Privacy Policy

ValorSpring Health and Wellness PLLC ("ValorSpring," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal and health information entrusted to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you visit our website, submit information through website forms, or interact with our online services.

This Privacy Policy primarily applies to our public-facing website and related online services. Information that constitutes protected health information ("PHI") may also be governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA"), Washington State law, and other applicable health privacy laws.

Please review our Notice of Privacy Practices for information about how ValorSpring uses and discloses PHI in connection with patient care.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect information you voluntarily provide, including:

• Name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Contact preferences
• Appointment or consultation requests
• Information submitted through contact, inquiry, prescreening, or new-patient forms
• Insurance-related information
• Information about the services or care you are seeking
• Other information you choose to provide

Because ValorSpring provides healthcare services, information submitted through certain forms may reveal information about your physical or mental health or your interest in obtaining healthcare.

Please avoid submitting detailed medical information through general website contact forms unless the form is specifically identified as an appropriate method for submitting such information.

Existing patients should use the secure patient portal or another communication method designated by ValorSpring for sensitive patient communications.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

• Browser type
• Device type
• Operating system
• Internet Protocol (IP) address
• General or approximate geographic location
• Referring website or source
• Pages visited
• Date and time of visits
• Website interactions
• Session and usage information

We may use cookies and similar technologies to collect some of this information.

2. Google Analytics 4

We use or may use Google Analytics 4 ("GA4") to understand how visitors interact with our public-facing website and to improve website usability and performance.

Depending on its configuration, Google Analytics may process information such as:

• Pages viewed
• Website interactions
• Session information
• Device and browser information
• Approximate geographic information
• Referring sources
• Cookie or similar identifiers

ValorSpring does not intend to transmit medical records, diagnoses, form contents, or other PHI to Google Analytics.

We take steps intended to limit analytics collection on pages and interactions involving sensitive patient information.

Where applicable, visitors may be provided with options to manage nonessential analytics technologies.

3. Google reCAPTCHA

Our website uses or may use Google reCAPTCHA to protect website forms and functionality against spam, fraud, automated submissions, and other abuse.

reCAPTCHA may process technical, device, browser, and interaction information to determine whether website activity is likely being performed by a person or an automated system.

Information processed by reCAPTCHA is also subject to Google's applicable privacy practices and terms.

ValorSpring does not intentionally provide medical information or the contents of patient communications to reCAPTCHA.

4. Website Forms

Our website may provide forms allowing visitors to:

• Contact ValorSpring
• Request information
• Request an appointment
• Ask to be contacted
• Begin a prescreening or new-patient inquiry
• Request information about services

Submitting a website form does not establish a provider-patient relationship and does not guarantee acceptance as a patient or availability of a particular service.

Information submitted through designated healthcare forms may become part of our healthcare records and may be protected under HIPAA, Washington law, or other applicable law.

Do Not Use Website Forms for Emergencies

Website forms are not monitored as an emergency communication service.

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

If you are experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance-use crisis, you may call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

5. How We Use Information

We may use information to:

• Respond to inquiries
• Process requests to be contacted
• Facilitate appointment requests
• Determine whether our services may be appropriate for a prospective patient
• Provide and coordinate healthcare services
• Communicate administrative information
• Operate and improve our website
• Understand website usage and performance
• Protect our website, patients, and systems
• Prevent fraud, spam, and abuse
• Maintain appropriate business and healthcare records
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• Exercise or defend legal rights

When information constitutes PHI, our use and disclosure of that information is governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable law.

6. Patient Portal and SimplePractice

ValorSpring uses SimplePractice for certain patient-related and practice-management functions, which may include:

• Patient portal access
• Scheduling
• Intake
• Forms
• Secure communications
• Clinical documentation
• Telehealth
• Billing or practice-management functions

When you leave the ValorSpring website and access SimplePractice, your interaction may also be subject to SimplePractice's applicable privacy and security practices.

Patient information maintained by ValorSpring through its electronic health record or patient portal is handled in accordance with applicable healthcare privacy requirements.

7. Healthcare and Business Service Providers

ValorSpring may use third-party service providers to support patient care and practice operations.

Depending on the services you receive, these providers may support:

• Electronic health records
• Telehealth
• Electronic prescribing
• Laboratory testing
• Payment processing
• Patient communications
• Nutrition services
• Supplement recommendations or fulfillment
• Practice administration
• Website hosting and security
• Analytics

Services used by ValorSpring may include SimplePractice, Stripe, iPrescribe, RingCentral, Fullscript, That Clean Life, Rupa Health, Evexia Diagnostics, Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, Google, and other vendors appropriate to our operations.

The particular services used may vary depending on your care and our current practice operations.

When a service provider handles PHI on our behalf and HIPAA requires a Business Associate Agreement or other safeguards, ValorSpring uses appropriate agreements and safeguards as required by applicable law.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies.

These may include:

Essential technologies necessary for website operation, security, fraud prevention, and functionality.

Analytics technologies used to understand website usage and improve performance.

Where required or appropriate, we may provide controls allowing visitors to manage nonessential technologies.

Disabling certain technologies may affect website functionality.

9. How We Disclose Information

We may disclose information to service providers that help us operate our website or healthcare practice, including providers of:

• Website hosting and security
• Analytics
• Spam and fraud prevention
• Electronic health records
• Patient communications
• Scheduling
• Telehealth
• Billing and payment processing
• Laboratory services
• Electronic prescribing
• Information technology services

We may also disclose information when required or permitted by law, including in response to lawful legal process or when necessary to protect the rights, safety, or security of ValorSpring, our patients, or others.

ValorSpring does not sell patient medical records or protected health information.

10. Washington Consumer Health Data

Washington law may provide additional protections for information that qualifies as "consumer health data" under the Washington My Health My Data Act.

Consumer health data may include personal information that identifies or can reasonably be linked to an individual's physical or mental health status or efforts to seek healthcare services.

Depending on applicable law, categories of consumer health data we may collect can include:

• Information indicating that an individual is seeking healthcare
• Information regarding requested healthcare services
• Information voluntarily provided through website inquiries or prescreening
• Appointment-related information
• Health-related information voluntarily submitted by a visitor

Sources of this information may include:

• Information you provide directly
• Website forms
• Appointment or service inquiries
• Technologies used to operate and secure our website

We may use applicable consumer health data to respond to requests, facilitate healthcare inquiries, operate our services, protect our systems, and comply with applicable law.

We may share applicable information with service providers necessary to perform these functions, subject to applicable legal requirements.

Certain information governed by HIPAA or Washington healthcare privacy laws may be exempt from some provisions of the Washington My Health My Data Act.

To the extent the Washington My Health My Data Act applies, eligible consumers may have rights concerning their consumer health data, including rights to access certain information, request deletion, or withdraw consent as provided by law.

Requests may be submitted to [email protected] or by calling (509) 800-7761.

11. Washington Health Information

ValorSpring provides healthcare services in Washington State.

Patient health information may therefore receive protections under both federal and Washington law.

Washington law provides additional confidentiality protections for certain categories of healthcare information, including certain mental health records.

Where Washington law provides greater protection than federal law, ValorSpring will comply with applicable Washington requirements.

12. Psychiatry and Mental Health Information

ValorSpring provides psychiatric and behavioral healthcare services.

Information concerning psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, medications, assessments, and related mental healthcare may be particularly sensitive and may receive additional protection under federal or Washington law.

ValorSpring protects this information in accordance with applicable confidentiality requirements.

13. Primary Care

Information generated through primary care services may include medical history, symptoms, diagnoses, medications, laboratory information, treatment plans, and other healthcare information.

When this information constitutes PHI, it is handled in accordance with our Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable law.

14. Assessments

ValorSpring may provide clinical or diagnostic assessments, including assessments relating to behavioral health, ADHD, autism, cognitive functioning, or other conditions within our providers' scope of practice.

Information generated through assessments may become part of a patient's health record and is protected in accordance with applicable law.

15. Telehealth

ValorSpring may provide healthcare through telehealth when clinically appropriate and legally permitted.

Information created, transmitted, or maintained as part of telehealth care is handled as patient health information and is subject to our Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable law.

Availability of telehealth may depend on the patient's physical location, provider licensure, clinical appropriateness, technology, and applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

16. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse.

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

Patients should use ValorSpring's designated secure communication methods for sensitive medical communications.

17. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Provide services
• Maintain appropriate business and medical records
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Resolve disputes
• Protect legal rights

Healthcare records may be subject to retention requirements different from those applicable to ordinary website information.

18. Third-Party Websites

Our website may link to third-party websites or platforms, including patient portals, scheduling systems, telehealth services, laboratory services, insurance resources, and other healthcare resources.

ValorSpring does not control the privacy practices of independent third-party websites.

Visitors should review the privacy practices applicable to those services.

19. Minors

Our public website is not intended to independently solicit personal information from children without the involvement of a parent, guardian, or other legally authorized person where required.

Healthcare involving minors is handled according to applicable federal and Washington laws concerning consent, parental access, and minors' confidentiality rights.

20. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, technologies, privacy practices, or legal requirements.

The current version will be posted on this website with an updated effective or last-updated date.

21. Contact Us

Questions, privacy requests, or concerns may be directed to:

ValorSpring Health and Wellness PLLC
100 N Howard St Ste R
Spokane, WA 99201
Phone: (509) 800-7761
Email: [email protected]

For questions regarding medical records or protected health information, please contact our Privacy Officer or refer to our Notice of Privacy Practices.