Privacy Policy

Vessel Health LLC ("Vessel Health," "we," "us," or "our") operates the website located at vesselnm.com (the "Site"), our cardiovascular, vein, and vascular health and wellness clinic located at 10601 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114, and related scheduling, communication, and membership services, including our AI-assisted voice and text (SMS) scheduling system operated through our customer relationship management platform, GoHighLevel (collectively, the "Services"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our Site, call or text our office, use our online or AI-assisted scheduling tools, enroll in a membership program, or otherwise interact with Vessel Health.

This Privacy Policy applies to general business, marketing, scheduling, and website information. It does not replace, and should be read together with, our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is a separate document that governs how we use and disclose your Protected Health Information ("PHI") under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"). If any part of this Privacy Policy conflicts with our Notice of Privacy Practices regarding the treatment of PHI, the Notice of Privacy Practices controls. A copy of our current Notice of Privacy Practices is provided to all patients at the time of their first appointment, is posted at our office, and is available upon request using the contact information in Section 17 below.

By using our Site or Services, providing us your contact information, or opting in to receive text messages from us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions, available at vesselnm.com.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Contact information, such as your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number.
• Scheduling and account information, such as appointment preferences, provider requests, insurance information, and referral source.
• Health-related information you choose to share when scheduling, during intake, through our patient portal, or in communications with our staff or AI-assisted scheduling assistant, including reason for visit, symptoms, and medical or demographic history (this information generally constitutes Protected Health Information and is governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices).
• Membership and billing information for our LifeSHIP and PASSPORT membership programs, including billing address and payment method. Payment card information is processed through a secure third-party payment processor; Vessel Health does not store full payment card numbers.
• Communications you send us by phone, text/SMS, email, online form, or in person, including messages exchanged with our AI-assisted voice or text scheduling assistant.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Standard web log data, such as IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring and exit pages, and pages visited.
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies, described further in Section 6.
• Approximate location derived from your IP address, used for analytics purposes only.

2.3 Information From Third Parties

• Insurance eligibility and benefits information from your insurance carrier or a clearinghouse.
• Information from the scheduling, communications, and marketing platforms we use to operate our Services, including GoHighLevel.
• Referral information from other healthcare providers, at your request.

• To schedule, confirm, reschedule, and remind you of appointments, including through our AI-assisted voice/SMS scheduling assistant.
• To communicate with you about your care coordination logistics, our clinic, and administrative matters.
• To process enrollment and billing for the LifeSHIP and PASSPORT membership programs.
• To operate, maintain, secure, and improve our Site and Services.
• To comply with legal, regulatory, and accreditation obligations.
• To send appointment reminders, administrative notices, and --- only where you have separately opted in --- wellness/educational content or promotional messages.
• To respond to your requests, questions, or complaints.

We do not use or disclose the content of your Protected Health Information for marketing purposes except as permitted by HIPAA and described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.

4.1 Program Description

Vessel Health offers a text messaging program (the "Vessel Health Text Notification Program") to help patients schedule, confirm, and manage appointments and to receive limited administrative and wellness-related communications from our clinic. Messages may be sent by our staff or generated by our AI-assisted scheduling assistant operating on our behalf through our CRM platform, GoHighLevel, and may include: appointment reminders and confirmations; rescheduling and cancellation notices; requests to complete intake paperwork; membership account notices (LifeSHIP, PASSPORT); and, only for patients who separately opt in, wellness tips and clinic announcements.

4.2 How You Opt In

You may be enrolled in the Vessel Health Text Notification Program by:

• Providing your mobile phone number and affirmatively agreeing to receive text messages during scheduling --- in person, by phone, or through our online scheduling form --- including by checking a consent box or providing verbal consent to receive appointment-related texts; or
• Initiating a text conversation with our office or our AI-assisted scheduling assistant; or
• Providing your mobile number through a Site contact or scheduling form and affirmatively agreeing to text communications.

Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of receiving care or purchasing any service from Vessel Health.

4.3 Message Frequency

Message frequency varies based on your interactions with our office (for example, how often you schedule, reschedule, or communicate with us). You can generally expect to receive approximately 1--4 messages per month, though you may receive more messages during periods of active scheduling, intake, or membership enrollment.

4.4 Message and Data Rates

Message and data rates may apply, depending on your mobile carrier and plan. Vessel Health does not charge for text messages sent or received as part of this program, but your carrier's standard messaging and data rates apply.

4.5 Opting Out (STOP) and Getting Help (HELP)

You may opt out of receiving text messages from Vessel Health at any time by replying STOP to any message. After you reply STOP, we will send one final confirmation message, and you will not receive further text messages from us unless you re-enroll. If you experience issues or need assistance, reply HELP to any message, or contact us directly at (505) 828-3000 or info@vesselnm.com.

4.6 Rejoining the Program (START)

If you have opted out and later wish to resume receiving text messages, you may reply START to a prior message thread, or provide your consent again by phone, in person, or through our online scheduling form.

4.7 Carrier Liability Disclaimer

Message delivery is subject to your wireless carrier's network, coverage, and service availability. Carriers participating in this messaging program are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. This program is supported on major U.S. wireless carriers.

4.8 No Sharing of Mobile Opt-In Data for Marketing

No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties, except for aggregators and providers of the text message services (such as GoHighLevel and our telecommunications carriers) who process this information solely on our behalf to deliver the Vessel Health Text Notification Program. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use-case categories described in Section 7 of this Privacy Policy exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; that information will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the text message services.

4.9 Compliance with Industry Standards

The Vessel Health Text Notification Program is operated in accordance with the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices, wireless carrier requirements for Application-to-Person (A2P) 10DLC messaging, and other applicable industry standards governing commercial text messaging.

4.10 Legal Compliance Note

Our text messaging practices are designed to comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the CAN-SPAM Act (to the extent applicable to commercial electronic messages), and applicable Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Nothing in this section limits any rights you may have under those laws.

4.11 Related Terms

Your participation in the Vessel Health Text Notification Program is also governed by the SMS/Text Messaging Program Terms set out in our Terms and Conditions, available at vesselnm.com. This Privacy Policy and our Terms and Conditions should be read together.

When you call our office or scheduling line, or exchange text messages with our AI-assisted scheduling assistant, your call or conversation may be processed using automated voice-recognition and natural-language-processing technology hosted through our CRM platform, GoHighLevel, and its underlying service providers, in order to schedule, confirm, reschedule, or manage your appointments. Calls and messages handled by this assistant may be recorded, transcribed, and stored for quality assurance, appointment recordkeeping, and service-improvement purposes, consistent with this Privacy Policy and our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may always ask to speak with a member of our staff.

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies (such as web beacons and local storage) to operate the Site, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use our Site. We may use session cookies (which expire when you close your browser) and persistent cookies (which remain until deleted or expired). We may also use third-party analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to help us understand aggregate usage patterns; these providers may set their own cookies subject to their own privacy policies.

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings, including blocking or deleting cookies. If you disable cookies, some features of our Site may not function properly. We currently do not respond to browser "Do Not Track" signals in a manner different from what is described in this Policy.

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information as follows:

• Service providers: With vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as our CRM and scheduling platform (GoHighLevel), website hosting providers, payment processors, and answering/scheduling services, under confidentiality and data-protection obligations.
• Business associates: With business associates who handle Protected Health Information on our behalf under HIPAA-compliant Business Associate Agreements, as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Legal and safety reasons: To comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Vessel Health, our patients, or others.
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of some or all of our assets, subject to applicable confidentiality obligations.
• With your consent: In any other circumstance where you have provided your consent.

All of the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the text message services used to operate the Vessel Health Text Notification Program described in Section 4.

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the information we collect, including encryption of data in transit, access controls limiting information access to authorized personnel, and secure hosting arrangements with our service providers. However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

We retain medical and health-related records in accordance with applicable federal and New Mexico law and our internal record retention policy, generally for a minimum of seven (7) years from the date of a patient's last treatment (and, for minor patients, until the patient reaches the age of majority plus the applicable statute of limitations, if longer). We retain general website, scheduling, and marketing information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

You may opt out of marketing text messages or emails at any time using the instructions in Section 4 or the unsubscribe link included in marketing emails. With respect to your Protected Health Information, our Notice of Privacy Practices describes your rights to access, request amendment of, request restrictions on, and request an accounting of disclosures of your PHI, among other rights under HIPAA. If you are a resident of a state that grants additional statutory privacy rights (for example, the right to know, delete, or correct certain personal information), you may contact us using the information in Section 17 to make a request, and we will respond consistent with applicable law.

Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site without parental or guardian involvement. Information about minor patients provided in connection with clinical care is collected from and with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian and is handled in accordance with our Notice of Privacy Practices.

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by Vessel Health, including payment processors or platforms hosted by our vendors. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

Information provided on our Site, in wellness or educational materials, or through our AI-assisted voice or text scheduling assistant is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is not a substitute for professional medical evaluation by Dr. White or another qualified healthcare provider. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

To request copies of your medical records, please submit a written request or a completed medical records release/authorization form to our office at 10601 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114, call us at (505) 828-3000, or email info@vesselnm.com. We will respond to record requests within the time required by applicable law and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copying, mailing, and staff time to the extent permitted under New Mexico and federal law. Requests for records to be sent to a third party (such as another provider) require your written authorization consistent with our Notice of Privacy Practices.

This Privacy Policy addresses our general website and business data practices. It is not our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. Our Notice of Privacy Practices is a separate document, required under HIPAA, that describes in detail how we may use and disclose your Protected Health Information, and your rights with respect to that information. You will receive a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices at your first visit, it is posted at our office, and it is available at any time upon request through the contact information in Section 17.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will post the updated Privacy Policy on our Site with a revised "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of our Site or Services after any changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Vessel Health LLC

10601 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114

Phone: (505) 828-3000

Email: info@vesselnm.com

Website: vesselnm.com

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions (vesselnm.com) and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, available upon request.