Privacy Policy

WEBSITE Privacy policy

Effective/Last updated: November 01, 2020

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes the policies and procedures of MPZ Dermatology (the “Practice”) for handling the Personal Information we collect when you visit or use this website or any other websites, mobile apps, or other online media under our operation and control (collectively, the “Site”). This Policy does not apply to your Personal Information or protected health information under HIPAA that we collect offline. Additional information on our privacy practices for handling protected health information under HIPAA can be found in our HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES [insert link].

This Policy is incorporated in the website Terms of Use (“Terms”). Please read this Policy carefully before using the Site. BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE, YOU CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION, USE, AND SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION AS SET FORTH IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY.

The contact information for MPZ Dermatology is:

1820 Fullerton Ave.
Suite 360
Corona, CA 92881

(951) 270-4494

info@mpzderm.com

THIS WEBSITE IS DESIGNED FOR GENERAL PATIENT INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT RENDER MEDICAL ADVICE OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED.

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH THIS WEBSITE SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR DIAGNOSING OR TREATING A HEALTH PROBLEM OR DISEASE. IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE AND IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT - NOT REPLACE - THE RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

IN THE EVENT YOU EXPERIENCE AN EMERGENCY, GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF A LOCAL HOSPITAL OR DIAL 911 IMMEDIATELY.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change this Policy at any time. In the event we make material changes to the Policy, we will provide notice through the Site. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to the Site and will apply to your use of the Site after the “effective date” listed above.

You understand and agree that your continued use of the Site after the effective date means that the collection, use, and sharing of your information is subject to the updated Policy.

Except to the extent we receive your authorization or as permitted or required by applicable law, we will handle your information in accordance with the terms of the Policy in effect at the time of the collection.

COLLECTION, USE, And DISCLOSURE of your information

Personal Information WE COLLECT

Information you submit. We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you visit or use the Site. For example, we collect your Personal Information when you complete a form, schedule an appointment, contact us, create an account, make a payment or [insert].

If we ask you for Personal Information, you do not have to provide it; however, if you do not provide certain information, you may be unable to access or use some of the Site features or content and we may be unable to provide you with requested information, schedule an appointment, or process your payment.

The personal information we collect may include:

Contact information and other identifiers such as name, address, email address, phone number, date of birth, age, marital status, gender.
Your username and password for accessing our portal or your account.
Information related to your health insurance such as plan ID or member number.
Information related to your medical care such as the name of a referring physician or medical facility that rendered services, primary care physician, pharmacy, or other medical providers.
Information on your medical conditions, treatments, or prescriptions.
Financial information when you make a payment such as a credit card, debit card or financial account number.
Emergency contact information.
Any information you choose to provide us (e.g., in an appointment request, survey response).
[insert]

We may combine or link information we receive from third parties with information we have about you.

Analytics. To monitor utilization of the Site and continuously improve its quality, we use analytics services to compile statistical information. To do so, we or the analytics provider may collect information about your interaction with the Site through cookies and web technologies.

Examples of statistical information might include the number of visitors to the Site, or pages within the Site, patterns of traffic flowing through the Site, length of time spent on the Site or pages of the Site, the websites that refer visitors to the Site, the pages of the Site visitors use as entry and exit points, browser and operating systems used by visitors.

To compile this information, we or the analytics provider may collect and store data elements such as

Your IP address
Your operating system version
Your browser version
The pages you visit within the Site
The length of time you spend on pages within the Site
The site from which you linked to ours
Search terms you used in search engines which resulted in you linking to the Site, etc.

The analytics provider may combine the information from these cookies with Personal Information they have about you from other sources. They may also transfer this information to third parties in case of a legal obligation or if a third-party processes data on behalf of that provider.

Mobile Device Data. If you access our Site from a mobile device, we may collect information from that device such as your phone number or location. Please see the settings menu on your mobile device for information on how to disable location services.

WEB Technologies and Cookies

The Site may use cookies and web technologies, including tracking technologies, to collect and store information about you including but not limited to your usage and interaction with the Site. We may use this information for purposes including but not limited to helping us recognize you when you return to the Site, improving the quality of our service when you visit our Site, diagnosing problems with the Site, and administering the website (including across various websites), user profiling, audience matching, remarketing, data analytics, or providing tailored advertisements to you on our behalf across the Internet based on your interests and browsing of our Site. We may place some of these cookies or web technologies on your device or third parties, including but not limited to, analytics providers, advertising partners, service providers, or social media platforms, may place them when you visit the Site.

Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on your device. We may use both first party and third party cookies on the Site. Whether a cookie is a first or third party cookie depends on which website the cookie comes from. A first party cookie is set by or on behalf of us on our Site. A third party cookie is set by a third party such as service provider, analytics provider, advertising partner/network, or social network. We encourage you to review their privacy policies, for information on how they process your Personal Information.

Cookies can be "Persistent" or "Session" Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on your personal computer or mobile device when you go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as you close your web browser. To learn more about cookies, visit all about cookies.

We may use the following cookies on the Site:

Strictly Necessary/ or Essential Cookies: These cookies are essential to the basic operation of our Site. They help identify you when you sign in, remember information you put in an online form, enable you to navigate the Site and use its features, or provide you with requested services. Without these cookies, we may be unable to provide the Site or certain services and features.
Performance/Analytics Cookies: These cookies gather information on how you use the Site. For example, how you interact with the Site so we can improve it and determine whether the Site is working properly. Some of these cookies may be analytics cookies set by companies that analyze how you use the Site in order to help us improve and optimize the Site and the products and services we offer.
Functionality/Personalization Cookies: These cookies help save information you have entered so the Site can recognize you, remember your username, remember your choices such as font size and color or language, or personalize the Site’s content when you return. These cookies may be set by us or by a third party.
Advertising and Targeting/Tracking Cookies: These cookies may help us provide relevant ads to you, measure its effectiveness, or limit the number of times you have seen it. They may also record your visit to the Site including the links you follow to other sites so we can tailor the Site, communications, and advertising or remember whether you have visited the Site before. These technologies may collect information including details about the device you use to access the Site (e.g., your computer or mobile phone), your IP address, browser type and operating system. Some of these cookies may follow you when you leave the Site and travel to other websites. Certain advertising or targeting cookies may be placed by our selected advertising partners. Information collected through these cookies may be shared with third parties (e.g., advertisers).
Social Media Cookies. These cookies are set by social media providers. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of the social media providers.

Web Technologies. The Site may also use the following web technologies:

Web beacons. Certain sections of our Site and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit us to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).
Facebook meta pixel. This pixel is used for tracking and serving targeted ads. It tracks information such as your page view, view content, search, add to cart, purchase information, sign up, download, submit form, or user information (IP address, browser information).
URL trackers. These third party trackers are strings of code that track user behavior after clicking on a URL for marketing purposes.
Browser/device/online fingerprinting. These third party tools use scripts to track the attributes of the visitor’s device or browser to build a profile of the user.
Chatbot. The Site may use an automated chatbot to process and respond to user questions. The user’s interaction with the chatbot may be recorded and aggregated for customer relations management history.
Session replay. We may record your interaction with the Site to help us analyze and understand how the Site is utilized by visitors and to help improve it. This tool may record information such as your clicks, scrolls and mouse movements, feedback polls, country, duration, device, name, email, ID, browser, OS, and IP address.
Social media widgets. The Site may include social media features or widgets. These features may collect information about you such as your IP address and which page you are visiting on the Site. They may also set a cookie or employ other tracking technologies to accomplish this. Social media features and widgets may be hosted by a third party. Your interactions with those features are governed by the privacy policies of the companies that provide them.
Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Site may use local stored objects (or flash cookies) to collect and store information about your preferences or your activity on our Site.

Controlling Cookies. You may control cookies - including preventing or stopping the installation and storage of cookies - through your browser settings and other tools. For more information, see the Help section of your browser.

Most browsers will allow you to block or refuse cookies. However, you may need to manually adjust your preferences each time you visit a website. If you use different browsers or end devices, you may need to exercise your choice regarding cookies again. In addition, there may be circumstances that cause your settings to reset (e.g., if you delete cookies from your browser, after an update) and we may ask you to manage your cookie preferences again when you return to our Site.

You can also find information on managing cookies at the following links:

Please note that if you block certain cookies, some of the services and functionalities of our Site may not work.

IMPORTANT: BY USING THE SITE, YOU CONSENT TO THE PROCESSING OF ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

HOW WE Use YOur Personal Information

In general, we use the Personal Information we collect for the purpose it was collected, for compatible purposes, as permitted or required by law, and as otherwise provided in this Policy. For example, we may use your Personal Information in the following ways:

To enable your use of the Site and services offered through the Site.
To identify you.
To communicate with you. This may include providing you with information or services or sending messages about the availability of our Site, security, or other service-related issues (Please note that while you can opt out of receiving certain messages from us, you cannot opt-out of receiving service messages including security and legal notices.)
To administer and manage your patient portal account.
To provide our newsletter, relevant information, or similar communications.
To facilitate an employment application you submit (please note that our collection and processing of your resume or related information is not an employment offer or contract between us and will not create any relationship between you and us).
To conduct research related to the development of the Site and services we provide to you.
For other everyday business purposes such as payment processing and financial account management, contract management, IT and website administration and security, data analytics, fraud prevention, corporate governance, reporting and legal compliance, and to ensure use of the Site in accordance with our Terms of Use).
To ensure that content from our Site is presented most effectively to you and your device.
For our marketing and business development purposes.
To comply with laws that we may be subject to or to comply with legal obligations (it is possible that we will need to disclose information about you if required by law, subpoena, or other legal process), of for law enforcement and public safety purposes.
In connection with certain business transactions, such as a sale, acquisitions, merger, or change in control of the Practice, or in preparation for any of these events. In such cases, we will take appropriate steps under the circumstances and to the extent possible to ensure that the recipient agrees to provide privacy protections substantially similar to those established by this Policy.

Please note that we may process your Personal Information without your knowledge or consent where required or permitted by law.

In connection with certain Site use or to provide requested services, we may collect protected health information, as defined under HIPAA, and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices may also apply. You can find our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices [here].

HOW WE SHaRE OR Disclose your persoNAL information

In general, we will not disclose your Personal Information to a third party except with your consent or as described in this Policy. We do not sell, rent, lease, or license your Personal Information to third parties, except as set forth in this Policy or as required or permitted by law.

We may disclose your Personal Information for the purposes that we may use it as described in this Policy as we deem necessary to carry out those purposes, to the following categories of parties:

Practice workforce members, consistent with their role and responsibilities.
Affiliates, related entities, and business partners. If we share your information with our affiliates, we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include [insert]. We may also share your information with our business partners to offer you certain products, services or promotions.
Medical providers; referring physicians or medical facilities.
Service providers or business associates who process or collect your Personal Information or protected health information on our behalf to provide services (e.g., administer the patient portal, manage and support our EMR, assist with marketing and advertising, newsletter administration, text and other communications, schedule appointments, administer and host our website, perform data analytics, provide data storage or IT services, process payments and billing information).
Third party vendors (e.g., parties that assist with creating marketing profiles, delivering targeted ads, debt collection, processing payments, security and fraud prevention).
Professional advisors including lawyers, accountants, auditors, bankers, and insurers.
Social networks in connection with marketing.
Third parties as needed to protect our interests including to investigate, establish or defend legal claims.
Third parties for legal or regulatory related purposes. For example, to (1) comply with federal, state, or local laws; (2) comply with a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons by federal, state, or local authorities; or (3) cooperate with law enforcement agencies concerning conduct or activity that we reasonably and in good faith believe may violate federal, state, or local laws.
Third parties in relation to a transfer or contemplated transfer of assets. For example, for a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction in which the third party assumes control of all or part of the Practice.
Other users.
- Please note that if you share Personal Information in public areas of the Site with other users, your information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside of the Site.
- Third parties at your direction.

Do Not Track

“Do Not Track” is a privacy preference that you can set in your Internet search browser that sends a signal to a website that you do not want the website operator to track certain browsing information about you. Although we may track Site users over time and across third party websites, our Site is not configured to recognize Do Not Track signals from and we are unable to respond to Do Not Track requests. You can learn more about “Do Not Track” at http://www.allaboutdnt.com.

Embedded Content

The Site may contain embedded content (e.g., videos). Embedded content may place third party cookies on your device that track your online activity to enhance your experience or assess the success of their application. We have no direct control over the information these cookies collect and you should refer to their website privacy policy for additional information.

Links to Third Parties’ Sites and Third-Party Integrations

We may provide links to websites or resources outside of our Site for your informational purposes only. We may also provide links to third party integrations. Third party integrations are websites or platforms that synchronize with our Site to provide additional functionality, tools, or services such as maps, sending requested information, etc.

We are not responsible for the availability of third party sites, resources, or integrations and do not endorse and are not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, goods, services or other materials on, available through, or provided by such sites, resources, or integrations. We are not responsible for the privacy or other practices of such websites and cannot guarantee the security of Personal Information that you provide, or is collected by, such websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies and terms and conditions.

CHILDREN

The Site and content are not intended for minors or children under 13 years of age. Parents or guardians who suspect that their child under the age of 13 has submitted information can contact us at [insert].

Retention of Your Personal Information

The Practice will retain your Personal Information for as long as necessary to achieve the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, to the extent permitted or required by law (e.g., if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), or for our legitimate business needs (e.g., to resolve disputes, enforce our legal agreements and policies, to satisfy record keeping requirements).

Applicable law

This Policy is governed by the internal substantive laws of California without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Jurisdiction for any claims arising under or out of this Privacy Policy shall lie exclusively with the state and federal courts within California. If any provision of this Policy is found to be invalid by a court having competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Policy, which shall remain in full force and effect.

Transfer of Your Personal Information

We or our service providers and processors may transfer, process or store your Personal Information in a location where data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction. By providing us with your Personal Information, you consent to the transfer, processing or storage of your Personal Information outside of your jurisdiction.

Security of Your Personal Information

We have taken reasonable and appropriate steps to protect your Personal Information from being intercepted, accessed, used or disclosed by unauthorized persons. For example, we have implemented a security program that contains administrative, technical and physical controls that are designed to reasonably safeguard your data from unlawful use, unauthorized access or disclosure. However, no system for safeguarding personal or other information is 100% secure and there is no guarantee that data may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our administrative, physical, or technical safeguards.

If you have created an account to access the patient portal, please keep your account username and password secure to help minimize risk of unauthorized access to it.

Please do not send us Personal Information or protected health information by unsecure email.

Payments

We use third-party services for payment processing (e.g. payment processors) when you make a payment through the Site. We do not store or collect your payment card or financial account details. You provide your information directly to our third-party payment processors whose use of your Personal Information is governed by their Privacy Policy.

YOUR CHOICES

You can always limit the Personal Information you provide to us, but if you choose not to provide certain requested information, you may be unable to access some of the services and content on the Site.

You can also limit the communications that we may send by following the instructions in our emails to opt-out of receiving future marketing communications.

You can stop the collection of location information from your mobile device by changing the preferences on your mobile device.

Shine the Light Law

If you are a California resident, California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits you to request information regarding the disclosure of your Personal Information by the Practice to third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes for the immediately prior calendar year. Please note that we do not disclose your Personal Information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

Eraser Law

If you are a California resident under the age of 18, and a registered user of any site where this Policy is posted, California law permits you to request and obtain removal of content or information you have publicly posted. You may submit your request using the contact information at the end of this Policy. Please be aware that such a request does not ensure complete removal of the content or information you posted and there may be circumstances in which the law does not require or allow removal even if requested.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at [insert].