Privacy Policy

01Overview

Sunshine Health, PLLC ("Sunshine Health," "we," "us" or "our") is a psychiatric and mental health practice that provides care to patients in Texas by secure telehealth. We respect your privacy and take our responsibility to protect your information seriously.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share and protect information when you visit sunshinehealthtx.com, submit a form on our website, call or text our office, or communicate with us electronically. By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

02Your health information and HIPAA

As a health care provider, Sunshine Health is a "covered entity" under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act (Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 181). Information that identifies you and relates to your health or care is protected health information (PHI).

03Information we collect

Information you give us

• Appointment and contact requests: your name, phone number, email address, date of birth, insurance information and the reason you are reaching out.
• Provider referrals: patient details submitted by referring clinicians through our secure referral form or by fax.
• Calls, texts and emails: the information you share when you communicate with our office.
• Payment information: billing details processed by our payment and billing partners (see "How we share information").

Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, our website platform automatically collects limited technical information, such as your browser type, device type, general location (city or region), pages visited, time spent on pages and how you arrived at our site. This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies, described below.

04How we use information

• To respond to your questions and schedule appointments
• To provide, coordinate and follow up on your care, including telehealth visits and clinical documentation
• To process referrals from other health care providers
• To verify insurance coverage, bill for services and process payments
• To send appointment reminders, visit links and other care-related messages
• To operate, maintain, secure and improve our website
• To comply with legal, licensing and regulatory requirements

We do not sell your personal information or your health information, and we do not use your health information for marketing without your written authorization.

05How we share information

We share information only as needed to run our practice and care for you, and only as permitted by HIPAA and Texas law. We work with the following types of service providers. When a service provider creates, receives, maintains or transmits PHI on our behalf, we require a Business Associate Agreement or other legally required protections.

• TherapyNotes: electronic health records, clinical documentation and electronic prescribing
• Doximity: secure telehealth video visits and visit links
• Headway: insurance billing, co-pays and payment information on file
• Stripe: cash-pay payments, such as text therapy and peer support
• Google Workspace: secure practice email and referral form delivery
• Squarespace: website hosting and basic website analytics

We may also share information:

• With other health care providers involved in your treatment, such as a referring clinician or your primary care provider
• With your health plan, for payment purposes
• With a parent or legal guardian, as permitted by law for patients who are minors
• When required by law, such as in response to a court order, or to prevent a serious threat to health or safety

06Text messages

If you provide your mobile number, you agree that Sunshine Health may send you text messages about scheduling, appointment reminders, billing and your care. Telehealth visit links are sent by text directly from Doximity. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out of text messages at any time, or HELP for help.

07Email, texts and electronic communication

Standard email and text messages are convenient, but they may not be fully secure. If you choose to communicate with us by email or text, you accept the risk that a message could be intercepted or misdirected. Please avoid sending detailed health information through general contact forms, email or text unless we have arranged a secure method with you.

Notice of electronic disclosure (Texas)

As required by Texas Health and Safety Code § 181.154, please be aware that your protected health information may be disclosed electronically. We may electronically disclose your PHI without separate authorization for treatment, payment, health care operations, or as otherwise authorized or required by state or federal law. Other electronic disclosures require your authorization.

08Telehealth visits

All visits take place by secure video through Doximity. You receive a visit link by text; no app or account is needed. To protect your privacy, please join from a private location in Texas. We do not make video recordings of telehealth visits, and you may not record a visit without your provider's permission in advance.

AI-assisted documentation

To spend more time focused on you and less time typing, our providers may use secure, AI-assisted documentation tools during visits. With your consent, these tools may use passive audio capture to listen to the visit and draft clinical notes in real time.

• Audio is used only to support real-time documentation and is not retained unless we tell you otherwise.
• Your provider reviews, edits and approves every AI-assisted note before it becomes part of your medical record.
• AI tools do not replace your provider's clinical judgment.
• Information processed by these tools is protected under HIPAA and Texas law, with safeguards such as encryption and secure data handling.

09Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to keep the site working and to understand how visitors use it. We use Squarespace Analytics, built into our website platform, to see overall usage, such as which pages are visited most. We do not use Google Analytics, advertising or retargeting pixels, and we do not use analytics to collect health information.

You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Some parts of the site may not work properly if cookies are disabled.

10Payments

Cash-pay services are processed by Stripe, and insurance co-pays are processed through Headway. These providers handle your card information under their own security standards and privacy policies. Sunshine Health does not store full payment card numbers.

11Children's privacy

Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13. Appointment requests for a minor should be submitted by a parent or legal guardian. Care for minors is provided with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, except where Texas law allows a minor to consent to their own care.

12How we protect information

We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect your information, including secure, HIPAA-compliant systems for health records, telehealth and practice email, and limited access for staff who need information to do their jobs. No website or method of electronic transmission is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If a breach of unsecured protected health information occurs, we will notify affected individuals as required by HIPAA and Texas law.

13How long we keep information

We keep medical records for as long as required by Texas and federal law and professional licensing rules. Other information, such as general website inquiries, is kept only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected or as required by law.

14Your choices and rights

• Text and email: reply STOP to any text message, or contact us to update your communication preferences.
• Cookies: adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies.
• Your health records: you have the right to request access to, copies of and amendments to your health records, an accounting of certain disclosures, restrictions on certain uses and confidential communications, as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Complaints: if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact us using the information below. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

15Links to other websites

Our website may link to other websites, such as Doximity, Stripe or Headway. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies.

16Not for emergencies

17Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the updated version on this page and change the effective date at the top. Please review this page periodically.

18Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, or would like to exercise your rights, please contact our Privacy Officer: