Privacy Policy

Skin And Cancer Institute (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website https://skinandcancerinstitute.com (the “Site”), use our services, or interact with us. We operate medical practices in California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected through our website and online services. It does not apply to Protected Health Information (PHI) collected in the course of providing medical treatment, which is governed by our separate HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices provided to patients.

By using our Site, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide to Us

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Schedule an appointment through our online booking system
• Complete contact forms or request information
• Communicate with us via email, phone, or text message
• Create or access your patient portal account
• Participate in telemedicine appointments
• Sign up for newsletters or other communications

This information may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Mailing address
• Date of birth
• Appointment date, time, and location preferences
• Any other information you choose to provide

B. Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Referring website or source that brought you to our Site
• Pages visited on our Site and time spent on each page
• Date and time of your visit
• Device identifiers
• Geolocation data (with your consent)

C. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information and improve your experience on our Site. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use our Site
• Analyze website traffic and performance
• Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our Site.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Appointment Scheduling and Management: To process, confirm, and manage your appointments
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send appointment reminders, and provide information you request
• Service Improvement: To maintain, evaluate, and improve our website, services, and patient experience
• Website Analytics: To understand how visitors use our Site and optimize its performance
• Marketing: To send newsletters, promotional materials, and other communications about our services (with your consent where required)
• Telemedicine: To facilitate virtual appointments and provide remote healthcare services
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Security: To protect against fraud, unauthorized access, and other security threats

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

A. Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services, including:

• NextPatient: Our appointment scheduling and patient communication platform. NextPatient receives basic appointment information (name, contact details, appointment date/time) to facilitate scheduling services.
• APPatient: Our patient portal provider that enables secure access to your medical records and health information (governed by HIPAA).
• Google Analytics (GA4): We use Google Analytics to analyze website traffic and user behavior. Google Analytics collects information such as IP addresses, browser types, and pages visited. Data is retained for 2 months.
• Robly: Our email marketing platform used to send newsletters and communications to subscribers who have opted in.
• Telemedicine Platforms: Third-party platforms that facilitate virtual healthcare appointments.

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

B. Advertising and Analytics Partners

• Google Pixel: We use Google tracking pixels to measure the effectiveness of our online advertising and track appointment bookings on our website.
• Meta (Facebook) Pixel: We use Meta tracking pixels to measure the effectiveness of our online advertising and track appointment bookings on our website.

Important: We do not use these pixels for remarketing or retargeting purposes. They are used solely to track appointment booking conversions.

C. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Enforce our terms of service and other agreements
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Skin And Cancer Institute, our patients, or others
• Prevent fraud or security threats

D. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections outlined in this policy.

4. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal information.

A. Categories of Personal Information We Collect

In the past 12 months, we have collected the following categories of personal information:

• Identifiers: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, IP address
• Personal Information (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.80): Name, contact information, date of birth
• Internet or Network Activity: Browsing history, search history, interactions with our website
• Geolocation Data: Approximate location based on IP address
• Professional or Employment Information: If provided in communications

B. Sources of Personal Information

We collect personal information from:

• Directly from you when you provide it to us
• Automatically through cookies and tracking technologies when you use our Site
• From our service providers (e.g., appointment scheduling platforms)

C. Business or Commercial Purposes for Collecting Personal Information

We use personal information for the purposes described in Section 2 of this Privacy Policy, including appointment scheduling, communication, service improvement, website analytics, marketing, and legal compliance.

D. Categories of Third Parties We Share Personal Information With

• Appointment scheduling and patient communication platforms
• Website analytics providers
• Email marketing platforms
• Advertising measurement services (Google and Meta pixels)
• Telemedicine platform providers

E. Your CCPA Rights

California residents have the following rights:

1. Right to Know: You have the right to request that we disclose:

• The categories of personal information we collected about you
• The categories of sources from which we collected your personal information
• Our business or commercial purpose for collecting your personal information
• The categories of third parties with whom we share your personal information
• The specific pieces of personal information we collected about you

2. Right to Delete: You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.

3. Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Therefore, there is no need to opt-out of sales.

4. Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights, including by:

• Denying you goods or services
• Charging different prices or rates
• Providing a different level or quality of services

F. How to Exercise Your CCPA Rights

To exercise your right to know or right to delete, please submit a verifiable consumer request by:

• Email: info@skinusa.com
• Phone: 888-993-3761
• Mail: Skin And Cancer Institute, ATTN: Privacy Officer, PO Box 16297, Beverly Hills, CA 90209

We will respond to verifiable consumer requests within 45 days. If we require more time, we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing.

To verify your identity, we may ask you to provide:

• Your name and contact information
• Information about your recent interactions with us
• Additional verification information as needed

You may designate an authorized agent to make a CCPA request on your behalf. We may require written proof of the agent’s authority and may still require you to verify your identity directly with us.

5. Your Privacy Rights in Other States

If you are a resident of Nevada, Arizona, or New Mexico, you may have additional privacy rights under state law. Please contact us using the information below if you have questions about your state-specific privacy rights.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS technology
• Secure data storage with access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Employee training on data protection and privacy
• Compliance with HIPAA Security Rule for Protected Health Information

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

• Website analytics data (Google Analytics) is retained for 2 months
• Appointment scheduling information is retained in accordance with our medical record retention policies
• Marketing communications data is retained until you opt-out or request deletion
• Protected Health Information is retained in accordance with HIPAA and state medical record retention requirements

8. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

9. Third-Party Websites and Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including our service providers’ websites (NextPatient, APPatient, etc.). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

When you access third-party services through our Site (such as telemedicine platforms or patient portals), those services may collect information about you in accordance with their own privacy policies.

10. Your Choices and Opt-Out Rights

A. Marketing Communications

You can opt-out of receiving marketing emails from us by:

• Clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email
• Contacting us at info@skinusa.com

Please note that even if you opt-out of marketing communications, we may still send you non-promotional messages related to your appointments, account, or our ongoing business relationship.

B. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View and delete cookies
• Block cookies from specific websites
• Block all cookies
• Receive notifications when cookies are set

To opt-out of Google Analytics tracking, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on at: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

C. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature that signals websites you visit that you do not want your online activity tracked. Currently, there is no industry standard for how to respond to DNT signals. At this time, our Site does not respond to DNT signals.

11. Protected Health Information (PHI)

This Privacy Policy does not apply to Protected Health Information (PHI) that we collect, use, or disclose in connection with providing medical treatment and healthcare services. Our use and disclosure of PHI is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided to all patients in their new patient packet.

If you have questions about how we handle your medical information, please refer to our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices or contact our Privacy Officer.

12. International Users

Our Site is operated in the United States and is intended for users located in the United States. If you are accessing our Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where our servers are located and our central database is operated. By using our Site, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
• Post the revised policy on this page
• Notify you of material changes through prominent notice on our Site or via email (where appropriate)

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our Site after we post changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

15. Consent

By using our website https://skinandcancerinstitute.com, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use our Site.