Haywood Family Eye Care, O.D., PLLC ("we," "our," or "the practice") cares about the information you share with us. This policy explains, in plain English, what information our website collects, how we use it, and how we protect it. We aim to do exactly what we say we'll do — and nothing more.
Important: This policy covers our website. Protected health information (PHI) — anything in your medical record — is governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is the document required by federal law for healthcare providers. If you're looking for how we handle your medical records, please read that notice instead.
What we collect
We collect only the information we need to help you, and only when you give it to us. That generally falls into three buckets:
- Information you submit through forms. When you fill out a contact form, ask a question, request an appointment, or sign up for a newsletter, we collect what you typed — typically your name, phone number, email address, and the message itself.
- Information from scheduling and patient tools. If you book an appointment through our online scheduling partner or sign in to our patient portal, those services collect the information you provide directly. We describe those third parties below.
- Information collected automatically. Like most websites, ours logs basic technical data when you visit — browser type, approximate location (city or region), pages viewed, and how long you stayed. This is anonymous and aggregated; we use it to understand which parts of the site are working.
How we use it
We use the information you share to do the job you've asked us to do — answer your question, schedule your appointment, send the records you requested. Specifically:
- To schedule, confirm, remind, or reschedule appointments.
- To respond to questions you send us through the contact form, by phone, or by email.
- To process payments and insurance claims for services you receive.
- To improve the website — for example, to learn that one of our pages is confusing and rewrite it.
- To send occasional newsletters or practice updates, only if you've explicitly asked to receive them. Every newsletter includes a one-click unsubscribe link.
We do not sell your information. Ever. We do not share it with advertisers, data brokers, or marketing companies.
Third-party services we use
Running a modern practice involves a few specialized tools. The ones our website touches are listed below. Each has its own privacy policy, which we encourage you to read if you have specific concerns.
- Google Analytics. Tracks anonymous usage statistics so we know how visitors find and use the site. We do not connect this data to your name or medical record.
- ScheduleYourExam. Our online appointment scheduling system. When you book, the information you enter is collected by ScheduleYourExam and shared with our office to confirm your appointment.
- your Crystal PM patient portal. Our patient portal provider. If you log in to view records or messages, Revolution handles authentication and storage; your data there is governed by both their policies and our HIPAA notice.
- Arrellio. Our contact lens reorder partner. If you reorder online, your shipping and prescription details are processed through Arrellio.
- Google Maps. The map embedded on our contact page is served by Google and follows Google's standard data practices.
Cookies and tracking
Our website uses a small number of cookies — tiny text files saved by your browser — to make the site work properly and to gather the anonymous analytics described above. You can disable or delete cookies in your browser settings; the site will still function, though some preferences may not be remembered between visits.
We do not use cookies for behavioral advertising or to track you across other websites.
Children's privacy
We see a lot of young patients, and we're proud of that. Our website, however, is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13 through the site. Parents and guardians submit information on behalf of minor patients during scheduling and intake. If you believe a child has submitted information through our site, please contact us and we'll delete it.
Your rights — California, GDPR, and elsewhere
Depending on where you live, you may have specific rights regarding the personal information we hold about you. These can include the right to access a copy of your data, correct inaccurate data, delete data, restrict how we use it, or object to certain uses.
If you'd like to exercise any of these rights — or you just want to know what we have on file — email privacy@haywoodfamilyeye.com. We'll respond promptly and in plain language. Patient health record rights are separate and are covered under our HIPAA notice.
How we protect your information
We use reasonable technical and administrative safeguards to protect the information we hold — encrypted connections (HTTPS) for our website, secure storage with trusted vendors, and limited access for staff who genuinely need it. No system on the internet is perfectly secure, but we take this seriously and we keep our practices current.
For patient health records, additional federal protections apply under HIPAA, and we follow those requirements rigorously. See our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices for the details.
Changes to this policy
We'll update this page when our practices change. The "Last updated" date at the top will always reflect when the current version went into effect. Material changes will be highlighted on the site for a reasonable period so you have a chance to read them.
Contact us
Questions about this policy, or about something you've shared with us? Reach out.
- Email: privacy@haywoodfamilyeye.com
- Phone: (828) 456-8361
- Mail: Haywood Family Eye Care, 1604 Sulphur Springs Rd, Waynesville, NC 28786