Privacy Policy

Who We Are and Scope

South Bay Lifestyle Medicine ("we", "us", "our") provides primary care, urgent care, chronic care, longevity services, concierge membership, and group visits from 2583 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, California 90505.

This policy explains how we handle information collected through www.southbaylm.com (the "Site"), the LM Portal, and our communications with you.

Information we create or receive while providing care is protected health information ("PHI") under HIPAA. Our Notice of Privacy Practices governs that information. If this policy and the Notice differ on PHI, the Notice controls.

Personal information means any information that identifies you or could reasonably identify you. We process personal information to provide our services, to operate and secure the Site, and to meet our legal and regulatory obligations. We encourage you to read this policy carefully and use it to make informed decisions.

Information We Collect

Information You Give Us

Name, email, phone number, address, date of birth, appointment requests, membership details, and messages you send through our forms or portal.

Health Information

Symptoms, history, medications, test results, insurance and payment details, and other information you share to receive care. Please do not send urgent medical details through the Site. In an emergency, call 911.

Information Collected Automatically

IP address, device and browser type, pages viewed, time of visit, and referring page. We collect this to run and secure the Site.

How We Use Transmission

• Provide care, schedule appointments, and manage memberships
• Process payments and verify coverage
• Respond to your questions
• Send reminders and service notices
• Improve Site performance and security
• Meet legal and regulatory duties

We use PHI only as HIPAA permits or as you authorize in writing.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tools to keep the Site working, remember preferences, and measure traffic. These include session cookies, persistent cookies, and third-party cookies.

We may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Site, remember preferences, and measure traffic. We do not knowingly use these tools to send your health information to advertising platforms. When a vendor handles PHI on our behalf, we require a business associate agreement.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Some Site features may not work if you do.

How We Share Information

Service Providers and Business Associates

We share information with vendors that host the Site, run the portal, process payments, send messages, and support our operations. Vendors that handle PHI are bound by business associate agreements and must protect it.

Legal and Safety Disclosures

We disclose information when required by law, to respond to valid legal process, to prevent serious harm, to investigate fraud or security issues, and as HIPAA permits for public health and oversight.

Business Transfers

We do not sell your PHI. We do not sell personal information for money. Some Site tools may collect limited technical data, as described in the Cookies and Tracking Technologies section. You can contact us to opt out of any sharing the law allows you to limit.

HIPAA and Your Health Information

Notice of Privacy Practices

Our Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we use and disclose PHI and how you can access your information. You may request a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time by contacting us using the details in the Contact Us section.

Your HIPAA Rights

You have the right to:

• Access and receive a copy of your records, including electronic copies
• Request corrections to your records
• Receive an accounting of certain disclosures
• Request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures
• Request confidential communications
• Receive a paper copy of the Notice
• File a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights

We do not retaliate against anyone who files a complaint.

Substance Use Disorder Records

If we receive or maintain substance use disorder treatment records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we handle them as that law requires. We do not use or disclose those records in legal proceedings against you without your written consent or a court order that meets Part 2 requirements.

Marketing and Communications

Members may communicate with their care team through our secure text messaging service. Please use it for health-related questions. Standard text messages and email are not fully secure, so please avoid sending sensitive health details by those channels. If we offer telehealth visits, we use platforms designed to protect the privacy of your information.

Your California Privacy Rights

California residents may have the right to know what personal information we collect, request access, correction and deletion, and opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not discriminate against you for using these rights.

These rights do not apply to PHI governed by HIPAA or to medical information governed by California's Confidentiality of Medical Information Act. They apply to Site information that is not PHI.

To make a request, contact us using the details below. We may verify your identity first.

Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards. These include encryption, access controls, workforce training, audit logs, and vendor oversight. No system is fully secure, and we work to improve ours.

Breach Notification

If a breach affects your information, we notify you and regulators as federal and California law require.

Data Retention

We keep medical records for the period required by California law and our legal obligations. We keep other information only as long as needed for the purposes in this policy, then delete or de-identify it.

Children's Privacy

The Site is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect their information through the Site. Parents and guardians may act for minor patients as the law allows.

Third Party Websites

The Site may link to other websites. We do not control their practices. Please review their policies.

Changes to This Policy

We update this policy when our practices or the law change. The effective date above shows the latest version. We will post a notice of material changes on the Site.

Contact Us

South Bay Lifestyle Medicine, 2583 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, California 90505, United States Phone:310-901-1756

 Email: info@southbaylm.com