Privacy Policy

Hermosa Medical Center ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at https://hermosamedicalcenter.com/, use our services, or interact with us through various communication channels, including SMS messaging powered by Twilio. As a healthcare provider located in Chicago, Illinois, we adhere to all applicable federal and state laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Illinois privacy regulations.

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide you with comprehensive medical care and to improve our services. This may include:

a. Protected Health Information (PHI)

Under HIPAA, PHI includes demographic information, medical history, test results, insurance information, and other data that is used to identify you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, or the provision of health care to you. This information is collected during appointments, through medical forms, and during interactions with our healthcare professionals.

b. Personal Information (Non-PHI)

This includes information that can identify you but is not directly related to your health, such as:

• Contact Information: Name, address, email address, phone number.
• Demographic Information: Date of birth, gender, marital status.
• Website Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referral source, pages visited, and time spent on our website. This is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies.

c. Information Collected via SMS Messaging (Twilio)

When you opt-in to receive SMS messages from Hermosa Medical Center, we may collect:

• Your mobile phone number.
• Details of your consent (e.g., date, time, method of opt-in).
• Records of messages sent and received.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for various purposes, primarily to provide healthcare services and to operate our medical center effectively. Specific uses include:

a. For Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations (TPO)

• Treatment: To provide, coordinate, and manage your healthcare and related services. This includes sharing information with other healthcare providers involved in your care.
• Payment: To bill and collect payment for the services we provide, including submitting claims to your insurance company.
• Healthcare Operations: For activities necessary to run our medical center, such as quality assessment, staff training, administrative functions, and legal and auditing services.

b. For Communication and Marketing

• To send appointment reminders, test results, and other health-related information.
• To respond to your inquiries and requests.
• To send you information about our services, health tips, or promotions, where permitted by law and with your consent.
• SMS Messaging: To send you appointment confirmations, reminders, and other important notifications related to your care. We will only send SMS messages to individuals who have explicitly opted in to receive them. Message frequency may vary. Standard message and data rates may apply.

c. For Legal and Regulatory Compliance

• To comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including HIPAA.
• To respond to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal processes.
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of Hermosa Medical Center, our patients, or others.

3. Disclosure of Your Information

We may disclose your information in the following circumstances:

a. To Healthcare Providers and Business Associates

We may share your PHI with other healthcare providers for treatment purposes. We may also share information with third-party business associates (e.g., billing companies, IT service providers, Twilio for SMS services) who perform functions on our behalf and are obligated to protect your information under HIPAA Business Associate Agreements.

b. For Payment and Healthcare Operations

As described above, we may disclose information for billing, insurance claims, and our operational activities.

c. With Your Authorization

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes other than TPO or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

d. Required by Law

We may disclose your information when required by law, such as for public health activities, abuse or neglect reporting, health oversight activities, judicial and administrative proceedings, law enforcement purposes, and to coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors.

e. SMS Messaging Data Sharing

Information collected via SMS messaging, including your phone number and message content, may be shared with Twilio, our SMS service provider, solely for the purpose of facilitating message delivery. Twilio is contractually obligated to protect this data and use it only for the services provided to us.

4. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal and health information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
• Access controls and authentication procedures.
• Regular security assessments and employee training.
• Secure servers and data backup procedures.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

5. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

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

• Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI.
• Right to Amend: You have the right to request an amendment to your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location.
• Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Privacy Policy upon request.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in Section 8.

6. SMS/Text Messaging Program

Hermosa Medical Center may send SMS text messages for appointment confirmations, reminders, and related healthcare notifications. By providing your mobile number, you consent to receive these messages.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply "STOP" to unsubscribe at any time, or "HELP" for help.

7. SMS Opt-Out and Consent Withdrawal

You can opt-out of receiving SMS messages from us at any time by replying "STOP" to any message you receive. You may also withdraw your consent by contacting us directly. Please note that opting out of SMS messages may affect your ability to receive timely appointment reminders or other important notifications.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will post any revised policy on our website with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.