Privacy Policy
Our Privacy Policy
Effective Date: Jan 4th 2025
Wellspring Medical Care PLLC ("Wellspring Medical Care," "Wellspring," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information and health information.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information through our website and in connection with our healthcare services.
Because Wellspring Medical Care is a healthcare provider, certain information we collect and maintain is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, and other applicable federal and Texas laws.
1. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with Wellspring Medical Care, we may collect:
Personal Information
Name
Date of birth
Address
Telephone number
Email address
Emergency contact information
Other information you voluntarily provide
Health Information
When you become a patient or communicate with our healthcare providers, we may collect protected health information (PHI), including:
Medical history
Current and previous medical conditions
Medications
Allergies
Laboratory and diagnostic results
Treatment information
Provider notes
Other information necessary to provide healthcare
Payment Information
When you make payments for membership or other services, payment information may be collected and processed through our payment-processing providers.
Wellspring Medical Care generally does not store complete credit card information on its own systems when payment processing is handled by a third-party payment processor.
Website and Technical Information
When you visit our website, certain technical information may automatically be collected, such as:
IP address
Browser type
Device type
Operating system
Pages visited
Date and time of visits
Referral information
Cookies and similar technologies
2. How We Use Your Information
We may use information we collect to:
Provide healthcare services
Schedule and manage appointments
Communicate with patients
Provide telehealth services
Coordinate referrals and outside medical services
Process membership and other payments
Maintain medical records
Provide laboratory and diagnostic services
Manage prescriptions
Respond to questions and requests
Improve our website and services
Send administrative communications
Send marketing communications where permitted and, when required, with your authorization or consent
Prevent fraud and security incidents
Comply with applicable federal and Texas laws
3. How We May Use and Disclose Protected Health Information
As permitted by HIPAA and applicable law, Wellspring Medical Care may use or disclose protected health information for purposes including:
Treatment
To provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare, including sharing information with physicians, specialists, laboratories, pharmacies, imaging centers, and other healthcare providers involved in your care.
Payment
To process payments and manage billing for healthcare services.
Healthcare Operations
To conduct activities necessary to operate our medical practice, including quality improvement, administrative activities, credentialing, compliance, and patient safety.
Required by Law
We may disclose information when required by federal, state, or local law.
Public Health
We may disclose information when permitted or required for public health activities, such as reporting certain diseases or other legally required information.
Legal and Regulatory Proceedings
We may disclose information when permitted or required in response to appropriate legal processes, court orders, subpoenas, or other lawful requests.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety
We may disclose information when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, as permitted by law.
Other Permitted Uses
Additional uses and disclosures may occur as permitted by HIPAA and applicable federal and Texas law.
When a use or disclosure requires your written authorization, we will obtain that authorization before making the disclosure unless otherwise permitted by law.
4. Your HIPAA Privacy Rights
You have certain rights regarding your protected health information.
Right to Access Your Medical Records
You may request access to your medical records and obtain copies of your health information as permitted by law.
Right to Request an Amendment
You may request that we correct or amend health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
Right to Request Confidential Communications
You may request that we communicate with you through a particular method or at an alternative location.
For example, you may request that we contact you by phone rather than mail or contact you at a different address.
We will consider reasonable requests in accordance with applicable law.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your health information.
We are not required to agree to every requested restriction, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
Right to an Accounting of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your protected health information as permitted by HIPAA.
Right to Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.
Right to Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone legal authority to act on your behalf, that person may exercise certain privacy rights on your behalf, subject to applicable verification requirements.
Right to File a Complaint
You may file a complaint with Wellspring Medical Care if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.
These rights are consistent with the current HHS model Notice of Privacy Practices.
5. How We Protect Your Information
Wellspring Medical Care maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal and protected health information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
6. Electronic Communications and Text Messages
If you provide your telephone number and separately opt in to receive SMS communications from Wellspring Medical Care, we may send text messages related to:
Appointment scheduling
Appointment reminders
Patient communications
Service updates
Membership information
Administrative communications
Other communications for which you have provided appropriate consent
Message and data rates may apply.
You may opt out of non-emergency SMS communications at any time by replying STOP.
You may reply HELP for assistance.
Opting out of marketing or non-essential text messages will not affect your ability to receive healthcare services, although we may still contact you through other appropriate methods when necessary for your care or account.
Important: Wellspring should make the SMS language on the Privacy Policy, Contact page, Sign-Up page, and any SMS Terms page identical. Your current pages contain inconsistent descriptions of SMS frequency, so I would remove the "1–5 messages per week" statement unless that is genuinely your intended program.
7. Marketing Communications
We may occasionally send information about Wellspring Medical Care services, educational content, promotions, or other marketing communications.
Where required by applicable law, we will obtain the appropriate authorization or consent before using or disclosing protected health information for marketing purposes.
You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.
8. Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies, pixels, tags, scripts, and similar technologies to:
Operate the website
Improve website functionality
Understand website traffic
Analyze how visitors use the website
Improve our marketing and advertising
Remember preferences
Depending on the technologies actually installed on our website, these services may be provided by third-party technology providers.
You can control certain cookies through your browser settings.
Important for Wellspring: Before publishing this section, your website administrator should identify every active tracking technology, including any Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, advertising pixels, appointment widgets, forms, chat tools, or embedded third-party services, and make sure they are accurately disclosed.
9. Third-Party Service Providers
We may use third-party companies to help operate our business and website, including providers for:
Website hosting
Payment processing
Electronic medical records
Appointment scheduling
Telehealth
Laboratory services
Imaging
Communications
SMS
Analytics
Security
Cloud storage and technology services
Where a third party handles protected health information on our behalf as a business associate, we will use appropriate contractual and security safeguards as required by applicable law.
10. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites.
We are not responsible for the privacy, security, content, or practices of third-party websites.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party website before providing personal information.
11. Medical Information Submitted Through the Website
Please do not submit highly sensitive medical information through general website forms unless the form is specifically intended for secure healthcare communication.
Website contact forms, email, text messages, and other communication methods may not provide the same level of security as our designated patient communication systems.
For sensitive medical information, please use the secure patient communication method provided by Wellspring Medical Care.
12. Children's Privacy
Our standard DPC membership is currently available to patients 17 years of age and older.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the website in violation of applicable law.
If you believe a child has provided personal information through our website without appropriate authorization, please contact us.
13. Medical Records
Medical records are maintained in accordance with applicable federal and Texas law.
Patients may request access to their medical records, subject to applicable legal requirements and permitted exceptions.
Requests for medical records should be directed to our office.
14. Data Retention
We retain personal and medical information for the period required by applicable federal and Texas law and for legitimate healthcare, business, legal, and regulatory purposes.
Medical records may be retained even after a patient's membership or relationship with Wellspring Medical Care ends.
15. Security Breaches
If Wellspring Medical Care determines that a breach involving unsecured protected health information or other personal information has occurred, we will provide notifications as required by applicable federal and Texas law.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, privacy practices, or applicable laws.
When we make material changes, we will update the effective date and post the revised policy on this website.
For our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, we will comply with applicable requirements for providing and posting revised notices.
17. Contact Us
If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy, your privacy rights, or the handling of your information, please contact:
Wellspring Medical Care PLLC
Phone: (713) 487-9929
Address: 11606 Westlock Drive, Tomball, TX 77377
Email: [email protected]
If you have a privacy complaint, you may contact Wellspring Medical Care directly. You may also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
18. Notice of Privacy Practices
This Privacy Policy should be read together with Wellspring Medical Care's HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which describes in greater detail how protected health information may be used and disclosed and the privacy rights available to patients.
The Notice of Privacy Practices is available on our website and is available in paper form upon request.
Effective Date: Jan 4th 2025
Wellspring Medical Care PLLC ("Wellspring Medical Care," "Wellspring," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information and health information.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information through our website and in connection with our healthcare services.
Because Wellspring Medical Care is a healthcare provider, certain information we collect and maintain is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, and other applicable federal and Texas laws.
1. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with Wellspring Medical Care, we may collect:
Personal Information
Name
Date of birth
Address
Telephone number
Email address
Emergency contact information
Other information you voluntarily provide
Health Information
When you become a patient or communicate with our healthcare providers, we may collect protected health information (PHI), including:
Medical history
Current and previous medical conditions
Medications
Allergies
Laboratory and diagnostic results
Treatment information
Provider notes
Other information necessary to provide healthcare
Payment Information
When you make payments for membership or other services, payment information may be collected and processed through our payment-processing providers.
Wellspring Medical Care generally does not store complete credit card information on its own systems when payment processing is handled by a third-party payment processor.
Website and Technical Information
When you visit our website, certain technical information may automatically be collected, such as:
IP address
Browser type
Device type
Operating system
Pages visited
Date and time of visits
Referral information
Cookies and similar technologies
2. How We Use Your Information
We may use information we collect to:
Provide healthcare services
Schedule and manage appointments
Communicate with patients
Provide telehealth services
Coordinate referrals and outside medical services
Process membership and other payments
Maintain medical records
Provide laboratory and diagnostic services
Manage prescriptions
Respond to questions and requests
Improve our website and services
Send administrative communications
Send marketing communications where permitted and, when required, with your authorization or consent
Prevent fraud and security incidents
Comply with applicable federal and Texas laws
3. How We May Use and Disclose Protected Health Information
As permitted by HIPAA and applicable law, Wellspring Medical Care may use or disclose protected health information for purposes including:
Treatment
To provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare, including sharing information with physicians, specialists, laboratories, pharmacies, imaging centers, and other healthcare providers involved in your care.
Payment
To process payments and manage billing for healthcare services.
Healthcare Operations
To conduct activities necessary to operate our medical practice, including quality improvement, administrative activities, credentialing, compliance, and patient safety.
Required by Law
We may disclose information when required by federal, state, or local law.
Public Health
We may disclose information when permitted or required for public health activities, such as reporting certain diseases or other legally required information.
Legal and Regulatory Proceedings
We may disclose information when permitted or required in response to appropriate legal processes, court orders, subpoenas, or other lawful requests.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety
We may disclose information when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, as permitted by law.
Other Permitted Uses
Additional uses and disclosures may occur as permitted by HIPAA and applicable federal and Texas law.
When a use or disclosure requires your written authorization, we will obtain that authorization before making the disclosure unless otherwise permitted by law.
4. Your HIPAA Privacy Rights
You have certain rights regarding your protected health information.
Right to Access Your Medical Records
You may request access to your medical records and obtain copies of your health information as permitted by law.
Right to Request an Amendment
You may request that we correct or amend health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
Right to Request Confidential Communications
You may request that we communicate with you through a particular method or at an alternative location.
For example, you may request that we contact you by phone rather than mail or contact you at a different address.
We will consider reasonable requests in accordance with applicable law.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your health information.
We are not required to agree to every requested restriction, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
Right to an Accounting of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your protected health information as permitted by HIPAA.
Right to Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.
Right to Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone legal authority to act on your behalf, that person may exercise certain privacy rights on your behalf, subject to applicable verification requirements.
Right to File a Complaint
You may file a complaint with Wellspring Medical Care if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.
These rights are consistent with the current HHS model Notice of Privacy Practices.
5. How We Protect Your Information
Wellspring Medical Care maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal and protected health information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
6. Electronic Communications and Text Messages
If you provide your telephone number and separately opt in to receive SMS communications from Wellspring Medical Care, we may send text messages related to:
Appointment scheduling
Appointment reminders
Patient communications
Service updates
Membership information
Administrative communications
Other communications for which you have provided appropriate consent
Message and data rates may apply.
You may opt out of non-emergency SMS communications at any time by replying STOP.
You may reply HELP for assistance.
Opting out of marketing or non-essential text messages will not affect your ability to receive healthcare services, although we may still contact you through other appropriate methods when necessary for your care or account.
Important: Wellspring should make the SMS language on the Privacy Policy, Contact page, Sign-Up page, and any SMS Terms page identical. Your current pages contain inconsistent descriptions of SMS frequency, so I would remove the "1–5 messages per week" statement unless that is genuinely your intended program.
7. Marketing Communications
We may occasionally send information about Wellspring Medical Care services, educational content, promotions, or other marketing communications.
Where required by applicable law, we will obtain the appropriate authorization or consent before using or disclosing protected health information for marketing purposes.
You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.
8. Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies, pixels, tags, scripts, and similar technologies to:
Operate the website
Improve website functionality
Understand website traffic
Analyze how visitors use the website
Improve our marketing and advertising
Remember preferences
Depending on the technologies actually installed on our website, these services may be provided by third-party technology providers.
You can control certain cookies through your browser settings.
Important for Wellspring: Before publishing this section, your website administrator should identify every active tracking technology, including any Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, advertising pixels, appointment widgets, forms, chat tools, or embedded third-party services, and make sure they are accurately disclosed.
9. Third-Party Service Providers
We may use third-party companies to help operate our business and website, including providers for:
Website hosting
Payment processing
Electronic medical records
Appointment scheduling
Telehealth
Laboratory services
Imaging
Communications
SMS
Analytics
Security
Cloud storage and technology services
Where a third party handles protected health information on our behalf as a business associate, we will use appropriate contractual and security safeguards as required by applicable law.
10. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites.
We are not responsible for the privacy, security, content, or practices of third-party websites.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party website before providing personal information.
11. Medical Information Submitted Through the Website
Please do not submit highly sensitive medical information through general website forms unless the form is specifically intended for secure healthcare communication.
Website contact forms, email, text messages, and other communication methods may not provide the same level of security as our designated patient communication systems.
For sensitive medical information, please use the secure patient communication method provided by Wellspring Medical Care.
12. Children's Privacy
Our standard DPC membership is currently available to patients 17 years of age and older.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the website in violation of applicable law.
If you believe a child has provided personal information through our website without appropriate authorization, please contact us.
13. Medical Records
Medical records are maintained in accordance with applicable federal and Texas law.
Patients may request access to their medical records, subject to applicable legal requirements and permitted exceptions.
Requests for medical records should be directed to our office.
14. Data Retention
We retain personal and medical information for the period required by applicable federal and Texas law and for legitimate healthcare, business, legal, and regulatory purposes.
Medical records may be retained even after a patient's membership or relationship with Wellspring Medical Care ends.
15. Security Breaches
If Wellspring Medical Care determines that a breach involving unsecured protected health information or other personal information has occurred, we will provide notifications as required by applicable federal and Texas law.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, privacy practices, or applicable laws.
When we make material changes, we will update the effective date and post the revised policy on this website.
For our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, we will comply with applicable requirements for providing and posting revised notices.
17. Contact Us
If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy, your privacy rights, or the handling of your information, please contact:
Wellspring Medical Care PLLC
Phone: (713) 487-9929
Address: 11606 Westlock Drive, Tomball, TX 77377
Email: [email protected]
If you have a privacy complaint, you may contact Wellspring Medical Care directly. You may also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
18. Notice of Privacy Practices
This Privacy Policy should be read together with Wellspring Medical Care's HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which describes in greater detail how protected health information may be used and disclosed and the privacy rights available to patients.
The Notice of Privacy Practices is available on our website and is available in paper form upon request.
