Mokhtare MD, PC, a California professional corporation doing business as Coastal Wellness MD (“Coastal Wellness MD,” “Practice,” “we,” “our,” or “us”), is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and health information.

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, store, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (https://coastalwellnessmd.com), use our patient portal, schedule appointments, communicate with us via phone, text, or email, purchase services, packages, or memberships, or receive medical, aesthetic, or wellness care from us, including at our primary clinic location or authorized off-site events.

By accessing our website, using our services, or interacting with our Practice, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Important Distinction: Website Privacy Policy vs. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

• Website Privacy Policy: This document governs personal information collected through our public website, online forms, booking portals, and general business communications.
• HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP): Health and medical information created, received, or maintained by us in connection with providing healthcare services is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA).

Note: Submitting an inquiry through our public website or scheduling an initial consultation does not automatically establish a physician-patient relationship. Once you become a patient, your Protected Health Information (PHI) is protected under HIPAA and the CMIA, as detailed in our separate HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is incorporated herein by reference.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect several types of information from and about users of our website and services, including:

A. Personal Identifiers & Contact Information

• Full legal name, preferred name, date of birth, age, and gender.
• Email address, mobile telephone number, mailing address, and emergency contact details.

B. Medical & Health Information

When you request, schedule, or receive medical or aesthetic services, we collect:

• Medical history, current symptoms, health conditions, medications, allergies, and pregnancy/breastfeeding status.
• Health questionnaires, clinical intake forms, laboratory test results, and diagnostic data.
• Treatment notes, clinical evaluations, and medical photographs/imaging taken for clinical documentation and progress tracking.
• Professional determinations regarding medical appropriateness for procedures.

C. Financial & Payment Information

When reserving appointments, paying deposits, or purchasing services:

• Payment card details, billing address, cardholder name, and transaction history.
• Payment information provided voluntarily through our secure patient portal, over the phone to authorized staff, or in person at our clinic or authorized off-site events.
• Note: Payments are processed directly through PCI-DSS compliant third-party payment processors. Coastal Wellness MD does not store full credit card numbers, card security codes (CVV/CVC), or complete magnetic stripe data on its local servers.

D. Automated Technical & Website Analytics Data

When you navigate our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
• Pages viewed, time spent on pages, referral URL, clickstream data, and date/time stamps.
• Information collected via cookies, web beacons, and server logs.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for legitimate business and clinical purposes, including to:

• Schedule, confirm, modify, and manage appointments.
• Conduct medical evaluations, assess treatment eligibility, and deliver personalized healthcare and aesthetic care.
• Maintain complete medical and administrative records in compliance with California law.
• Process deposits, payments, memberships, treatment packages, cancellations, and refunds.
• Communicate regarding care, follow-up instructions, lab results, and prescription orders.
• Send automated appointment reminders via SMS, phone, or email.
• Document telephonic payment authorizations to prevent fraud and protect against unauthorized chargebacks.
• Operate, maintain, evaluate, and improve our website, user experience, and practice management systems.
• Comply with state and federal legal obligations, court orders, licensing regulations, and public health requirements.

4. Payment Authorization, Deposits & Medical Discretion

A. Financial Authorizations & Telephonic Documentation

Certain procedures, consultations, packages, and appointments require a deposit or payment pre-authorization. By voluntarily providing payment information via phone, patient portal, or in person, you authorize Coastal Wellness MD to charge the designated payment method for agreed-upon fees, deposits, membership charges, or cancellation/no-show fees pursuant to our Financial and Cancellation Policies.

Telephonic payment authorizations may be logged in your electronic record—including date, time, amount, authorized name, and staff identifier—for recordkeeping, fraud prevention, and dispute resolution.

B. Medical Evaluation & Clinical Discretion

• No Guarantee of Treatment: Payment of a deposit, purchase of a package, or reservation of an appointment does not guarantee that a procedure or treatment will be performed.
• Clinical Right of Refusal: Every patient must be evaluated by our licensed physician or qualified medical provider prior to receiving treatment. Coastal Wellness MD reserves the absolute right, in its sole professional medical judgment, to decline, delay, modify, or discontinue treatment if it is deemed medically unsafe, contraindicated, or inappropriate for the patient.
• Refund Eligibility: If treatment is declined solely due to a medical contraindication identified during the evaluation prior to any service being performed, any deposit paid toward that specific treatment will be refunded to the original payment method. Refunds do not apply to late cancellations, no-shows, completed consultations, performed evaluations, lab testing fees, or services already rendered.

5. Mobile & SMS Communications Privacy (10DLC Compliance)

If you elect to receive text messages (SMS/MMS) from Coastal Wellness MD for appointment reminders, care updates, or marketing:

• No Data Sharing: Mobile information, phone numbers, and SMS opt-in consent will not be shared, sold, rented, leased, or disclosed to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes under any circumstances.
• Opt-Out & Support: Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. You may opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any text message. For assistance, reply HELP or contact us directly.

6. Sharing & Disclosure of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We only share information with third parties as necessary to operate our medical practice and comply with the law, including:

• Healthcare Operations & Service Providers: Business associates and HIPAA-compliant vendors that assist us in operating our practice, including Electronic Health Record (EHR) vendors, secure patient portals, online scheduling tools, merchant payment processors, clinical laboratories, and pharmacies. All such providers are required by contract and law to protect your data.
• Legal & Regulatory Obligations: When required to do so by federal or California law, subpoena, court order, regulatory audit (e.g., Medical Board of California), or in defense of legal claims.
• Safety & Fraud Prevention: To protect the rights, property, safety, or security of Coastal Wellness MD, our patients, providers, employees, or the public.

7. Website Cookies, Analytics & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and analytics toolsets to analyze website performance and enhance functionality.

• Analytics: We may use website analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to assess traffic trends. You can control cookie preferences through your individual browser settings.
• Healthcare Privacy Standards: In accordance with federal guidelines regarding online tracking technologies in healthcare, Coastal Wellness MD does not deploy unvetted ad-tracking pixels (e.g., Meta Pixel) on patient intake forms, scheduling portals, or patient portal interfaces where Protected Health Information could be compromised or transmitted to third-party ad networks.

8. California Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA Notice)

A. Exemption Notice for Medical Data

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), California residents are granted specific privacy rights regarding personal information.

Important Notice: Pursuant to Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.145, medical information governed by the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) or HIPAA, as well as patient records maintained by a licensed healthcare provider, are exempt from the CCPA/CPRA.

B. Rights Regarding Non-Exempt Data

To the extent Coastal Wellness MD maintains personal information that falls outside healthcare statutory exemptions, California residents may have the right to:

• Right to Know / Access: Request disclosure of categories and specific pieces of personal information collected.
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information (subject to legal and medical record retention requirements).
• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Non-Discrimination: Not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising privacy rights.

Coastal Wellness MD does not “sell” or “share” personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as defined under the CPRA.

9. Data Retention & Security

A. Medical Record Retention

In accordance with California law and medical practice standards, adult patient medical records, clinical notes, financial logs, and payment authorizations will be retained for a minimum of seven (7) years from the last date of service (or longer as required by state/federal statutes). After the mandatory retention period, records are securely shredded or permanently de-identified.

B. Security Safeguards

We implement reasonable technical, administrative, and physical security measures—including secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption, firewalls, role-based access controls, and HIPAA-compliant servers—designed to protect your information against loss, theft, and unauthorized access. However, no data transmission over the internet or wireless network can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our website and online services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13 without verifiable parental or legal guardian consent. Minor patients receiving clinical care must have all intake documents and consents executed by a parent or legal guardian.

11. Third-Party Websites & External Links

Our website may contain links to external third-party websites, plug-ins, or applications. Clicking on those links may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. Coastal Wellness MD does not control third-party websites and is not responsible for their privacy statements or practices.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Coastal Wellness MD reserves the right to amend or update this Privacy Policy at any time. Updates will be posted directly to this page with an updated “Effective Date.” Your continued use of our website, patient portal, or services following the posting of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

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

Mokhtare MD, PC dba Coastal Wellness MD

Attn: Privacy Officer

Phone: (949) 520-6945

Email: hello@coastalwellnessmd.com

Website: https://coastalwellnessmd.com