PRIVACY POLICY

VITALGATE HEALTH - PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: November 2, 2026

Website: https://www.vitalgate.com
Email: galina@vitalgate.com

Naples, Florida: (917) 348-9287
New York City: (646) 239-2729

1. Introduction

VitalGate Health (“VitalGate,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of the personal and health-related information entrusted to us.

We provide integrative and holistic healthcare services, including patient consultations, personalized wellness programs, acupuncture, and other complementary and integrative therapies.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, protect, and disclose information through our website, online forms, appointment scheduling, patient communications, and related services.

We respect your privacy and handle protected health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), where applicable, and other relevant federal and state privacy laws.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with VitalGate Health, we may collect the following categories of information:

Personal Information

Full name
Email address
Telephone number
Mailing address
Date of birth
Appointment requests and scheduling preferences

Health-Related Information

Medical history and reported symptoms
Current health concerns
Treatment history and healthcare goals
Intake forms and health questionnaires
Laboratory results and diagnostic information
Treatment plans and clinical documentation
Information relevant to integrative healthcare services

Payment and Administrative Information

Billing and payment information
Transaction records
Insurance information, when applicable
Appointment confirmations and patient correspondence

Website and Technical Information

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected through cookies, analytics tools, or similar technologies, including your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and general website activity.

3. How We Use Your Information

VitalGate Health may use personal information for the following purposes:

Responding to inquiries and consultation requests
Scheduling, confirming, and managing appointments
Providing healthcare and integrative wellness services
Maintaining patient records
Coordinating treatment and follow-up care
Processing payments and administrative transactions
Communicating about appointments, services, and patient care
Improving website functionality and patient experience
Meeting legal, regulatory, and professional obligations
Sending promotional or educational communications when permitted by law and, where required, with appropriate consent or authorization

We limit access to personal and health information to authorized personnel and service providers who need the information to perform legitimate responsibilities.

4. HIPAA and Protected Health Information

VitalGate Health recognizes the importance of protecting sensitive patient health information.

Where HIPAA applies, we maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect protected health information (PHI) from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

We may use or disclose PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations as permitted by applicable law.

Other disclosures may occur when authorized by the patient or otherwise permitted or required by law.

We do not sell patient medical records or protected health information.

Our separate HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices provides additional information about permitted uses and disclosures of PHI, our legal responsibilities, and patients' rights.

5. Appointment Reminders, SMS, and Email Communications

VitalGate Health may communicate with patients and prospective patients through telephone calls, email, and text messaging (SMS).

These communications may include:

Appointment confirmations and reminders
Scheduling and rescheduling information
Responses to patient inquiries
Administrative and billing notifications
General patient service updates
Educational or promotional messages, when separately authorized or otherwise permitted by law

SMS Consent and Privacy

When you voluntarily provide your mobile phone number and opt in to receive text messages, you authorize VitalGate Health to send messages consistent with the consent you provided.

Consent to receive promotional text messages is not a condition of purchasing services or receiving medical treatment.

Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.

You may opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP to a message from a text-enabled number that supports replies, or by contacting our office.

For assistance, reply HELP where supported, or contact VitalGate Health directly.

We do not sell, rent, or share mobile phone numbers, SMS opt-in information, or SMS consent records with third parties for their independent marketing or promotional purposes.

We may share information with authorized messaging service providers strictly to deliver communications on our behalf, subject to applicable privacy and security requirements.

Text messages and ordinary email may not always provide the same level of security as a dedicated patient portal. Patients should avoid sending sensitive medical information through unsecured communication channels.

Patients may request an alternative communication method where reasonably available.

6. Third-Party Service Providers

VitalGate Health may use trusted third-party service providers to support operations such as:

Online appointment scheduling
Patient intake and registration
Patient communications
Website hosting and maintenance
Secure record management
Payment processing
Insurance and administrative services, where applicable

These service providers may access personal information only as necessary to perform authorized services.

When a service provider handles PHI on our behalf and HIPAA requires it, we enter into an appropriate Business Associate Agreement (BAA).

We require service providers to handle information according to applicable confidentiality, security, and privacy obligations.

7. Website Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand general visitor activity, and improve user experience.

Visitors may adjust browser settings to limit or disable cookies.

We do not authorize the use of patient PHI for third-party advertising or tracking in violation of HIPAA or other applicable laws.

Any use of analytics and tracking technologies is subject to applicable privacy requirements.

8. Information Sharing and Disclosure

VitalGate Health does not sell personal or patient health information.

We may disclose information only as permitted or required by applicable law, including:

To healthcare professionals involved in authorized patient care
To service providers carrying out authorized operations
To payment processors or insurers, where applicable
To regulatory or governmental authorities when legally required
To respond to valid legal requests
To protect the safety of patients or others where permitted by law
With the patient's authorization when required

We do not share personal information for unrelated third-party marketing without the appropriate permission.

9. Data Security

VitalGate Health uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Security measures may include access controls, authentication procedures, secure technology systems, workforce confidentiality practices, and appropriate oversight of service providers.

No website, electronic system, or data transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure.

If an incident involving protected information occurs, VitalGate Health will investigate and provide notifications when required by applicable law.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal, administrative, and medical information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services and meet applicable medical record retention, legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.

When information is no longer required, it is disposed of or securely deleted in accordance with applicable requirements.

1. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on applicable law and the type of information involved, patients may have the right to:

Request access to their medical records
Request copies of their health information
Request corrections or amendments to their records
Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures
Request confidential communication by alternative means
Request an accounting of certain disclosures
Receive a copy of our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Withdraw an authorization, subject to legal limitations
File a privacy complaint without retaliation

To exercise these rights, please contact VitalGate Health.

12. Children's Privacy

Our website is intended for individuals seeking information about our healthcare services, including parents and legal guardians seeking care for minors.

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under

13 through our public website without appropriate parental or guardian involvement and any legally required consent.

Healthcare information concerning minors is handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including laws governing parental access and minors' confidentiality rights.

13. External Websites and Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, resources, or platforms.

VitalGate Health is not responsible for the privacy policies or data-handling practices of websites that we do not control.

We encourage visitors to review the privacy policies of external websites before submitting personal information.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

VitalGate Health may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our operations, technology, legal requirements, or privacy practices.

Updates will be posted on our website with a revised effective date.

Changes involving protected health information will be handled in accordance with applicable legal requirements and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

15. Contact Information

For questions concerning this Privacy Policy, patient information, or privacy-related requests, please contact:

VitalGate Health
Attention: Privacy Officer

Website: https://www.vitalgate.com

Email: galina@vitalgate.com

Naples, Florida
Phone: (917) 348-9287

New York City, New York
Phone: (646) 239-2729

Patients may also file a privacy complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, when applicable.

VitalGate Health prohibits retaliation against anyone who exercises their privacy rights or submits a privacy complaint.