Privacy Policy for Dolce Vita Chiropractic

 

Effective Date: July 15, 2025

At Dolce Vita Chiropractic (“we,” “us,” or “our”), safeguarding your personal information is paramount. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, utilize, disclose, and protect your information when you visit our clinic, interact with our website (if applicable), or engage with us in any other way. We are committed to complying with both federal law (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA) and Texas state law, including the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act (TMRPA).

 

1. Information We Collect

 

We may collect various types of information, including:

  • Personal Identifiable Information (PII):
    • Contact Details: Your name, address, phone number, and email address.
    • Demographic Data: Date of birth, gender, and marital status.
    • Health Information: Your medical history, current symptoms, diagnoses, treatment plans, progress notes, X-ray results, and other pertinent health records. This is categorized as Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA and is also protected by the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act.
    • Financial Details: Billing address, insurance information, and payment details (please note, we do not retain full credit card numbers).
    • Emergency Contact: The name and phone number of your emergency contact person.
  • Technical Information (if you use our website):
    • Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring pages, pages visited, and time spent on our website.
    • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Information gathered via cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to enhance your Browse experience and analyze website usage.

 

2. How We Obtain Your Information

 

We gather information from you through several channels:

  • Directly from You: When you complete new patient forms, during consultations, examinations, and treatment sessions, or when you communicate with us via phone, email, or in person.
  • From Third Parties: With your consent, we may obtain information from other healthcare providers, insurance companies, or referring physicians, in accordance with Texas law.
  • Automatically (if you use our website): Through cookies and other tracking technologies when you visit our website.

 

3. How We Utilize Your Information

 

We use your information for the following purposes:

  • Providing Chiropractic Care: To assess your health, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, and deliver effective chiropractic care, consistent with Texas Occupations Code Chapter 201.
  • Clinic Operations: To schedule appointments, manage patient records, process payments, and communicate with you regarding your care.
  • Billing and Insurance: To submit claims to your insurance company, verify benefits, and process payments for services rendered.
  • Communication: To send appointment reminders, provide information about your treatment, respond to your inquiries, and deliver important updates (with your consent, where required).
  • Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To adhere to applicable federal laws (like HIPAA) and Texas state laws, regulations, professional standards, and legal processes, including the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act.
  • Improving Our Services (if applicable to website data): To analyze website usage, understand patient needs, and enhance our services and website functionality.
  • Marketing (with your explicit consent): To send you promotional materials, newsletters, or information about new services, but only if you have opted in to receive such communications. You can opt-out at any time.

 

4. How We Disclose Your Information

 

We recognize the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of your information. We may disclose your information under the following circumstances:

  • With Your Consent: We will obtain your explicit consent before disclosing your health information to third parties for purposes not directly related to your treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, as required by Texas Occupations Code Section 201.405.
  • Healthcare Providers: Relevant health information may be disclosed to other healthcare providers involved in your care, such as your primary care physician or specialists, to ensure coordinated and comprehensive treatment.
  • Billing and Insurance Companies: Necessary information will be disclosed to your insurance provider for billing and payment purposes.
  • Business Associates: We may engage third-party service providers (e.g., billing companies, IT support, practice management software providers) who perform functions on our behalf. These “Business Associates” are mandated to protect your information under HIPAA and sign Business Associate Agreements with us, consistent with federal and Texas law.
  • Legal and Regulatory Requirements: Your information may be disclosed when required by law, such as in response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or to comply with regulatory obligations imposed by federal or Texas authorities.
  • Emergencies: In a medical emergency, information may be disclosed to family members or others involved in your care if necessary to protect your health or safety.
  • Public Health Activities: Information may be disclosed for public health activities, such as preventing or controlling disease.

We will never sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

 

5. Data Security

 

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction, in compliance with HIPAA and the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act. These measures include:

  • Secure electronic health records (EHR) systems.
  • Encryption of sensitive data.
  • Access controls and password protection.
  • Regular staff training on privacy and security.
  • Physical security measures for our clinic premises.

While we endeavor to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

 

6. Your Privacy Rights

 

Under HIPAA and the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, you possess certain rights regarding your health information, including:

  • Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health records, as provided by Texas Administrative Code § 76.2.
  • Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made by us.
  • Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, although we are not always required to agree to your request.
  • Right to Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location.
  • Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice: You have the right to a paper copy of this Privacy Policy.
  • Right to Opt-Out of Marketing: You have the right to opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

 

7. Third-Party Websites (if applicable)

 

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

 

8. Children’s Privacy

 

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18 without parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without verifiable parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our records.

 

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

 

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements under federal or Texas law. We will post the revised Privacy Policy on our website (if applicable) and update the “Effective Date” at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this policy regularly.

 

10. Contact Us

 

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Dolce Vita Chiropractic

337 Oaks Trail, Ste 107
Garland, TX 75043

Phone: (469) 886-8200

DC.AMADOR@DOLCEVITA-CHIROPRACTIC.COM

Complaints:

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us directly or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, or the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.