Messaging/Website Privacy Policy for Guardian Dermatology, P.C.

Guardian Dermatology takes your privacy seriously, and we want you to know how we collect, use, share, and protect your information when you visit our website or use our related mobile applications or opt-in for messaging.

Please note this Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) does not apply to Protected Health Information (PHI) that is subject to privacy regulations published under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). We separately address how your PHI is handled in our Notice of Privacy Practices, which is available at each office location or online.

The information contained in this document does not constitute medical or healthcare advice for any individual problem. It is not a substitute for medical or other professional advice and services from a qualified healthcare provider familiar with a patient’s unique facts. Individuals with health concerns should always consult a healthcare provider for any health problem or medical condition, and/or prior to the start of any new treatment.

Collection of Personal Information You Submit:

When you use this website or messaging service, we may use the personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you submit an inquiry or register for an event. By doing so, you are giving our practice your permission to use the information for the stated purpose. If you choose to provide us with personal information, including completing a web form or sending us an email or message, we will use that information to help us provide you the information or service you have requested or respond to your message.

The information we may receive from you varies based on what you do when visiting this website or using our messaging service. This personal information may include your:

Name
Email address
Telephone number
Zip code
Any other details you voluntarily choose to submit

The amount of information you provide is completely voluntary; however, providing less information might limit a user’s ability to access all of the website or messaging features.

Automatically Collected Information:

In addition to the personal information you voluntarily submit to us, our practice and its vendors use analytics tools and other third-party technologies to collect certain information automatically when you use this website or our messaging services. We collect and analyze this information because it helps us to better design our services to suit your needs. This information may include:

The Internet domain from which you access the website
The Internet Protocol (IP) address (a unique number for each computer connected to the Internet) from which you access this website.
The type of browser (e.g., Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome) used to access this website.
The date and time you accessed this website.
The Universal Resource Locators (URLs), or addresses, of the pages you visit.
Your name, email and phone number if provided

For example, we use a third-party analytics service provider that uses cookies to support the operation and performance of this website and to analyze visitor interactions on this website. A cookie is a small file that a website transfers to your computer to allow it to remember specific information about your session while you are connected. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website will be transmitted to and stored by this service provider and is not personally identifiable.

Most web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. If you do not wish to have cookies stored on your device, you can turn cookies off. The federal government shares online instructions on how to opt out of various types of cookies in popular desktop and mobile browsers, and Google Analytics and Google Demographic and Interest reports at  https://www.usa.gov/optout-instructions. Please note that certain features of this website might not function if you delete or disable cookies.

Authorization to Communicate with You:

When you use our services, we will regularly collect and confirm that we have consent to communicate with you about those services (reminder, notifications, alerts, billing, satisfaction surveys, etc). You may opt-out (cancel, discontinue) that consent at any time by contacting our offices, or by responding to messages to revoke consent in a manner provided within the message (i.e. “you may use the “unsubscribe” link” or “reply STOP to be removed from future messages”)

Use of Personal Information:

Our Practice uses information obtained via this website, through delivery of services and other sources you provide during the course of Treatment, Payment and Operations to educate and inform users about our practice and the communities we serve, and for other compatible purposes, such as responding to your inquiries, facilitating and improving your online experience, and maintaining the security and integrity of our website and messaging services.

For example, if you provide your email address so you can receive emails about a particular activity or topic, we may send you information about other activities or topics we believe are compatible with your request. If you wish to stop receiving such promotional communications from us, you may use the “unsubscribe” link included in our emails to opt out. Please note that we may still send you transactional and administrative emails even if you opt out of promotional communications.

Other examples of how we may use information obtained include to::

Provide you with information, items, or services, or to process transactions that you requested or agreed to receive.
Communicate with you, including responding to inquiries that you submitted, and/or emailing, calling, or texting you in accordance with your preferences and subject to your consent, were required by law.
Process your registration for events, newsletters, and on pages that require registration, including as necessary for authentication and verification purposes.
Manage and administer this website, including maintaining user accounts.
Create new service offerings, personalize and optimize your experience on this website, or to suggest specific content that may be most relevant to you.
Prevent unauthorized, improper, fraudulent, or illegal activities on this website.

As a general policy, we use personal information and user data for internal purposes only. We do not sell or rent information about you. We will not share or disclose personal information, information regarding text messaging opt-in or message data to third parties, except as stated in this Privacy Policy and our Notice of Privacy Practices, which are compliant with all applicable Federal and State Regulations (ex: HIPAA).

Other examples of how we may use information obtained include to: :

Provide you with information, items, or services, or to process transactions that you requested or agreed to receive.
Communicate with you, including responding to inquiries that you submitted, and/or emailing, calling, or texting you in accordance with your preferences and subject to your consent, were required by law.
Process your registration for events, newsletters, and on pages that require registration, including as necessary for authentication and verification purposes.
Manage and administer this website, including maintaining user accounts.
Create new service offerings, personalize and optimize your experience on this website, or to suggest specific content that may be most relevant to you.
Prevent unauthorized, improper, fraudulent, or illegal activities on this website.

Disclosure of User Information:

We may disclose user information obtained through this website to our subsidiaries, affiliates, and vendors subject to applicable law and in accordance with contractual restrictions.

In addition, we may disclose user information for the purposes described below:

Legal compliance, including to law enforcement, government authorities, regulatory bodies, or other parties as we deem necessary or appropriate to comply with laws, regulations, court orders, or other legal obligations, or to assist in investigations to prevent fraud or other harms, and to enforce our agreements and policies.
Corporate transactions, including to third parties in connection with a business transaction, such as a reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer, change of control, or other disposition of all or any portion of our business assets (including negotiations of the transaction).
Security and safety, including to a third party to prevent harm, fraud, or any other illegal activities; to respond to an emergency which we believe in good faith requires us to disclose data to assist in prevent a death or serious bodily injury; or to protect the security and integrity of this website, or our services and products.

Information Security:

Our practice has implemented reasonable and appropriate security measures to help safeguard your personal information against unauthorized or illegal access, destruction, use, loss, modification, or disclosure.

Although we follow reasonable procedures to safeguard information, transmission via the Internet is not completely secure, and it is impossible for our practice to completely guarantee that user data will be immune from malicious attack or compromise. Users of this website and messaging should understand that their transmission of personal or user data is always at their own risk.

Storage and Maintenance of User Data in the United States:

Our practice collects and stores all user data domestically; therefore, your information will be subject to the laws of the United States, regardless of the country from which your data originates.

Links to Other Websites:

This website may include links to other websites whose privacy practices may differ from those of our practice. If you submit personal information to any of those websites, your information is subject to their privacy statements. Our Privacy Policy does not apply to information you may submit to those websites. We encourage you to carefully read the privacy statements or policies of any website you visit.

If you have any questions, queries, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our personal information practices, please contact us directly via email or phone at the number listed on our website at www.guardianmontana.com. Given the potential security risks associated with email, please use caution when sending any personal information via email or SMS text.