Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, Inc Privacy Policy & Notice of Privacy Practices

I. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY

This Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices describes how Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, Inc., the office of Dr. Jason S. Hamilton, MD, (referred to as "we," "us," or "our") protects the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI) and other personal information. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI.

As a healthcare entity, we comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, and all related federal and state laws.

II. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

When you use our websites, particularly through our contact forms and patient intake processes, we collect information that may include:

A. Protected Health Information (PHI)

This includes individually identifiable health information created, received, maintained, or transmitted by us, and may include, but is not limited to:

• Demographic Information: Your name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth.

• Health Information: Information related to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition; the provision of healthcare to you; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to you.

• Appointment Information: Requests for consultations or expert second opinions.

• Any information you choose to provide

B. Non-PHI and Technical Data

This includes information that does not identify you as an individual, such as:

• Website usage data, IP addresses, browser type, and time spent on pages.

• Note: If technical data (like an IP address) is connected to your PHI, we treat it as PHI and protect it accordingly.

III. HOW WE USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PHI

We may use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization for the following purposes, as permitted by HIPAA:

1. Treatment: We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and related services.

Example: PHI collected via a contact form is used to create your patient intake record and schedule an appointment with a provider.

2. Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for the health care services we provide.

Example: Sharing PHI with your health plan to determine eligibility or to obtain payment for treatment.

3. Health Care Operations (HCO): We may use and disclose your PHI for our own health care operations, such as business planning, quality assessment activities, and staff training.

Example: Using PHI to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff.

Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Written Authorization

We will not use or disclose your PHI for any purpose not listed above, or as otherwise permitted or required by law, without your specific written authorization. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Marketing (other than face-to-face communications or promotional gifts of nominal value).

• Sale of PHI.

IV. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION CONSENT (Text Messages and Email)

Your privacy and preferences for communication are very important to us.

A. Text Message (SMS) Consent

By providing your mobile number through our website contact or intake forms and checking the corresponding consent box, you are providing explicit written consent to receive recurring text messages from Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, Inc regarding your healthcare, including but not limited to:

• Appointment reminders and confirmations.

• Billing and payment information.

• Follow-up instructions or general health information related to your care.

By consenting, you acknowledge and agree that:

1. Data Security Risk: Standard text messages are not encrypted and may not be inherently secure. General appointment reminders are sent via standard text message. We use a HIPAA-compliant text messaging service with a Business Associate Agreement in place for personalized messages. There is an inherent risk that a third party could view the content of an unencrypted text message if your phone is compromised or viewed by others.

2. To STOP: You can reply STOP at any time to any message to discontinue text communications. Message and data rates may apply.

3. No Condition of Treatment: Your decision to consent to or revoke text messaging is NOT a condition of receiving treatment from us.

4. Frequency: Message frequency will vary based on your appointment schedule and care needs.

B. Email Consent

By filling out the contact form on our website, you consent to receive email communications from Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, Inc regarding your healthcare, including but limited to:

• Appointment confirmations and reminders.

• Responses to your inquiries.

• General health information or updates.

By consenting, you acknowledge and agree that:

1. Data Security Risk: Email, unless fully encrypted, carries a risk of being intercepted or accessed by unauthorized third parties. We use a HIPAA-compliant, encrypted email platforms to send and receive your PHI, and we will apply all reasonable safeguards to protect your information.

2. Opt-Out: You can opt-out of marketing or non-essential emails at any time using the "unsubscribe" link in the email footer. You may not be able to opt out of essential treatment or billing-related emails.

V. OUR SECURITY MEASURES AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES

• HIPAA Compliant Server: We utilize a HIPAA-compliant, secured server to store, process, and transmit all electronic PHI collected via our website forms and intake processes. This includes employing technical safeguards like encryption for data both in transit and at rest, access controls, and regular audit trails.

• Business Associate Agreements (BAAs): We enter into Business Associate Agreements with any third-party vendor (such as our server host, text messaging service, or practice management software) who has access to your PHI. These agreements legally require our vendors to protect your PHI with the same rigor we are required to follow under HIPAA.

VI. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI

You have the following rights regarding the PHI we maintain about you:

1. Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of PHI contained in your medical and billing records for as long as we maintain the PHI.

2. Right to Request Amendment: If you feel that PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information.

3. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI we have made.

4. Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the PHI we use or disclose for treatment, payment, or health care operations.

5. 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 (e.g., mail to a specific address, rather than call your work number).

6. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.

VII. OUR DUTIES

We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.

• Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.

• Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your PHI.

• Abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect.

VIII. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to change this Notice. We reserve the right to make the revised Notice effective for all PHI we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice on our website with a new effective date.

IX. COMPLAINTS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

To file a complaint with us or ask a question about this policy, please contact:

hipaaprivacyofficer@drjasonhamilton.com or call 310-759-6409 and ask to speak to the Privacy Officer.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Effective Date: 10/20/2025  Last Updated: 10/20/2025