Privacy Policy

Valley Acupuncture Health Solutions LLC (“Valley Acupuncture,” “VAHS,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you provide to us.

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you visit valleyacu.com (the “Website”), communicate with us, subscribe to our communications, or interact with services available through our Website.

This Privacy Policy applies to our Website and general online activities. Patient health information may be subject to additional protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) and other applicable healthcare privacy laws. Our handling of protected health information (“PHI”) is also governed, where applicable, by our Notice of Privacy Practices.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you provide directly to us as well as certain information automatically when you use our Website.

Information You Provide

Depending on how you interact with us, you may provide information such as:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Mailing address
  • Information submitted through contact or inquiry forms
  • Newsletter subscription information
  • Appointment-related information
  • Other information you voluntarily provide to us

Please do not submit sensitive medical or health information through general website contact forms or newsletter signup forms unless the form is specifically designated for that purpose.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, certain information may be collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies. This may include:

  • Internet Protocol (IP) address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type
  • Operating system
  • Approximate geographic location
  • Pages visited
  • Date and time of visits
  • Referring website or search source
  • Time spent on pages
  • Website interactions and other usage information

We use this information primarily to operate, secure, understand, and improve our Website.

2. How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

  • Operate, maintain, and improve our Website;
  • Respond to questions, requests, and inquiries;
  • Facilitate appointment scheduling and patient communications;
  • Provide information about our services;
  • Send newsletters and other communications when you have subscribed or otherwise agreed to receive them;
  • Understand how visitors find and use our Website;
  • Monitor Website performance and identify technical problems;
  • Maintain the security and integrity of our Website and systems;
  • Maintain appropriate business and administrative records;
  • Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and professional obligations; and
  • Protect the rights, safety, and property of Valley Acupuncture, our patients, Website visitors, and others.

We do not use general website analytics tools as a substitute for our patient record or practice-management systems.

3. Patient Information and Jane

We use Jane, a third-party practice-management platform, for functions that may include online appointment booking, scheduling, patient records, forms, communications, billing, and other practice-management services.

When you use Jane to book an appointment or otherwise interact with our practice through the Jane platform, information you provide may be collected, processed, and stored through Jane.

Valley Acupuncture determines how patient information maintained through its Jane account is used and who within our practice is authorized to access it, subject to applicable law. Jane acts as a service provider to healthcare practices and may act as a business associate under HIPAA where applicable.

Information processed through Jane is also subject to Jane's applicable privacy and security practices.

We encourage patients to use our designated patient systems, including Jane, when submitting medical, clinical, or other sensitive health information rather than sending such information through ordinary website forms or unsecured email.

4. HIPAA and Protected Health Information

As a healthcare practice, Valley Acupuncture may collect and maintain information that constitutes protected health information under HIPAA.

Where HIPAA applies, our use and disclosure of PHI is governed by HIPAA and our Notice of Privacy Practices, rather than solely by this Website Privacy Policy.

If there is a conflict between this Privacy Policy and our Notice of Privacy Practices regarding PHI, the Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable healthcare privacy law will control.

Please refer to our Notice of Privacy Practices for additional information concerning how we may use and disclose PHI and your rights regarding that information.

5. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors interact with our Website.

Google Analytics may collect information such as browser and device information, approximate geographic location, session information, pages visited, and interactions with our Website. Google Analytics may use cookies and similar technologies to distinguish users and sessions.

We use this information to understand Website traffic and usage, improve Website functionality, and evaluate how visitors find and interact with our Website.

We do not intend to provide Google Analytics with patient medical records or other information that we identify as protected health information.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Google also provides tools that allow users to opt out of Google Analytics measurement.

6. Google Search Console

We use Google Search Console to monitor our Website's visibility and performance in Google Search, identify technical or indexing issues, and understand how users find our Website through search results.

Information made available through Google Search Console may include aggregated or technical information concerning search queries, Website impressions, clicks, pages, devices, and general geographic information.

We use this information to maintain and improve our Website and its visibility in search engines.

7. Email Newsletters and Flodesk

We use Flodesk to manage our email newsletter and certain email communications.

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we may provide Flodesk with information such as your name and email address so that Flodesk can process that information on our behalf and deliver our communications.

Flodesk may also process information relating to email engagement, such as whether an email was delivered, opened, or interacted with, depending on the functionality and settings being used.

You may unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in those communications.

Unsubscribing from marketing communications does not necessarily prevent us from sending non-marketing communications that are necessary for your care, appointments, transactions, or our ongoing relationship with you.

8. Website Hosting

Our Website is hosted using Cloudways and its associated infrastructure and service providers.

As part of providing hosting and technical services, hosting providers may process technical information necessary to deliver the Website, maintain security, troubleshoot problems, and operate the hosting infrastructure. This may include IP addresses, server logs, device or browser information, and other technical data.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our Website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate Website functions, maintain security, understand Website usage, and remember certain preferences.

Cookies are small files placed on your computer or device when you visit a website.

Cookies used on our Website may include:

  • Essential or security cookies, which support Website operation and security;
  • Analytics cookies, which help us understand how visitors use our Website; and
  • Preference cookies, where applicable, which remember certain Website settings or choices.

You can configure your browser to refuse or delete cookies. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Website.

10. How We Share Information

We do not sell your medical information.

We may disclose personal information to service providers that perform services for us, such as:

  • Practice-management and appointment-scheduling providers;
  • Website hosting and technology providers;
  • Email and newsletter providers;
  • Analytics providers;
  • Professional advisors and consultants; and
  • Other vendors necessary to operate our business and provide our services.

We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to:

  • Comply with applicable laws or regulations;
  • Respond to a valid subpoena, court order, or other lawful request;
  • Protect our legal rights;
  • Investigate fraud, security incidents, or suspected wrongdoing;
  • Protect the safety of our patients, staff, Website visitors, or others; or
  • Facilitate a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, sale of assets, or similar business transaction, subject to applicable healthcare privacy laws and other legal requirements.

Where information constitutes PHI, we will use and disclose it in accordance with HIPAA and other applicable laws.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including providing services, maintaining appropriate business and patient records, complying with legal and professional obligations, resolving disputes, and enforcing agreements.

Patient records may be subject to specific retention requirements under federal or state law and professional standards.

Different categories of information may therefore be retained for different periods.

12. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

We also use third-party providers to perform certain technology and practice-management functions. These providers maintain their own security measures and practices.

However, no Internet transmission, email communication, computer system, or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted electronically.

13. Email and Electronic Communications

Ordinary email and general Website forms may not be appropriate for communicating highly sensitive medical information.

For medical information, patient forms, or other sensitive healthcare communications, please use the secure methods made available by our practice when appropriate.

If you choose to communicate with us through ordinary email, you acknowledge that standard email communications may involve privacy and security risks.

14. Your Choices

Depending on your interaction with us and applicable law, you may contact us to:

  • Ask questions about personal information we maintain about you;
  • Request correction of inaccurate contact information;
  • Request removal from marketing communications; or
  • Raise a concern regarding our privacy practices.

Rights concerning medical records and PHI may be different from rights concerning ordinary Website information and are described in our Notice of Privacy Practices where applicable.

We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

15. United States Operations

Valley Acupuncture is located in Illinois and provides and markets its services within the United States. Our Website and services are directed primarily to individuals located in the United States.

If you access our Website from outside the United States, you understand that information you provide may be transferred to, processed, or stored in the United States or other locations used by our service providers, where privacy laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

Our Website is not specifically directed toward residents of the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or other international jurisdictions, and we do not specifically market our services to those jurisdictions.

16. Children's Privacy

Our Website is intended primarily for adults seeking information about our healthcare services, including parents or guardians seeking services for minors.

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children through the Website for marketing purposes without appropriate authorization.

When healthcare services are provided to minors, information concerning those services is handled in accordance with applicable healthcare privacy laws and requirements concerning parents, guardians, and minors.

If you believe a child has submitted personal information through our Website inappropriately, please contact us.

17. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites or services, including our online booking and practice-management platform.

When you follow a link to a third-party website or service, that provider's privacy practices may apply to information it independently collects or processes.

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

18. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our practices, technology, service providers, or legal requirements.

When we update this Privacy Policy, we will post the revised version on this Website and update the effective date at the top of the policy.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

19. Contact Us

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

Valley Acupuncture Health Solutions LLC
402 Campbell St, STE 100
Geneva, IL 60134

Phone: 630-208-4678
Email: info@valleyacu.com
Website: valleyacu.com