1. INTRODUCTION

Olive Branch Medical Center (“Provider,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it through our compliance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect from you or that you may provide when you visit our website [WEBSITE URL] (the “Site”) and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information.

This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect:

• On the Site
• In email, text, and other electronic messages between you and the Site
• Through mobile and desktop applications you download from the Site, which provide dedicated non-browser-based interaction between you and the Site
• When you interact with our advertising and applications on third-party websites and services, if those applications or advertising include links to this Privacy Policy

It does not apply to information collected by:

• Us offline or through any other means, including on any other website operated by Provider or any third party; or
• Any third party, including through any application or content (including advertising) that may link to or be accessible from or on the Site

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your information and how we will treat it. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, your choice is not to use our Site. By accessing or using the Site, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect several types of information from and about users of our Site, including:

 2.1 Personal Information

Personal information that you provide to us, which may include:

• Contact information (such as name, email address, mailing address, and phone number)
• Account information (such as username and password)
• Demographic information (such as age, gender, and location)
• Payment information (such as credit card numbers and billing addresses)
• Health-related information that you voluntarily provide when requesting nursing services or appointments

 2.2 Health-Related Information

When you request nursing services or appointments through our Site, we may collect certain health-related information that you voluntarily provide, such as:

• Medical history
• Current health conditions
• Medications
• Allergies
• Other health-related information relevant to the nursing services you are seeking

 

2.3 Non-Personal Information

Information about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Site, and usage details, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Referring/exit pages
• Clickstream data
• Date/time stamps
• Pages viewed

 2.4 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities on our Site. This information may include:

• Websites you visited before coming to our Site
• Pages you viewed on our Site
• How long you spent on each page
• What you clicked on
• Your preferences

3. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION

3.1 Direct Collection

Information you provide to us directly when you:

• Register for an account
• Fill out forms on our Site
• Request nursing services or appointments
• Correspond with us by phone, email, or otherwise
• Provide feedback or respond to surveys
• Report problems with our Site

 

3.2 Automated Collection

Information collected automatically as you navigate through the Site, which may include:

• Usage details
• IP addresses
• Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies

3.3 Third-Party Sources

We may receive information about you from third parties, including:

• Business partners
• Service providers
• Analytics providers
• Advertising networks

4. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any personal information:

4.1 To Provide Services

• To present our Site and its contents to you
• To provide you with information, products, or services that you request from us
• To fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it
• To process and manage appointments and service requests
• To communicate with you about your account or services

 4.2 For Business Operations

• To carry out our obligations and enforce our rights arising from any contracts entered into between you and us
• To notify you about changes to our Site or any products or services we offer or provide through it
• To improve our Site, products, services, marketing, and customer relationships
• To develop new products and services
• To measure or understand the effectiveness of the advertising we serve to you and others

 4.3 For Legal and Security Purposes

• To protect the security and integrity of our Site and business
• To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• To respond to law enforcement requests and as required by applicable law, court order, or governmental regulations
• To enforce our Terms and Conditions and other agreements
• To evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets

5. PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)

5.1 HIPAA Compliance

As a healthcare service provider, we are subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and its implementing regulations. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with HIPAA. 

5.2 Notice of Privacy Practices

Our detailed HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which describes how we may use and disclose your PHI and your rights regarding your PHI, is available upon request and is provided to all patients who receive our nursing services. 

5.3 Secure Forms

When you submit health-related information through secure forms on our Site, we implement appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your PHI as required by HIPAA.

 5.4 Business Associates

We may share your PHI with our business associates who perform functions on our behalf or provide us with services if the information is necessary for such functions or services. All of our business associates are obligated, under contract with us, to protect the privacy and security of your PHI.

6. SHARING AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

We may disclose personal information that we collect or you provide as described in this Privacy Policy:

 6.1 Internal Disclosure

• To our subsidiaries and affiliates
• To contractors, service providers, and other third parties we use to support our business and who are bound by contractual obligations to keep personal information confidential and use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them

 6.2 Healthcare Providers

• To healthcare providers involved in your care, including nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals
• To healthcare facilities where you may receive care or treatment

 6.3 Insurance and Payment

• To your health insurance provider to verify coverage, process claims, or for other payment-related purposes
• To third-party payment processors to process payments for services

  6.4 Legal Requirements

• To comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request
• To enforce or apply our Terms and Conditions and other agreements
• If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of Provider, our customers, or others

6.5 Business Transfers

• To a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Provider’s assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which personal information held by Provider about our Site users is among the assets transferred

7. USER RIGHTS

7.1 HIPAA Rights

Under HIPAA, you have certain rights regarding your PHI, including:

• The right to access and receive a copy of your PHI
• The right to request amendments to your PHI
• The right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI
• The right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI
• The right to request confidential communications
• The right to receive a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices

 7.2 Florida-Specific Rights

Under Florida law, you have additional rights regarding your health information, including:

• The right to access your medical records within 30 days of your request (Florida Statutes § 456.057)
• The right to have your medical records kept confidential, with limited exceptions (Florida Statutes § 456.057)
• The right to authorize or refuse the release of your medical records, except as required by law

 7.3 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer using the contact information provided at the end of this Privacy Policy. We may require specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal information (or to exercise any of your other rights).

8. DATA SECURITY

8.1 Security Measures

We have implemented measures designed to secure your personal information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure, including:

• Encryption of sensitive information using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology
• Secure servers with firewall protection
• Access controls and authentication procedures
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Staff training on privacy and security practices

 8.2 Breach Procedures

In the event of a breach of unsecured PHI, we will notify affected individuals, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and, in certain circumstances, the media, as required by HIPAA. For breaches of other personal information, we will notify affected individuals as required by applicable law.

 8.3 Limitations

The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password for access to certain parts of our Site, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information transmitted to our Site. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk.

9. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

9.1 Cookies

A cookie is a small file placed on the hard drive of your computer. You may refuse to accept browser cookies by activating the appropriate setting on your browser. However, if you select this setting, you may be unable to access certain parts of our Site. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you direct your browser to our Site.

9.2 Types of Cookies We Use

• Session Cookies: These temporary cookies are erased when you close your browser and do not collect information from your computer. They typically store information in the form of a session identification that does not personally identify the user.
• Persistent Cookies: These cookies remain on your hard drive until you erase them or they expire. These cookies may be used to remember your preferences for our Site.
• First-Party Cookies: These cookies are set by our Site.
• Third-Party Cookies: These cookies are set by a third party, such as an analytics or advertising service.

 9.3 Web Beacons

Pages 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 Provider, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content and verifying system and server integrity).

9.4 Analytics

We use third-party analytics services, such as Google Analytics, to help us understand how users engage with our Site. These services may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your use of the Site and report website trends. You can learn about Google’s practices by going to google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ and opt out of them by downloading the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. 

9.5 Opt-Out Choices

Most web browsers allow you to manage your cookie preferences. You can set your browser to refuse cookies or delete certain cookies. You may be able to manage other tracking technologies in the same way that you manage cookies.
If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of our Site or the services we provide. 

10. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

10.1 COPPA Compliance

Our Site is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use or provide any information on this Site or through any of its features, register on the Site, make any purchases through the Site, use any of the interactive or public comment features of this Site, or provide any information about yourself to us, including your name, address, telephone number, email address, or any screen name or user name you may use.

 10.2 Parental Consent

If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this Privacy Policy.

 10.3 Florida-Specific Protections

In accordance with Florida law, we take additional precautions to protect the privacy of minors’ health information, including obtaining appropriate authorization for the release of a minor’s health information as required by Florida Statutes § 456.057.

11. RETENTION POLICY

11.1 Retention Period

We will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our policies.

 11.2 Medical Records Retention

In accordance with Florida law, we retain medical records for at least five (5) years after the last patient contact (Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B8-10.002). For minors, records are retained until the patient reaches the age of majority (18 years) plus the standard retention period.

 11.3 Account Information

If you have an account with us, we will retain your account information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. If you wish to cancel your account or request that we no longer use your information to provide you services, contact us using the information provided at the end of this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

12. CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

12.1 Policy Updates

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes to how we treat our users’ personal information, we will post the new Privacy Policy on this page with a notice that the Privacy Policy has been updated. 

12.2 Effective Date

The date the Privacy Policy was last revised is identified at the bottom of the page. You are responsible for periodically visiting our Site and this Privacy Policy to check for any changes.

12.3 Continued Use

Your continued use of the Site after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check the Privacy Policy periodically for updates.

13. CONTACT INFORMATION

To ask questions or comment about this Privacy Policy and our privacy practices, contact our Privacy Officer at:
Olive Branch Medical Center
13668 W. Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL 33635
813-497-4170
info@olivebranchmc.com

If you have a complaint or concern about our privacy practices, please contact us, and we will try to resolve your concern.