Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Greschner Foot and Ankle Specialists

Greschner Foot and Ankle Specialists (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (the “Site”), use our services, or interact with us online.

By using our Site, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

a. Personal Information You Provide

When you submit forms or communicate with us, you may provide information such as:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Date of birth (if provided in intake forms)
• Appointment details
• Any other information you voluntarily submit

b. Health Information

If you submit medical or appointment-related information through our site, it may be considered Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA. We protect all PHI in accordance with applicable healthcare privacy laws.

c. Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our Site, we may automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device information
• Pages visited
• Referring website
• Interaction data (e.g., clicks, time on page)

d. Cookies and Tracking Data

We may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Improve website functionality
• Analyze website traffic
• Remember user preferences

You may disable cookies in your browser, but some features may not function properly.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Schedule and manage appointments
• Communicate with you about your care
• Respond to inquiries
• Improve website performance
• Send practice updates or educational content (if you opt in)
• Maintain internal records
• Comply with applicable laws, including HIPAA

We do not sell your personal information.

3. How We Protect Your Information

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your data, including:

• Secure form submissions
• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS)
• Restricted access to PHI
• Compliance with HIPAA privacy and security standards

While we follow industry standards, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information only when necessary and only with trusted parties, such as:

• Medical staff involved in your care
• Business associates (e.g., appointment scheduling software, billing companies)
• Service providers required to operate our website
• Law enforcement or regulatory bodies when legally required
• Other parties when you provide explicit consent

We never sell or rent your information to third parties.

5. Patient Health Information (HIPAA Notice)

Any health-related information submitted through our Site or collected in our office is governed by HIPAA. You may request a copy of our full HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices by contacting our office directly.

This Privacy Policy supplements but does not replace our official HIPAA Notice.

6. Third-Party Services

Our website may use third-party tools including:

• Google Analytics
• Online appointment forms
• Embedded maps, videos, or widgets

These services may collect usage data according to their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review those policies if you interact with them.

7. Links to Other Websites

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external sites.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not directed toward children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without parental consent.

9. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access the information we have collected about you
• Request corrections
• Request deletion (unless prohibited by medical retention laws)
• Opt out of non-essential communications

For PHI requests, please contact our office to follow HIPAA procedures.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically.