Privacy Policy & HIPAA Notice

Introduction

Advance Psychiatry & Wellness ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy and HIPAA Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or receive services from our practice.

As a healthcare provider, we are required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI) and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.

Information We Collect

Website Information

When you use our website, we may collect:

• Contact Form Submissions: Name, email address, phone number, and message content when you submit our contact form
• Technical Information: Basic server logs that may include IP addresses, browser type, and pages visited (used for website functionality and security only)

Patient Health Information

When you become a patient, we collect Protected Health Information (PHI) necessary for your treatment, including:

• Medical and psychiatric history
• Current symptoms and conditions
• Treatment plans and progress notes
• Insurance and billing information
• Contact and demographic information

SMS Messaging Information

If you choose to communicate with us by text message, we may also collect:

• Mobile telephone numbers
• SMS consent selections and opt-in/opt-out records
• SMS communication history, when applicable

How We Use Your Information

Website Information

• To respond to your inquiries and schedule appointments
• To improve our website and services
• To maintain website security

Protected Health Information

We may use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes:

• Treatment: To provide, coordinate, and manage your psychiatric care
• Payment: To bill and collect payment for services provided
• Healthcare Operations: To support our business activities, quality improvement, and administrative functions

SMS Messaging

• To send authorized responses to patient inquiries, follow-up and care-coordination communications, billing and insurance-related notifications, forms, administrative requests, office updates, and other healthcare-related SMS messages
• To document, process, and honor SMS consent and opt-out requests

Disclosures Without Your Authorization

In certain situations, we may be permitted or required by law to disclose your PHI without your written authorization:

• As Required by Law: When required by federal, state, or local law
• Public Health Activities: For disease prevention and public health purposes
• Health Oversight: To health oversight agencies for audits, investigations, and inspections
• Judicial Proceedings: In response to court orders or subpoenas
• Law Enforcement: Under specific circumstances as required by law
• Serious Threats: To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety
• Abuse or Neglect: To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence

Your Rights Under HIPAA

You have the following rights regarding your Protected Health Information:

• Right to Access: You may request to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical records
• Right to Amend: You may request corrections to your PHI if you believe it contains errors
• Right to Accounting: You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI
• Right to Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI
• Right to Confidential Communications: You may request to receive communications about your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations
• Right to a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time

How We Protect Your Information

We implement appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information:

• Secure, encrypted connections (SSL/TLS) for all website communications
• Access controls limiting who can view your information
• Secure storage of electronic and paper records
• Staff training on privacy and security practices
• Business Associate Agreements with third-party service providers who may access PHI

Third-Party Services

Our website is hosted by Netlify, which provides secure hosting services. Our contact form submissions are processed through Netlify Forms. These services are configured to protect your information and do not have access to your Protected Health Information from clinical encounters.

We use Google Analytics only to understand general website traffic (page views and overall trends). We do not transmit any patient-identifiable information, diagnoses, symptoms, or appointment details to any analytics or advertising service.

Messaging providers may process mobile telephone numbers and message information only as necessary to provide communication services on behalf of the Practice and may not use that information for independent marketing purposes.

SMS Messaging Terms and Conditions

Advance Psychiatry & Wellness may offer SMS and text messaging as an optional method of communicating with patients and individuals who have provided consent to receive messages.

Types of Messages

SMS messages may include responses to patient inquiries, follow-up and care-coordination communications, billing and insurance-related notifications, forms, administrative requests, office updates, and other non-marketing communications related to healthcare services provided by Advance Psychiatry & Wellness.

Consent

Individuals will receive SMS messages only after affirmatively selecting "I Agree" through the Practice's approved electronic patient intake and consent process. Neither consent option is preselected. Consent to receive text messages is optional and is not a condition of receiving treatment or healthcare services.

Message Frequency and Charges

Message frequency varies depending on appointments, services, and communication needs. Message and data rates may apply depending on the individual's mobile telephone plan.

Opting Out and Assistance

Recipients may reply STOP at any time to opt out of future SMS messages. Recipients may reply HELP for assistance or contact Advance Psychiatry & Wellness at (305) 482-1452.

Declining or withdrawing SMS consent will not affect an individual's eligibility to receive treatment or services. After an opt-out request is received, the Practice may send a final confirmation message and will discontinue further non-essential SMS messages unless the individual provides consent again.

Privacy of Mobile Information

Advance Psychiatry & Wellness does not sell, rent, or share mobile telephone numbers or SMS messaging consent information with third parties or affiliates for their marketing or promotional purposes.

Mobile information may be disclosed to vendors or service providers only when reasonably necessary to operate, support, and deliver the Practice's messaging services, maintain security, comply with legal requirements, or provide healthcare-related services. These service providers may use the information only for the services they perform on behalf of the Practice.

SMS opt-in information and messaging consent will not be sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

Security and Sensitive Information

Standard SMS messages may not be fully encrypted or secure. Messages may be visible to anyone who has access to the recipient's telephone, mobile device, or mobile account. Patients should not use SMS to send highly sensitive medical information.

Text messaging is not monitored continuously and must not be used for emergencies, urgent clinical concerns, or crisis communication. Individuals experiencing an emergency should contact emergency services or seek immediate in-person assistance.

Marketing Messages

Consent to receive non-marketing healthcare and administrative messages does not authorize marketing or promotional text messages. Advance Psychiatry & Wellness will obtain separate consent before sending marketing or promotional SMS messages when required.

Changes to SMS Terms

Advance Psychiatry & Wellness may update these SMS Messaging Terms and Conditions when necessary. Changes will be posted on this Privacy Policy page with an updated effective date.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy and HIPAA Notice at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this website. The effective date at the top of this page indicates when this notice was last updated. We encourage you to review this notice periodically.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

To file a complaint with HHS, visit: www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint