NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES (HIPAA)
Effective Date: September 22, 2025
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
1. Scope of This Notice
This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes how Protected Health Information (“PHI”) may be used and disclosed in connection with telehealth services facilitated by Suncoast Trim Clinic LLC (“Suncoast Trim Clinic” or “STC”).
STC is a telehealth facilitation and administrative support platform. STC does not practice medicine and does not provide medical diagnoses, treatment, or prescribing services.
Medical services are provided solely by independently licensed healthcare providers (“Providers”), who are responsible for all clinical decisions and medical care.
This Notice applies to:
- PHI created or received by Providers in connection with your care; and
- PHI accessed, maintained, transmitted, or processed by STC in its role as a business associate and administrative support entity.
Licensed Providers may maintain separate medical records and may be subject to their own Notice of Privacy Practices.
2. Our Responsibilities
To the extent required under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and other applicable laws, we are required to:
- Maintain the privacy of your PHI
- Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
- Abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect
- Notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI when required by law
- Use or disclose only the minimum necessary PHI to accomplish the intended purpose, except where otherwise permitted or required by law
Protected Health Information (“PHI”) means information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, healthcare services received, or payment for healthcare services.
3. How PHI May Be Used and Disclosed
A. Treatment
Providers may use and disclose PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare services. This may include:
- Telehealth consultations
- Medical evaluations
- Treatment planning
- Prescription management
- Care coordination with pharmacies or laboratories
STC may access, use, or transmit PHI as necessary to facilitate communication, intake processing, appointment coordination, and administrative support between you and your Provider.
B. Payment
PHI may be used or disclosed to facilitate payment-related activities, including:
- Processing membership payments and other self-pay charges
- Maintaining payment records
- Responding to billing inquiries
- Payment collection and related administrative activities
STC operates as a self-pay telehealth facilitation platform and does not bill insurance.
If you pay for services out-of-pocket in full and request that your PHI not be disclosed to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we will honor that request where required by law.
C. Healthcare Operations
PHI may be used or disclosed for healthcare operations, including:
- Quality assessment and improvement
- Compliance and risk management
- Training and oversight activities
- Audits
- Legal and regulatory compliance
- Administrative management
D. Business Associates
We may share PHI with third-party service providers (“Business Associates”) that assist in supporting telehealth facilitation and healthcare delivery functions. Examples may include:
- Telehealth technology platforms
- Electronic medical record systems
- Licensed pharmacies
- Clinical laboratories
- Payment processors
- Secure communication vendors
Business Associates are contractually required to safeguard PHI in accordance with HIPAA and applicable privacy laws.
E. As Required by Law
We may disclose PHI when required by federal or state law, including:
- Court orders, subpoenas, or legal proceedings
- Public health reporting requirements
- Law enforcement requests
- Government audits or regulatory oversight
- Reporting of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, where required
F. Public Health and Safety
PHI may be disclosed to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, or as required for workers’ compensation claims, public health investigations, or other legally authorized activities.
4. Other Uses and Disclosures
Uses or disclosures of PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization.
You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance on that authorization.
5. Marketing and Sale of PHI
STC does not sell your PHI.
We do not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes without your written authorization, except as otherwise permitted by HIPAA.
We do not use PHI for targeted advertising.
6. Your Rights Regarding PHI
You have the following rights with respect to your PHI:
Right of Access
You may request a copy of your PHI in paper or electronic form, subject to applicable limitations.
Right to Request Amendment
You may request correction of PHI you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures of PHI made within the timeframe permitted by law.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may request limitations on certain uses or disclosures of PHI. We are not required to agree to all requested restrictions, except where required by law.
Right to Confidential Communications
You may request communications through alternative methods or at alternative locations.
Right to a Paper Copy
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
To exercise these rights, contact us using the information in Section 9.
7. Electronic Communications and Telehealth
PHI may be transmitted electronically in connection with telehealth facilitation and medical services, including through:
- Secure patient portals
- Secure messaging platforms
- Telehealth video systems
- Email and text message communications (which may carry inherent security risks)
While reasonable safeguards are implemented to protect your information, electronic communications inherently carry some level of risk.
Telehealth services are provided by independently licensed Providers and are subject to clinical appropriateness, state licensure requirements, and applicable federal and state laws.
8. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
Suncoast Trim Clinic LLC – Privacy Officer
Email: health@suncoasttrimclinic.com
Phone: (941) 900-4290
You may also file a complaint with:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
https://www.hhs.gov/ocr
1-800-368-1019
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
9. Contact Information
Suncoast Trim Clinic LLC
1101 S Tamiami Trl Suite 103Q, Venice, FL 34285
Phone: (941) 900-4290
Email: health@suncoasttrimclinic.com
Privacy Officer: Suncoast Trim Clinic Privacy Officer
The current Notice of Privacy Practices is available through the patient portal and may be requested at any time via email or written request.
10. Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to modify this Notice at any time, as permitted by law.
Any updated Notice will be posted on our website and will apply to all PHI maintained by or on behalf of STC and participating Providers, in accordance with applicable law.
