Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 1, 2026

 

Important Notice About Our Privacy Practices

 

Ginkgo Functional Medicine PLLC (the Practice) provides functional-medicine services through in-office and telehealth visits. This notice explains how the Practice collects, uses, safeguards, and discloses information about patients.

Based on the Practice’s current operations, it does not submit health-plan claims or conduct other HIPAA-standard electronic transactions, directly or through a billing company or clearinghouse. The Practice is therefore not a HIPAA covered entity at this time, and this document is not a HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. The Practice nevertheless maintains patient information as confidential and handles it in accordance with applicable Florida law and its privacy practices.

If the Practice’s operations change—for example, if it begins electronically submitting health-plan claims or uses a vendor to conduct HIPAA-standard transactions—the Practice will reassess its HIPAA status and revise this notice as appropriate.

 

Information We Maintain

 

The Practice may create and maintain information about you, including:

• Contact, scheduling, and payment information;
• Health history, symptoms, treatment plans, clinical notes, test results, prescriptions, and communications relevant to your care;
• Records created during in-office or telehealth visits; and
• Information you provide through the Practice’s patient portal, forms, email, text messages, or other communications.

 

How We May Use and Disclose Your Information

 

The Practice may use your information to provide, coordinate, and manage your care; communicate with you about appointments and services; maintain clinical and administrative records; collect amounts you owe directly to the Practice; and operate and improve the Practice.

The Practice may disclose information when authorized by you in writing, to health care practitioners and providers involved in your care or treatment, or when otherwise required or permitted by applicable law. This can include disclosures:

• To make a referral or coordinate care with another provider;
• In response to a valid subpoena, court order, or other legal process when legally required;
• To report or respond to suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other safety issues when required or permitted by law;
• To governmental or professional-regulatory authorities when required by law; or
• To protect against a serious and imminent threat to health or safety when permitted by law.

 

 

The Practice will not use your patient information to market goods or services to you or disclose it to another person for that purpose without your specific written authorization, except as otherwise permitted by law.

 

Telehealth and Electronic Communications

 

The Practice documents telehealth services in the patient record. Telehealth records, including video, audio, electronic, and other records generated in connection with those services, are treated as confidential in accordance with applicable Florida law.

Email, text messages, and similar electronic communications may involve privacy and security risks. The Practice will communicate through these methods only in accordance with your separately documented communication preferences and applicable law. You may ask the Practice to use a reasonable alternative means or location for communications by contacting the Practice using the information above.

 

Safeguarding Information

 

The Practice uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect patient information. Access is limited to personnel and service providers who need the information to perform authorized functions. The Practice requires its workforce to follow confidentiality and security procedures.

 

Your Records and Requests

 

You may request access to or a copy of your medical record, subject to applicable law. Submit your request in writing to the Practice using the contact information above. The Practice will respond within the time required by applicable law and may charge only the copying fee permitted by applicable law.

You may also request that the Practice correct information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. The Practice will evaluate the request and document its response in the record.

 

Questions, Concerns, and Changes to This Notice

 

For questions or concerns about this notice or the Practice’s privacy practices, contact:

 

Dr. Dawn Frankwick

727-314-2683

[email protected]

 

The Practice may revise this notice as its practices or legal obligations change. The current version will be made available through the Practice’s website, patient portal, or upon request.