Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Blue Spine ("we," "us," or "our"), located at 600 Cleveland St, Suite 300, Clearwater, FL 33755, collects, uses, and shares information about you when you visit our website at https://www.bluespine.com, contact us, or use our services.

By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or services.

This policy applies to information collected through our website and does not govern the collection and use of protected health information (PHI) within our medical practice, which is separately governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Request a consultation — name, phone number, email address, and a general description of your condition or symptoms
• Submit a contact form — name, email address, phone number, and your message
• Download patient forms — we may record form access to assist with your intake
• Call or email us — records of correspondence and call details

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, our servers and third-party analytics services automatically collect:

• IP address and approximate geographic location (city/region level)
• Browser type and version, operating system, and device type
• Pages visited, time spent on each page, and navigation path
• Referring URL (the page that linked you to our site)
• Date and time of your visit
• Search terms used to find our site

Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies as described in Section 6 of this policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to inquiries — answer your questions and schedule consultations
• Provide medical services — coordinate your care once you become a patient (governed separately by our HIPAA Notice)
• Improve our website — analyze how visitors use our site to fix issues and improve navigation
• Send communications you request — appointment confirmations, educational content, and follow-up information
• Comply with legal obligations — meet our obligations under applicable state and federal law
• Protect against fraud — detect and prevent fraudulent or abusive activity

We do not use your information for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects without human review.

4. Medical Privacy & HIPAA

Blue Spine is a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). When you become a patient, your protected health information (PHI) — including medical records, diagnoses, treatment plans, and billing information — is governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, not solely by this Privacy Policy.

Information you submit through our website inquiry forms before establishing a patient relationship is not yet PHI and is handled under this Privacy Policy. Once a patient relationship is established, all health information you share with us becomes subject to HIPAA protections.

5. Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers — companies that help us operate our website and business (web hosting, analytics, email delivery, scheduling software). These vendors are contractually prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than providing services to us.
• Legal requirements — when required by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the safety of any person or the public.
• Business transfers — if Blue Spine is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
• With your consent — for any other purpose with your explicit prior consent.

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies — necessary for basic website functionality. Cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors interact with our site (e.g., Google Analytics). These collect anonymized usage data.
• Preference cookies — remember your settings and preferences across visits.

Managing Cookies

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

• Block all cookies (note: this may break website functionality)
• Delete cookies after each session
• Set your browser to notify you when a cookie is placed

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking specifically, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Inquiry and contact form submissions — retained for up to 3 years to support follow-up communications and service improvement
• Website analytics data — aggregated analytics data is retained for up to 26 months
• Patient medical records — governed by applicable Florida state law and HIPAA, generally 7 years from the date of last treatment

When data is no longer required, we delete it securely or anonymize it so it can no longer be associated with you.

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our website
• Access controls limiting who within our organization can access personal information
• Regular security assessments of our systems and vendors
• Staff training on privacy and data security practices

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 absolute security. If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately at info@bluespine.com.

9. Your Privacy Rights

All Users

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction — request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion — request that we delete your personal information, subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records
• Opt-out — unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send

California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete your personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information). To exercise these rights, contact us at info@bluespine.com.

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of your rights, contact us using the information in Section 12. We will respond to verifiable requests within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete such information.

Patients under 18 should have a parent or legal guardian accompany them and participate in the consent and communication process.

11. Changes to This 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 material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

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

If you are a patient with questions about your protected health information, please refer to our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices or contact our Privacy Officer at the address above.