Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Ascent Psychiatry LLC (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a virtual concierge psychiatry practice based in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (the “Site”) and use our services.
Please read this Policy carefully. By accessing or using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not access or use the Site.
Important Note Regarding Health Information: This Privacy Policy addresses the information collected through our website. The use and disclosure of your protected health information (PHI) as a patient of Ascent Psychiatry is governed by our separate Notice of Privacy Practices, as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If there is any conflict between this Privacy Policy and our Notice of Privacy Practices with respect to your PHI, the Notice of Privacy Practices shall control.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following categories of information when you interact with our Site and services:
a) Personal Information You Provide
When you contact us, request an appointment, complete intake forms, or otherwise interact with the Site, you may provide us with personal information, including but not limited to: your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, date of birth, emergency contact information, and other information you voluntarily submit.
b) Health Information
If you submit health-related information through the Site (such as through intake forms, questionnaires, or patient portal communications), that information may be treated as protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA and will be handled in accordance with our Notice of Privacy Practices.
c) Automatically Collected Information
When you access the Site, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including: your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, referring/exit pages, date and time of your visit, pages viewed, clickstream data, and other usage statistics.
d) Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We may use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior on the Site. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. We use the following types of cookies: (i) Strictly Necessary Cookies, which are essential for the Site to function and cannot be disabled; (ii) Functional Cookies, which remember your preferences and settings; and (iii) Analytics Cookies, which help us understand how visitors use the Site so we can improve it. We do not use advertising or marketing cookies. You can control non-essential cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features of the Site.
e) Analytics Data
We may use third-party analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to help us understand how visitors use the Site. These tools may collect information such as how often users visit the Site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they visited prior to coming to our Site. We use this information solely to improve the Site and our services. You may opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
3. How We Use Your Information
We may use the information we collect for the following purposes:
a) To provide, operate, and maintain the Site and our services.
b) To process appointment requests and facilitate the delivery of psychiatric care.
c) To communicate with you, including responding to your inquiries, sending appointment reminders, and providing information about our services.
d) To send you administrative information, such as updates to our Terms and Conditions, this Privacy Policy, or our policies.
e) To process payments and billing in accordance with our published fee policies.
f) To improve, personalize, and optimize your experience on the Site.
g) To monitor and analyze usage trends to improve the Site’s functionality and content.
h) To protect the security and integrity of the Site and our services.
i) To comply with legal obligations, including HIPAA, Pennsylvania law, and other applicable regulations.
j) To enforce our Terms and Conditions and other policies.
k) For any other purpose with your consent.
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
a) Service Providers
We may share your information with third-party vendors, consultants, and service providers who perform services on our behalf. These may include providers of telehealth video platforms, electronic health record (EHR) systems, practice management and scheduling software, payment processing, email and communication services, website hosting, analytics, and IT support. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the purposes for which we have engaged them.
b) Business Associates (HIPAA)
Any third-party service provider that has access to protected health information on our behalf is required to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) in accordance with HIPAA. We maintain current BAAs with all vendors that store, process, or transmit PHI, including our telehealth platform, EHR system, and any other vendor involved in the delivery of your care. You may request a list of the categories of business associates with whom we share PHI by contacting us.
c) Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal process, including subpoenas, court orders, or government requests. We may also disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others; investigate fraud; or respond to a government request.
d) Emergency Situations
We may disclose your information to appropriate authorities or individuals if we believe it is necessary to prevent or address a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.
e) Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, dissolution, or similar transaction involving our practice, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on the Site of any such change in ownership or control.
f) With Your Consent
We may share your information for any other purpose disclosed to you at the time of collection or with your express consent.
5. Data Security
We implement appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your personal information and PHI against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include, but are not limited to:
a) Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
b) Secure access controls and authentication mechanisms.
c) Regular security assessments and monitoring.
d) Employee and provider training on privacy and security practices.
e) Use of HIPAA-compliant platforms and vendors for the storage and transmission of PHI.
While we strive to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you use the Site and provide information at your own risk.
6. Data Breach Notification
In the event of a breach of unsecured protected health information, we will notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay and no later than sixty (60) days following discovery of the breach, in accordance with HIPAA and the Pennsylvania Breach of Personal Information Notification Act. Notifications will be sent by first-class mail or email (if you have consented to electronic communication). If a breach affects 500 or more individuals, we will also notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and provide notice through prominent media outlets as required by law.
If we become aware that your personal information (including your name combined with a Social Security number, driver’s license number, or financial account number) has been compromised, we will also notify you in accordance with Pennsylvania’s breach notification statute.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. The following retention periods apply:
a) Medical Records and PHI: Retained for a minimum of seven (7) years from the date of the last treatment for adult patients, in accordance with HIPAA and Pennsylvania law. For minor patients, records are retained until the patient reaches age 21 or for seven (7) years from the last treatment, whichever is longer.
b) Billing and Payment Records: Retained for a minimum of seven (7) years as required for tax and regulatory compliance.
c) Website Analytics and Cookies: Retained for up to twenty-six (26) months, consistent with standard analytics platform settings.
d) Account Information: Retained for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to fulfill any legal or contractual obligations.
When personal information is no longer needed, we will securely destroy or de-identify it in accordance with applicable law and our internal data retention policies.
8. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your jurisdiction and the nature of the information, you may have the following rights:
a) Access and Correction
You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete information.
b) Deletion
You may request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions required by law (such as medical record retention requirements).
c) HIPAA Rights
As a patient, you have specific rights under HIPAA regarding your PHI, including the right to access, amend, and receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI. These rights are described in detail in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
d) Opt-Out of Communications
You may opt out of receiving non-essential communications from us by following the unsubscribe instructions included in our emails or by contacting us directly. Please note that even if you opt out, we may still send you transactional or administrative communications related to your care or account.
e) Cookie Preferences
You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or alert you when a cookie is being set.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in Section 13 below. We will respond to verifiable requests within thirty (30) days.
9. Telehealth Privacy Considerations
As a virtual psychiatry practice, we deliver care through telehealth platforms. In connection with telehealth services, please be aware of the following:
a) We use HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms that employ encryption and other security measures to protect the confidentiality of your sessions.
b) You are responsible for ensuring the privacy of your environment during telehealth sessions. We recommend using a private, quiet location and a secure internet connection.
c) Telehealth sessions are not recorded by Ascent Psychiatry unless required by law or with your express written consent.
d) Despite our security measures, there are inherent risks associated with electronic communication, and absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
10. Children’s Privacy
Ascent Psychiatry provides clinical services for patients ages 5 and older. For minors (under 18), access to our clinical services requires parental or legal guardian consent as determined by our providers and applicable Pennsylvania law.
With respect to website data collection, the Site is not directed to individuals under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site without parental consent. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.
11. Third-Party Websites and Services
The Site may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated or controlled by Ascent Psychiatry. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and may provide additional notice through the Site or by email. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.
13. Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Ascent Psychiatry LLC
2003 S Easton Rd, Suite 308, PMB #3466
Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 876-5015
[email protected]
www.ascent-psychiatry.com
For complaints regarding the handling of your protected health information, you may also file a complaint with:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: By using the Ascent Psychiatry website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.