PRIVACY POLICIES
Last Updated: 11/12/2026
1. Introduction
Holistic Health Associates, Inc. ("Holistic Health Associates," "HHA," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, maintain, and disclose information when you visit our website, www.hhamd.com, schedule appointments, purchase products or services, communicate with our practice, or interact with our online services.
Holistic Health Associates provides integrative healthcare and wellness services, including acupuncture, massage therapy, medical-grade red light therapy, nutritional wellness programs, and related services at our Frederick and Boonsboro, Maryland locations.
This Privacy Policy applies to our website and general online business activities. Protected health information maintained in connection with patient care may also be governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and our separate Notice of Privacy Practices.
By using our website, you acknowledge the information practices described in this policy. Where applicable law requires consent for specific activities, we will request that consent separately.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect information that you voluntarily provide when interacting with our website, scheduling services, completing forms, making purchases, or communicating with our staff.
Personal and Contact Information
This may include:
1. Account or Registration Information where needed to use our sites and services, and may include your name, address, email address, telephone number, birthday, user account name, and password;
2. Contact Information, which generally includes your name, addresses, email addresses, social media website user account names, and/or telephone numbers;
3. Payment Information where needed to process payments and generally includes your credit or debit card number, expiration date, and card verification number;
4. Personal Profile or Service Information, which may include areas of interest, information from social media interactions (such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google+), preferences, physical characteristics (such as height, weight), photographs and, biographical, health information and/or demographic information (such as gender);
5. Transaction Information, which may include information about how you interact with and use our sites and services, email, other communications, and applications, and how you interact with merchants, business partners, and service providers;
6. Geographic Location Information, but only if your device transmits location data and/or your IP address and you have activated a location-enabled site or service;
7. Job-Search-Related Information where needed for recruitment purposes and may include educational and employment background, driver's license number, and social security number;
8. Survey Data where needed for the functionality of certain services and generally includes survey questions and responses, and may allow you to import email addresses and names in order to send surveys or to allow us to send surveys on your behalf;
9. Medical Information, where needed for the functionality of certain services, such as to connect you with your healthcare provider, and may include your medical history, present symptoms, future conditions or treatments, insurance carrier and plan, and any other medical and health information you or your healthcare provider choose to provide to us;
10. Appointment Information, where needed to schedule an appointment or consultation through our online appointment or consultation services and may include the requested appointment information, which may be linked with health or legal information that you choose to provide to us;
11. Access to Your Data, but only if you use certain services, interactive tools, or authorize us to retrieve information from another database, user, or other third party on your behalf, such as integrating a practice management system with your services;
12. Your Submissions, which generally includes information you voluntarily provide through free form text boxes, forums, document upload, or data retrieval or import; In each of the above instances, you will know what personal information we collect through our sites and services because you voluntarily and directly provide it to us.
Health and Appointment Information
When you request or receive services, we may collect information necessary to coordinate and provide care, including:
- Medical history and relevant health information
- Current symptoms and health concerns
- Treatment preferences and goals
- Appointment history and scheduling details
- Intake forms and informed consent documentation
- Insurance information, when applicable
- Other information voluntarily provided in connection with your care
Health information collected as part of patient care is handled according to applicable healthcare privacy laws, including HIPAA where applicable.
Payment and Purchase Information
When purchasing appointments, treatment packages, gift certificates, or other products through our website or office, we may collect information necessary to process the transaction.
Payment information may be processed by third-party payment service providers. We do not intentionally collect or retain complete payment card information through ordinary website contact forms.
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:
- Internet Protocol (IP) address
- Browser and device type
- Operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on our website
- Referring websites
- General geographic information derived from an IP address
- Cookies and similar website technologies
This information helps us maintain website functionality, improve performance, and better understand how visitors interact with our website.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use information collected through our website and services for legitimate healthcare, administrative, and business purposes, including:
- Scheduling, confirming, and managing appointments.
- Providing healthcare and wellness services.
- Responding to inquiries and requests for information.
- Processing payments, purchases, packages, and gift certificates.
- Sending appointment reminders and relevant service communications.
- Providing information about our services, wellness programs, special offers, and events when permitted by law and applicable consent requirements.
- Maintaining patient records and managing practice operations.
- Improving our website, services, and patient experience.
- Protecting the security and integrity of our systems.
- Complying with applicable legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.
We use and disclose protected health information only as permitted or required by applicable law and our Notice of Privacy Practices.
4. Appointment Reminders and Communications
Holistic Health Associates may communicate with patients and website visitors through telephone calls, email, text messages, online forms, and other communication methods.
Communications may include appointment confirmations, reminders, scheduling changes, follow-up information, administrative notifications, and, where permitted, promotional messages.
Text Messaging
When you provide your mobile telephone number and the applicable consent, you may receive text messages from Holistic Health Associates.
Message frequency varies depending on your appointments, interactions, and communication preferences. Message and data rates may apply.
You may reply STOP to opt out of text messages or HELP for assistance, where supported by our messaging service. You may also contact our office to update your communication preferences.
Consent to receive promotional text messages is not a condition of purchasing goods or services or receiving treatment.
Mobile information and SMS consent information will not be sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes. We may share information with messaging providers as necessary to deliver communications on our behalf, subject to applicable privacy and security requirements.
Opting out of text messages does not prevent us from communicating with you through other appropriate channels regarding your care or necessary administrative matters.
Email Communications
We may send administrative emails, appointment-related information, newsletters, and promotional communications.
You may unsubscribe from promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link included in those messages or by contacting our office.
Certain essential communications relating to appointments, purchases, or patient care may continue as permitted by law.
Please avoid sending sensitive medical information through unsecured email or general website contact forms. Contact our office if you need an appropriate method for communicating confidential health information.
5. Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve website functionality, remember preferences, understand website traffic, and evaluate the effectiveness of our online content.
Depending on the technologies enabled on our website, these may include:
- Essential cookies needed for website operation
- Analytics technologies used to evaluate website performance
- Functional cookies that remember preferences
- Advertising or conversion-measurement technologies, where enabled and legally permitted
You can manage certain cookies through your browser settings or through any cookie preference tools made available on our website.
Disabling cookies may affect certain website features.
We recognize that healthcare-related website activity may involve sensitive information. We seek to use website analytics and advertising technologies in accordance with applicable privacy requirements, including restrictions concerning protected health information.
6. How We Share Information
Holistic Health Associates does not sell patient medical records or protected health information.
We may disclose information when necessary for legitimate business operations, healthcare services, or legal obligations, including to:
Healthcare professionals and authorized personnel: To coordinate treatment, scheduling, and patient care.
Service providers: To support website hosting, appointment scheduling, practice management, secure data storage, payment processing, and patient communications.
Payment processors: To complete authorized purchases and transactions.
Insurance providers and authorized healthcare partners: When necessary and permitted for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Government agencies or legal authorities: When disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law.
Other parties authorized by you: When you provide appropriate authorization or consent.
Third-party service providers handling protected health information on our behalf are required to comply with applicable HIPAA requirements, including Business Associate Agreements where required.
We do not authorize our service providers to use protected health information for their independent advertising or marketing purposes.
7. HIPAA and Protected Health Information
Holistic Health Associates is committed to protecting the privacy and security of patient health information.
Where HIPAA applies, we maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect protected health information (PHI).
Our use and disclosure of PHI are governed by HIPAA, other applicable laws, and our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions, patients may have rights to:
- Access and obtain copies of their medical records.
- Request corrections or amendments to their health information.
- Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures.
- Request confidential communications.
- Obtain an accounting of certain disclosures.
- Receive a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices.
- File a privacy complaint without retaliation.
For additional information about how we use and protect patient health information, please request our Notice of Privacy Practices from our office.
This website Privacy Policy does not replace our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
8. Information Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.
These safeguards may include access controls, secure communication technologies, employee training, and the use of service providers with appropriate security practices.
Although we take reasonable steps to protect information, no website, electronic communication, or data storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.
We encourage visitors and patients to use appropriate precautions when transmitting personal or sensitive information online.
9. Online Purchases, Packages, and Gift Certificates
Our website may allow visitors to purchase appointments, treatment packages, gift certificates, and other products or services.
Information collected during checkout may include your name, contact information, billing details, purchase history, and information necessary to fulfill the transaction.
We may use third-party e-commerce and payment processing providers to facilitate purchases.
Information collected through those services may also be subject to the applicable provider's privacy policy.
Purchase information may be retained as necessary for accounting, transaction management, customer service, fraud prevention, and compliance with legal obligations.
10. Third-Party Websites and Services
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, online scheduling systems, payment services, social media platforms, or other resources.
These third parties may maintain their own privacy policies and information security practices.
Holistic Health Associates is not responsible for the privacy practices of websites or services that we do not own or control.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing personal information.
11. Social Media and Public Reviews
Holistic Health Associates may maintain social media accounts and online business profiles to share wellness information, practice updates, and community announcements.
Information you voluntarily post on public social media pages, review platforms, or other public forums may be visible to others.
We encourage patients not to disclose confidential medical information through public comments, reviews, or social media messages.
Interactions with third-party social media platforms are also governed by those platforms' privacy policies.
12. Children's Privacy
Our website is intended primarily for adults seeking information about our healthcare and wellness services.
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through our general website without appropriate parental or guardian involvement and any legally required consent.
Parents or legal guardians may provide information about minors when arranging healthcare services on their behalf.
Medical information relating to minor patients is handled according to applicable healthcare privacy and consent laws.
If you believe a child has submitted personal information through our website without appropriate authorization, please contact us.
13. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain appropriate business records, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and protect our legitimate interests.
Patient medical records are maintained in accordance with applicable federal and Maryland healthcare record-retention requirements.
When information is no longer required, we take appropriate steps to securely delete, destroy, or de-identify it, subject to applicable legal and operational requirements.
14. Your Privacy Choices and Rights
Depending on the type of information involved and applicable law, you may be able to:
- Request access to certain personal information.
- Request corrections to inaccurate information.
- Update your contact details and communication preferences.
- Unsubscribe from promotional emails.
- Opt out of text messages.
- Request deletion of certain non-medical information, subject to legal requirements.
- Exercise applicable rights concerning your protected health information.
Requests concerning medical records or protected health information are handled according to applicable healthcare privacy laws.
Certain information must be retained for medical, accounting, regulatory, or other legally required purposes and may not be eligible for deletion upon request.
To submit a privacy-related request, please contact our office using the information below.
15. Privacy Rights Under Applicable State and Federal Laws
We respect the privacy rights available to individuals under applicable federal and state laws.
Depending on your location, the nature of the information collected, and whether a particular privacy law applies to our organization, additional rights or disclosures may be required.
We will review and respond to applicable privacy requests in accordance with relevant legal requirements.
Information regulated by HIPAA may be subject to different rights and procedures than information collected through general website activities.
16. Visitors Outside the United States
Holistic Health Associates operates in the United States and primarily serves patients in Maryland and surrounding communities.
Our website and supporting services may process or store information in the United States.
If you access our website from another country, your information may be processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your country of residence.
17. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, website practices, technology, or applicable laws.
When changes are made, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
Material changes may be communicated through our website or other appropriate methods when required.
We encourage visitors to review this policy periodically.
18. Contact Holistic Health Associates
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or how your personal information is handled, please contact:
Holistic Health Associates, Inc.
Website: https://www.hhamd.com
Email: contactus@hhamd.com
Locations:
- Frederick, Maryland
- Boonsboro, Maryland
For questions specifically related to medical records, protected health information, or HIPAA privacy rights, please contact our office and request assistance with a privacy matter.
Never Let Your Health Limit Your Life.