At Wallace Skin & Body Institute, your privacy and the confidentiality of your health information are of the utmost importance. As a healthcare provider offering cosmetic dermatology services, we are committed to safeguarding your personal information—including any Protected Health Information (PHI)—in accordance with applicable privacy laws and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
1. Information We Collect
Personal Information: When you schedule an appointment, subscribe to our newsletter, or contact us, we may collect personal information such as your name, email address, telephone number, and, when relevant to your care, information related to your health and treatment history. Any health-related information that we collect is considered PHI and is handled with the highest level of confidentiality.
Usage Data: We automatically collect certain information about your visit to our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and pages visited. This data helps us understand how our site is used and supports our ongoing efforts to improve your experience.
Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and other tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, remember your preferences, and analyze site traffic. You may control the use of cookies through your browser settings; however, please note that disabling cookies may limit your access to some features of our site.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:
Providing and Managing Services: Scheduling appointments, processing payments, delivering personalized care, and coordinating follow-up care. Any PHI used in these processes is maintained in compliance with HIPAA’s Privacy and Security Rules.
Improving Our Website and Services: Analyzing usage data to understand trends and improve our website and services so that we may serve you better.
Communication: Sending appointment reminders, newsletters, treatment updates, promotional information, and other communications related to our services. When these communications involve health information, they are transmitted and stored securely in compliance with HIPAA guidelines.
Compliance and Security: Ensuring that our practices meet legal obligations and protecting our systems from unauthorized access, fraud, or misuse of your information.
3. HIPAA Compliance and Protection of PHI
HIPAA Compliance: As a healthcare provider, Wallace Skin & Body Institute adheres to HIPAA requirements regarding the privacy and security of PHI. We limit our use, disclosure, and retention of PHI to those purposes necessary for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.
Safeguards: We have implemented administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure that your PHI is protected from unauthorized access or disclosure. These measures include secure data storage, encrypted communications where appropriate, and regular training for our staff on HIPAA compliance.
Your Rights: Under HIPAA, you have rights regarding your PHI. You may request access to, corrections of, or restrictions on our use of your PHI. To exercise these rights or if you have any questions about how your health information is protected, please contact our Privacy Officer at the address provided below.
4. Sharing and Disclosure of Your Information
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:
Service Providers: With trusted third-party vendors who assist us with website operations, payment processing, and communications. These vendors are required to safeguard your data and use it only for the purposes for which it was provided.
Legal Requirements: When required by law, regulation, or a valid legal process, we may disclose your information. In such cases, we will only share the minimum information necessary to comply with the legal requirement.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our business, your information may be transferred to the new owner, provided that the recipient agrees to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and HIPAA requirements.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal information and PHI only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with legal and regulatory obligations. Once your information is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to securely dispose of it.
6. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your jurisdiction and your status as a patient, you may have rights regarding your personal information and PHI. These rights may include:
The right to access your information.
The right to request corrections or amendments.
The right to request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures.
The right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.
7. Third-Party Links
Our website may include links to third-party sites. This Privacy Policy does not govern those sites, and we encourage you to review the privacy policies of any site you visit.
8. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about our information practices.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, our HIPAA practices, or the handling of your personal information, please contact us:
Wallace Skin & Body Institute 5120 W Goldleaf Circle, Suite 20 Ladera Heights, CA 90056 Phone: (323) 296-3376 Email: appointments@wallacederm.com
