Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

The type of information we collect depends on how you interact with True Calm Psychiatry.

Information You Provide

When you contact us, request an appointment, complete an online form, or communicate with our practice, we may collect information such as:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Contact information
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Mailing or residential address
• State and location
• Insurance information
• Appointment information
• Information you provide about your reason for contacting us
• Information necessary to coordinate healthcare services
• Other information you voluntarily provide

If you become a patient, additional information may be collected as part of your psychiatric evaluation and treatment. This may include information related to:

• Medical history
• Psychiatric history
• Current symptoms
• Medications
• Treatment history
• Allergies
• Diagnoses
• Health conditions
• Clinical evaluations
• Treatment plans
• Insurance and billing information
• Other information relevant to your care

2. Protected Health Information

Information related to your healthcare may constitute Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA when applicable.

PHI may include information that identifies you and relates to your physical or mental health, healthcare services, or payment for healthcare services.

True Calm Psychiatry maintains appropriate privacy and security practices for protected health information as required by applicable law.

HIPAA generally requires covered healthcare providers to explain their privacy practices and patients' rights regarding protected health information.

3. How We Use Information

We may use information collected through our website and healthcare services for purposes permitted by applicable law, including:

Providing Healthcare Services

Information may be used to:

• Schedule and provide psychiatric appointments
• Conduct comprehensive psychiatric evaluations
• Provide psychiatric medication management
• Review medical and psychiatric history
• Coordinate appropriate care
• Develop and manage treatment plans
• Provide clinically appropriate follow-up care
• Provide applicable evaluation services

Administrative Purposes

Information may also be used to:

• Respond to inquiries
• Schedule or reschedule appointments
• Verify information
• Communicate appointment-related information
• Process payments
• Submit and process insurance claims
• Maintain administrative records
• Manage our practice
• Improve operational processes

Legal and Regulatory Requirements

Information may be used or disclosed when required or permitted by applicable federal or state law.

Healthcare providers may have legal obligations that permit or require certain uses or disclosures of protected health information. The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes requirements governing permitted uses and disclosures and recognizes patient rights concerning their health information.

4. How We May Share Information

True Calm Psychiatry does not share protected health information for purposes outside those permitted by applicable law without appropriate authorization when authorization is required.

Depending on the circumstances, information may be disclosed to:

• Healthcare professionals involved in your care
• Healthcare providers involved in care coordination
• Insurance companies and health plans
• Healthcare billing and payment organizations
• Business associates providing services on behalf of True Calm Psychiatry
• Individuals you authorize to receive information
• Government agencies or regulatory authorities when legally required
• Law enforcement when required or permitted by law
• Other parties when disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law

HIPAA generally requires covered entities to take reasonable steps to limit certain uses and disclosures of PHI to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose.

5. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on applicable federal and state law, you may have rights regarding your protected health information.

These rights may include the ability to:

• Request access to your health information
• Request a copy of your health records
• Request corrections or amendments to certain information
• Request confidential communications
• Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures
• Request information about certain disclosures
• Obtain a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices
• File a privacy complaint

Some rights are subject to legal limitations and specific procedures.

For additional information regarding your HIPAA rights, please review our Notice of Privacy Practices. HHS explains that covered healthcare providers' notices must describe permitted uses and disclosures, patient rights, the provider's privacy obligations, and how patients can submit privacy complaints.

6. Website Information

When you visit the True Calm Psychiatry website, certain technical information may be collected automatically.

Depending on the website configuration and technologies in use, this information may include:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device type
• Operating system
• Pages visited
• Approximate location information
• Date and time of website access
• Referring website
• Website interaction information
• Technical and diagnostic information

This information may be used to maintain website functionality, improve website performance, monitor security, understand website usage, and improve the overall user experience.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

True Calm Psychiatry may use cookies, analytics tools, pixels, or similar technologies to operate, secure, analyze, and improve the website.

Cookies may help us understand how visitors use the website and which pages receive traffic.

Where required by applicable law, we will provide appropriate choices or notices regarding certain tracking technologies.

You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

8. Website Forms and Appointment Requests

Information submitted through website forms may be used to respond to your inquiry, contact you about requested services, schedule an appointment, or otherwise process your request.

Please do not submit emergency information through a website form.

Website forms and email are not intended to provide emergency psychiatric care.

If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

For immediate mental health crisis support in the United States, call or text 988.

9. Telehealth Privacy

True Calm Psychiatry provides psychiatric services through telehealth for eligible patients in Georgia, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington.

Telehealth involves the use of electronic communication and technology to provide healthcare remotely.

Reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are used to protect information in accordance with applicable requirements.

Patients should participate in telehealth appointments from a private location whenever possible and should follow any security instructions provided by True Calm Psychiatry.

Telehealth requirements may vary depending on the state in which the patient is physically located at the time of care.

10. Information Security

True Calm Psychiatry takes reasonable steps to protect personal information and protected health information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Security measures may include administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information and the services provided.

However, no website, electronic communication system, or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

For this reason, patients should avoid submitting highly sensitive medical information through unsecured channels unless specifically instructed to do so by True Calm Psychiatry.

11. Third-Party Service Providers

True Calm Psychiatry may use third-party service providers to support website operations, scheduling, communications, payment processing, technology, analytics, billing, or healthcare administration.

When applicable, vendors that handle protected health information on behalf of a HIPAA-covered entity may be required to enter into appropriate agreements and comply with applicable privacy and security requirements.

We do not permit third-party service providers to use protected health information beyond the purposes permitted by applicable law and contractual requirements.

12. Payment and Insurance Information

If you provide payment or insurance information, it may be used to:

• Process payments
• Verify insurance eligibility
• Submit insurance claims
• Process reimbursements
• Communicate regarding billing
• Maintain financial records

Insurance companies and other entities involved in healthcare payment may receive information as permitted or required by applicable law.

13. Marketing Communications

If you voluntarily subscribe to non-clinical communications from True Calm Psychiatry, we may use your contact information to send information such as practice updates, educational content, or announcements.

You may unsubscribe from promotional communications by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in the communication.

Marketing communications are separate from communications necessary to provide healthcare services, administer appointments, process payments, or meet legal obligations.

True Calm Psychiatry will handle protected health information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.

14. Children's Privacy

True Calm Psychiatry does not knowingly use this website to collect personal information from children in violation of applicable law.

Healthcare services involving minors may be subject to additional consent, privacy, confidentiality, and legal requirements.

Parents, guardians, or other authorized representatives should contact the practice for information regarding services for minors.

15. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, or resources.

These websites are not controlled by True Calm Psychiatry.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content, or policies of third-party websites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party website before submitting personal information.

16. Social Media

True Calm Psychiatry may maintain social media profiles or include links to social media platforms.

Interactions with social media platforms may be subject to the privacy policies and terms of those platforms.

Patients should avoid posting personal medical or psychiatric information publicly on social media.

True Calm Psychiatry cannot guarantee the privacy of information voluntarily posted on public platforms.

17. Patient Reviews and Testimonials

If you voluntarily submit a testimonial, review, or other feedback, True Calm Psychiatry may use that information only in accordance with applicable law and any required authorization.

Patients should understand that publicly posting health-related information may disclose information about their relationship with a healthcare provider.

True Calm Psychiatry does not disclose a patient's protected health information for marketing or testimonial purposes without appropriate authorization when required by law.

18. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, professional, insurance, accounting, and healthcare recordkeeping requirements.

Medical records may be retained for periods required by applicable federal or state law.

The applicable retention period may differ depending on the type of information and the state in which services are provided.

19. Data Breaches and Security Incidents

True Calm Psychiatry maintains safeguards designed to protect personal and health-related information.

If a security incident or breach occurs that triggers notification obligations under applicable law, True Calm Psychiatry will provide required notifications in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements.

Different laws may apply depending on the type of information involved and the circumstances of the incident. Federal healthcare privacy and breach-notification requirements may apply to HIPAA-covered entities, while other health-information privacy rules may apply in other circumstances.

20. State Privacy Rights

Because True Calm Psychiatry provides telehealth psychiatric services to eligible patients in Georgia, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington, additional state-specific privacy protections may apply depending on the patient's circumstances and the information involved.

State privacy laws may provide rights regarding access, correction, deletion, restrictions, confidentiality, or other uses of personal information.

Healthcare information may also be subject to specific federal and state healthcare privacy laws that operate alongside general consumer privacy laws.

Your rights may therefore vary based on applicable law.

21. Changes to This Privacy Policy

True Calm Psychiatry may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in:

• Our services
• Website technology
• Privacy practices
• Security practices
• Federal requirements
• State requirements
• Healthcare regulations

When changes are made, the updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date.

If a material change affects the way we handle protected health information, we will provide any notice required by applicable law.

HHS states that covered healthcare providers must revise and distribute their Notice of Privacy Practices when material changes are made to their privacy practices.

22. Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or your privacy rights, please contact True Calm Psychiatry using the contact information provided on our website.

True Calm Psychiatry
Telehealth Psychiatric Services
Serving Eligible Patients in Georgia, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington
Website: truecalmpsychiatry.com

For medical or psychiatric emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.

For immediate mental health crisis support in the United States, call or text 988.

23. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

This Privacy Policy explains general website and information-handling practices.

If True Calm Psychiatry is a HIPAA-covered healthcare provider, its separate Notice of Privacy Practices provides additional information regarding:

• How protected health information may be used and disclosed
• Patient privacy rights
• Access to health information
• Requests for amendments
• Confidential communications
• Privacy complaints
• True Calm Psychiatry's legal duties regarding protected health information

The Notice of Privacy Practices should be made available to patients and prominently accessible on the practice website as required by applicable HIPAA requirements.