Privacy Policy Iowa Psychiatric Care
Privacy Policy
Effective Date: August 12, 2026
Last Updated: August 12, 2026
This Privacy Policy describes how Iowa Psychiatric Care (“Iowa Psychiatric Care,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, maintains, protects, and discloses information obtained from users (“you” or “your”) of the Iowa Psychiatric Care website.
1. Introduction
Iowa Psychiatric Care respects the privacy of our patients, prospective patients, and website visitors. We recognize the importance of protecting personal information, particularly information related to healthcare and mental health services.
This Privacy Policy explains the types of information we may collect through our website, how that information may be used, circumstances in which information may be disclosed, and choices available to you regarding your information.
As a healthcare practice, we also maintain privacy practices concerning Protected Health Information (“PHI”) as required by applicable federal and state healthcare privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), when applicable.
This Privacy Policy is intended to address information collected through our public-facing website. Our use and disclosure of PHI in connection with healthcare services may also be governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices.
2. Scope of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through the Iowa Psychiatric Care website and webpages that link directly to this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy does not necessarily apply to information collected through separate patient portals, electronic health record systems, telehealth platforms, payment processors, insurance systems, or other third-party platforms. Those services may maintain their own privacy policies and terms.
Our website may contain links to websites or services operated by third parties. Iowa Psychiatric Care does not control and is not responsible for the content, security, availability, or privacy practices of third-party websites or services.
You should review the privacy policies of any third-party website or service before providing personal information.
3. Healthcare and Emergency Disclaimer
Our website is intended to provide general information about Iowa Psychiatric Care and the services we offer.
The website is not intended for medical emergencies or urgent psychiatric situations.
Do not use website forms, email, or standard text messaging to communicate an emergency or other time-sensitive medical information.
If you believe you are experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, seek immediate emergency assistance through the appropriate emergency services available in your area.
Information provided through this website is not intended to replace individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.
4. Personal Information
“Personal Information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be associated with an individual.
Depending on how you interact with our website and services, Personal Information may include:
Name
Email address
Telephone number
Mailing address
Date of birth or age
Demographic information
Appointment information
Insurance information
Information submitted through website forms
Communications you send to us
Information regarding your interest in our services
Other information you voluntarily provide
Certain information you provide in connection with obtaining healthcare services may constitute Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA or other applicable healthcare privacy laws.
5. Collection of Personal Information
You may be able to browse portions of our website without directly providing Personal Information.
However, when you request an appointment, submit a contact form, communicate with our practice, access certain services, or otherwise interact with website features, we may request information from you.
For example, you may be asked to provide your:
Name
Phone number
Email address
Appointment preferences
Insurance information
General reason for requesting services
Other information necessary to respond to your request
Please avoid submitting highly sensitive medical information through general website contact forms unless the form is specifically designated and secured for that purpose.
Providing requested information may be necessary for us to respond to your inquiry or provide particular services.
6. Information Collected Automatically
When you access our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by our website systems or service providers.
This information may include:
Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser type
Device type
Operating system
Referring website
Pages viewed
Date and time of access
Approximate geographic information derived from an IP address
Website interaction and performance information
We may use this information to maintain website security, understand website usage, diagnose technical problems, improve website functionality, and measure the effectiveness of our online presence.
7. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality and understand how visitors interact with the website.
Cookies are small data files that may be stored on your device when you visit a website.
Depending on our website configuration, cookies may be used for purposes such as:
Maintaining website functionality
Remembering preferences
Improving website performance
Understanding general website traffic
Detecting security issues
Measuring website engagement
You may be able to disable or manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some portions of the website.
Where required by applicable law, appropriate consent mechanisms may be provided before non-essential cookies or similar technologies are used.
8. Appointment Requests and Communications
If you submit an appointment request, contact form, or other inquiry, we may use the information you provide to:
Respond to your inquiry
Determine whether our services may be appropriate for your needs
Schedule or coordinate appointments
Provide administrative information
Verify information
Communicate regarding services
Provide patient onboarding instructions
Direct you to an appropriate patient portal or healthcare platform
Submitting an appointment request through the website does not necessarily establish a provider-patient relationship.
A provider-patient relationship is established only in accordance with Iowa Psychiatric Care’s applicable intake, consent, clinical, and administrative procedures.
9. SMS/Text Message Communications
If Iowa Psychiatric Care offers text message communications and you voluntarily provide your mobile telephone number and consent to receive text messages, we may send messages concerning matters such as:
Appointment reminders
Scheduling information
Appointment confirmations
Follow-up communications
Practice-related administrative updates
Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply depending on your wireless carrier and plan.
You may opt out of applicable automated SMS communications by replying STOP. Where supported, you may reply HELP for assistance or contact Iowa Psychiatric Care directly.
Consent to receive marketing or promotional text messages, if any are offered, is not a condition of receiving healthcare services.
SMS opt-in consent and phone numbers collected specifically for SMS communications will not be sold or shared with third parties for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
Information may nevertheless be disclosed to service providers that facilitate communications on our behalf when necessary to provide the messaging service and subject to applicable privacy and contractual requirements.
Text messaging may have privacy and security limitations. Do not send urgent, emergency, or highly sensitive medical information through standard SMS unless specifically instructed to use an approved secure method.
10. Email Communications
If you provide your email address, we may use it to respond to inquiries, provide appointment or administrative information, or otherwise communicate with you concerning our services.
Standard email may not always provide the same level of security as a dedicated healthcare communication system.
Please avoid sending highly sensitive medical information through ordinary email unless specifically instructed to do so through an appropriate secure process.
11. How We Use Personal Information
Subject to applicable law, we may use Personal Information collected through our website to:
Respond to inquiries
Process appointment requests
Coordinate healthcare services
Communicate with patients and prospective patients
Provide administrative support
Operate and maintain our website
Improve website usability and functionality
Monitor website performance
Protect against fraudulent or unauthorized activity
Maintain security
Comply with applicable laws and regulations
Maintain appropriate business and healthcare records
Enforce our policies and agreements
Carry out other purposes disclosed when information is collected
Carry out purposes for which you provide consent
We do not use PHI for purposes inconsistent with applicable healthcare privacy laws.
12. Disclosure of Personal Information
We may disclose Personal Information when reasonably necessary to operate our practice and website or as permitted or required by law.
This may include disclosures to service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as:
Website hosting providers
Information technology providers
Electronic health record providers
Telehealth service providers
Scheduling systems
Communication providers
Billing and payment service providers
Professional advisers
Other vendors supporting our business or healthcare operations
Where required by HIPAA, vendors handling PHI on our behalf are expected to enter into appropriate agreements, including Business Associate Agreements when applicable.
We may also disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:
Comply with applicable federal, state, or local law
Respond to lawful court orders, subpoenas, or governmental requests
Protect the rights, property, or safety of Iowa Psychiatric Care, our patients, website visitors, or others
Investigate fraud, abuse, security incidents, or unlawful activity
Enforce our agreements and policies
Complete an authorized business transaction
Fulfill another purpose with your authorization or consent
We do not sell your PHI.
13. HIPAA and Protected Health Information
Iowa Psychiatric Care is committed to protecting health information in accordance with applicable healthcare privacy requirements, including HIPAA when applicable.
Information that qualifies as PHI and is maintained by Iowa Psychiatric Care as part of providing healthcare services is subject to additional protections.
Our Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose PHI, our legal duties regarding PHI, and the rights patients have regarding their health information.
If there is a conflict between this website Privacy Policy and our Notice of Privacy Practices concerning PHI, the Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable law will govern the handling of PHI.
14. Security
We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures designed to protect Personal Information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.
Security measures may include access controls, administrative safeguards, technology safeguards, vendor management practices, and other protections appropriate to the nature of the information involved.
However, no website, electronic communication, network, database, or method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Accordingly, while we take reasonable steps to protect information, Iowa Psychiatric Care cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted electronically.
15. Third-Party Services
Our website may use or link to third-party services, which may include:
Patient portals
Appointment scheduling platforms
Telehealth platforms
Payment processors
Insurance-related services
Mapping services
Website hosting or security providers
When you leave our website or use a third-party service, that third party’s privacy policy and terms may apply.
We encourage you to review those policies before submitting Personal Information.
16. Patient Portal
Iowa Psychiatric Care may provide access to a third-party patient portal for secure patient communications, documents, forms, appointments, health information, or other services.
Information submitted through the patient portal may be governed by additional privacy, security, and contractual terms applicable to that platform.
Whenever possible, sensitive healthcare communications should be transmitted using the secure methods designated by Iowa Psychiatric Care.
17. Telehealth
Iowa Psychiatric Care provides psychiatric services through telehealth.
Telehealth services may involve separate technology platforms and privacy practices. Patients may be required to review and agree to additional telehealth consent forms, patient agreements, or privacy notices before receiving telehealth services.
Website visitors should not interpret access to this website as confirmation that Iowa Psychiatric Care can legally provide healthcare services in every jurisdiction.
Eligibility for treatment may depend on factors including patient location, provider licensure, clinical appropriateness, and applicable law.
18. Children’s Privacy
Our psychiatric services are described as serving adults, and our website is not directed toward children under 13.
We do not knowingly collect Personal Information directly from children under 13 through our general website without appropriate authorization.
If we learn that Personal Information has been collected from a child under 13 in circumstances where such collection was not permitted, we will take reasonable steps to delete or appropriately address that information.
Parents or legal guardians who believe a child has submitted information through our website may contact us.
19. Data Retention
We retain Personal Information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to satisfy applicable legal, regulatory, contractual, accounting, security, and operational requirements.
Information constituting part of a patient’s healthcare or medical record may be retained for periods required by applicable healthcare laws, regulations, licensing requirements, professional standards, and our record-retention policies.
20. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on the type of information involved and applicable law, you may have rights concerning your Personal Information.
These rights may include requesting that we:
Provide access to certain Personal Information
Correct inaccurate information
Update your contact information
Address certain privacy concerns
Stop certain communications
Patients may have additional rights regarding PHI under HIPAA and other applicable laws, including rights described in Iowa Psychiatric Care’s Notice of Privacy Practices.
Certain rights are subject to exceptions and limitations imposed by law.
21. Do Not Track and Browser Privacy Controls
Some internet browsers offer “Do Not Track” or similar privacy signals. Because there is not necessarily a uniform industry standard governing all such signals, our website may not respond to every browser-based privacy preference in the same manner.
You may use your browser’s privacy and cookie controls to manage certain forms of website data collection.
22. No Sale of Personal Information
Iowa Psychiatric Care does not sell patients’ Protected Health Information.
We also do not sell SMS opt-in consent information or mobile telephone numbers collected specifically for SMS communications to third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
23. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Iowa Psychiatric Care may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or services.
When changes are made, we will update the “Last Updated” date displayed at the beginning of this Privacy Policy.
We encourage visitors to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
Your continued use of our website after an updated Privacy Policy is posted is subject to the revised Policy, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
24. Contact Information
If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or information submitted through our website, please contact:
Iowa Psychiatric Care
950 Office Park Rd, Suite 221
West Des Moines, Iowa 50265-2548
Phone: 515-654-6422
Fax: 515-738-4906
Email: melanie@iowapsychiatriccare.com
Website: iowapsychiatriccare.com
For questions specifically concerning Protected Health Information or your rights as a patient, please contact Iowa Psychiatric Care using the contact information above.