Our Privacy Policy
PRIVACY POLICY & NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Practice Name: Summit Hormone and Advanced Aesthetics
1. 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.
We are committed to protecting your personal and medical information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle your "Protected Health Information" (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable laws.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information necessary to provide you with hormone therapy and aesthetic services, including:
Identity Data: Name, date of birth, government ID.
Medical Data: Health history, lab results, hormone levels, current medications, and treatment notes.
Visual Data: Clinical photography (before/after photos) for medical records.
Payment Data: Credit card details, billing addresses, and insurance information (if applicable).
3. How We Share Your Data (Permitted Uses)
We may share your PHI without your specific authorization in the following core areas:
A. For Treatment (Sharing with Medical Partners)
We share your information with third parties who are essential to your medical care. This includes:
Laboratories: We share patient details and samples with external labs (e.g., Quest, LabCorp, or specialty hormone labs) to process blood work and diagnostic tests.
Pharmacies: We transmit prescription orders to pharmacies (including compounding pharmacies) to fulfill your hormone or aesthetic medication needs.
Referrals: If we refer you to another specialist, we may share relevant medical records to ensure continuity of care.
B. For Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the services and items you receive from us.
Billing Processors: We may share data with third-party billing companies or credit card processors to handle transactions.
CareCredit/Financing: If you use financing services, we share necessary transaction data to validate the purchase.
C. For Healthcare Operations
We may use and disclose your information to run our practice and improve your care.
Software Vendors: We use third-party software for Electronic Medical Records (EMR), appointment scheduling, and patient portals. These vendors are vetted "Business Associates" and are legally bound to protect your data.
Quality Assessment: We may use data to evaluate the performance of our staff or the effectiveness of new aesthetic treatments.
4. Sharing That Requires Your Explicit Consent
We will never share your data in the following ways without your written permission:
Marketing & Social Media: We will not post your "Before & After" photos, testimonials, or procedure videos on social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) or our website without a signed Media Release Form.
Sale of Data: We will never sell your personal information or medical lists to third-party marketing firms.
5. Other Required Disclosures
We may be required by law to share your information without your consent in specific situations, such as:
Public Health: Reporting adverse reactions to medications or products (e.g., Botox/filler complications) to the FDA.
Legal Proceedings: In response to a court order or subpoena.
Law Enforcement: To identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, or missing person, or regarding a crime on our premises.
Safety: To prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public.
6. Your Rights Regarding Your Data
You have the following rights regarding the PHI we maintain about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy: You may request to see or get a copy of your medical and billing records.
Right to Amend: If you feel that medical information we have is incorrect, you may ask us to amend it.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You can request a list of certain disclosures we made of your PHI (e.g., non-routine sharing).
Right to Request Restrictions: You may ask us not to use or share certain part of your information for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree, but if we do, we will comply.
Right to a Paper Copy: You are entitled to a paper copy of this notice at any time.
7. Contact Information
If you have questions about this Notice or wish to file a complaint, please contact our Privacy Officer:
Summit Hormone and Advanced Aesthetics
Attn: Alexi Vaugh
Phone: 970-270-1833
Email: info@summithormone.com
