Privacy Policy

Summit Gastroenterology ("we," "us," or "our") is the medical practice of Sunitha G. Pudhota, MD, with offices in Irving and Mansfield, Texas. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information in connection with our website, summitgastroenterology.com, and our patient communications, including telephone calls and text (SMS) messages.

This Privacy Policy applies to our website and general communications. Your medical information is additionally protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, available from our office, describes how we handle protected health information (PHI). If this policy and the Notice of Privacy Practices conflict with respect to PHI, the Notice of Privacy Practices controls.

We collect the following categories of personal information:

Information you provide to us

• Contact information, such as your name, phone number, mailing address, and email address, when you call our office, schedule an appointment, or enroll in our text messaging program.
• Appointment and scheduling information, such as requested dates, appointment types, and the office location you plan to visit.
• Insurance and billing information you provide for scheduling and payment purposes.
• Any other information you choose to share with our staff when communicating with our office.

Information collected automatically

• Our website does not require you to create an account and does not include forms that collect personal information.
• Our website hosting provider may automatically log standard technical information, such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited, for security and operational purposes.
• Our website embeds Google Maps to display our office locations; Google may collect usage data in connection with the map according to its own privacy policy.

We use personal information to:

• Schedule, confirm, remind you about, and follow up on appointments and procedures.
• Communicate with you about your care, including preparation instructions and office communications, by phone and, with your consent, by text message.
• Process billing and insurance matters.
• Respond to your questions and requests.
• Operate, secure, and improve our website and services.
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

We do not sell personal information. We share personal information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as our telecommunications and text messaging provider, our electronic health record and patient portal vendor, and our website hosting provider. These providers may use your information only to perform services for us.
• Healthcare operations, such as the accredited facilities where procedures are performed, referring and consulting physicians, and your insurance company, consistent with our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Legal requirements, when disclosure is required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of our patients, staff, or practice.

With your consent, Summit Gastroenterology sends text messages related to your care, such as appointment reminders, procedure preparation reminders, scheduling communications, and account or billing notifications. Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of receiving care from our practice. You can enroll through our online sign-up form at https://summitgastroenterology.com/sms-optin or by providing consent when scheduling by phone or in person.

• Messaging frequency may vary.
• Message and data rates may apply.
• To opt out at any time, text STOP.
• For assistance, text HELP or visit our website at https://summitgastroenterology.com/.

For full details about our text messaging program, please see our Terms & Conditions.

Where SMS consent is collected through a web form, a link to this Privacy Policy and our Terms & Conditions will be presented alongside the consent language.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; please do not submit personal health information through this website, which is not a secure messaging platform.

We retain personal information for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy and as required by applicable law, including medical record retention requirements.

• Text messages: reply STOP to any message to opt out at any time, or reply HELP for assistance. You may also call our office to change your communication preferences.
• Phone communications: you may ask our staff to update how we contact you.
• Medical records: your rights regarding protected health information, including access and amendment, are described in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, available from our office.

Summit Gastroenterology sees patients age 18 and older. Our website and text messaging program are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 through this website.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Effective Date" above reflects the date of the most recent revision. Material changes will be posted on this page.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, contact us:

• Phone: (682) 400-2153 · Fax: 972-572-2228
• Irving Office: 7415 Las Colinas Blvd, Suite 110, Irving, TX 75063
• Mansfield Office: 1400 US-287 Frontage Rd, Suite 201, Mansfield, TX 76063