a death resulting from criminal conduct; about crimes on the premises or against a member of our workforce; and in emergency circumstances, to report a crime, the location, victims, or the identity, description, or location of the perpetrator of the crime.

As required by law: We must disclose your PHI when required to do so by applicable federal or state law.

Judicial and administrative proceedings: If you are involved in a lawsuit or legal dispute, we may disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.

Public health: We may disclose your PHI to federal, state, or local authorities, or other entities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability for public health activities. These activities may include the following: disclosures to report reactions to medication or other products to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other authorized entity; disclosures to notify individuals of recalls, exposure to a disease, or risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition.

Health oversight activities: We may disclose your PHI to an oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include audits, investigations, and inspections, as necessary for our licensure and for government monitoring of the health care system, government programs, and compliance with federal and applicable state law.

United States Department of Health and Human Services: Under federal law, we are required to disclose your PHI to the U.S. Department of Health and Human services to determine if we are in compliance with federal laws and regulations regarding the privacy of health information.

Although we may not engage in the following activities, under federal or applicable state law, we are allowed to use or disclose PHI without your permission for these purposes:

Research:  Under certain circumstances, we may use or disclose your PHI for research purposes. However, before disclosing your PHI, the research project must be approved by an institutional review board or privacy board that has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to protect your PHI.

Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors: We may disclose PHI to a coroner or medical examiner to assist in identifying a deceased person or to determine the cause of death, and to funeral directors to carry out their duties.

Administrator or executer: Upon your death, we disclose your PHI to an administrator, executer, or other individuals so authorized under applicable state law.

Organ or tissue procurement organizations: Consistent with applicable law, we may disclose your PHI to organizations engaged in the procurement, banking, or transplantation or organs for the purpose of tissue donation and transplant.

Notification: We may use or disclose your PHI to assist in a disaster relief effort so that your family, personal representative, or friends may be notified about your condition, status, and location.

Correctional Institution: If you are or become an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose to the institution or its agents, PHI necessary for your health and the health and safety of others.

To avert a serious threat to health or safety: We may use and disclose your PHI to appropriate authorities when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another person or the public.

Military and Veterans: If you are a member of the US Armed forces or a foreign military, we may disclose your PHI as required by military command authorities if certain conditions are met.

National security and intelligence activities: We may disclose your PHI to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counter-intelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.

Protective services for the President and others: We may disclose your PHI to authorized federal officials so that they may provide protection for the president, other authorized persons, or foreign heads of state, or conduct special investigations.

We May Use or Disclose Your PHI for Other Purposes Only With Your Authorization.

Your written authorization to use and disclose your PHI is required in order for us to:

  • Use and disclose psychotherapy notes containing your PHI (to the extent we hold any)
  • Send marketing communications to you. If we will receive payment for making a marketing communication, we will state this in the authorization.
  • Receive payment in exchange for your PHI.

In addition to the above situations, any other uses and disclosures of your PHI not described elsewhere in this Notice will be made only with your prior written authorization. You may revoke any such authorizations at any time by submitting a written notice to Bell Pharmacy Privacy Office, Records & Disclosures; 805 E Bloomingdale Ave., #760 Brandon, FL 33511. Fax 813-689-8200. Your revocation will become effective upon our receipt of your written notice.

Your rights with respect to your PHI

You have the following rights with respect to your PHI:

Obtain a paper copy of this Notice. You have the right to obtain a copy of this Notice at any time by contacting Bell Pharmacy. The address, telephone, and facsimile number are set forth in the box below.

Inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI. You have the right to see and get a copy of your PHI we maintain, which includes your prescription and billing records. You may request an electronic copy of your PHI records that we maintain electronically. To get a copy of your PHI, submit a written request to Bell Pharmacy (address provided below). You may also ask us to provide a copy of your PHI to another person. In that case, your written request must be signed by you, must clearly identify the person to whom you want us to send the copy of your PHI, and must state where the copy is to be sent. We will respond to your request in writing within 30 days. A fee may be charged for the expense of fulfilling your request.

Denial: We may deny your request to inspect and copy your record in certain limited circumstances. If we deny your request, we will notify you in writing and let you know if you may request a review of the denial.

Bell Pharmacy: 805 E. Bloomingdale Ave # 760, Brandon, FL 33511 PH 833-669-4377 Fax: 813-689-8200

All requests must include patient’s full name, date of birth, and address.

Request an amendment. If you feel that your PHI we maintain is incomplete or incorrect, you may request that we amend it. To request an amendment, submit a written request to Bell Pharmacy (address provided below). Request must identify: (i) which information you seek to amend, (ii) what corrections you would like to make, and (iii) why the information needs to be amended. We will respond to your request in writing within 60 days (with a possible 30-day extension). In our response we will either: (i) agree to make the amendment, or (ii) inform you of our denial, explain our reason, and outline appeal procedures. If denied, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with the decision. We will provide a rebuttal to your statement and maintain appropriate records of your disagreement and our rebuttal.

Receive an accounting of disclosures. You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures of your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. This accounting will also exclude disclosures: made directly to you, made with your authorization, made intentionally, made to caregivers, made for notification purposes, and certain other disclosures. To obtain an accounting, submit a written request to Bell Pharmacy (address provided below). Requests must specify the time period, not to exceed 6 years. We will respond in writing within 60 days of receipt of your request (with a possible 30- day extension). We will provide one accounting per 12-month period free of charge, but you may be charged for the cost for any subsequent accounting period. We will notify you in advance of the costs involved, and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request at that time.

Request a general restriction. A general restriction is one that restricts or limits our use or disclosure of your PHI. To request a general restriction, you must identify in this request (i) what particular information you would like to limit, (ii) whether you want to limit use, disclosure, or both, and (iii) to whom you want the limits to apply. We will consider your request but are not required to agree. We have the right to terminate the restriction if: (i) you agree orally or in writing to terminate the restriction, or (ii) if we inform you of the termination, which becomes effective only for your PHI created or received after we inform you of the termination. To submit a general restriction, send a written request to Bell Pharmacy (address provided below).

Request a plan restriction. A plan restriction is one that meets the following three conditions: (A) it is to restrict disclosure of your PHI to a health plan for purposes of payment or health care operations; (B) the PHI relates solely to a health care item or service for which you, or someone on your behalf, has paid us in full; and (C) the disclosure is not otherwise required by law. If you wish to request a plan restriction, you must do so separately for each prescription and subsequent refill event, and must make your request to the pharmacy before your medication is dispensed. Otherwise the pharmacy will automatically submit the claim to your health plan on record, if any, for payment. We will not agree to a plan restriction if by law we are required to submit your PHI to the plan. If we do agree to a restriction, we will not apply the restriction in the event of an emergency. To submit a plan restriction, you must do so either in person at the pharmacy when you bring in your prescription or by telephoning the pharmacy before your prescription is sent to the pharmacy.

Bell Pharmacy: 805 E. Bloomingdale Ave # 760, Brandon, FL 33511    PH 833-669-4377   Fax: 813-689-8200

All requests must include patient’s full name, date of birth, and address.

Complaints: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with Bell Pharmacy team at the address below or with the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized in any way for filing a complaint.

Bell Pharmacy: 805 E. Bloomingdale Ave # 760, Brandon, FL 33511    PH 833-669-4377 Fax: 813-689-8200

Changes to this Notice: We reserve the right to change our privacy practices. We reserve the right to make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future, as of the effective date of the revised Notice. Upon request to the Privacy Office, Bell Pharmacy will provide a revised Notice to you.