Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Effective Date: March 1, 2026 · Last Updated: March 1, 2026

1. Introduction

Advanced Wellness Chiropractic ("we," "us," or "our"), located at 11520 St. Charles Rock Rd, Suite 104, Bridgeton, MO 63044, is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, maintain, disclose, and protect information obtained from visitors to our website (awellnesschiropractic.com) and patients of our chiropractic practice.

By using our website or receiving services at our clinic, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy and consent to the practices described herein.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information: We may collect the following when you interact with our website or receive care:

• Full name, date of birth, and contact information (email, phone number, mailing address)
• Health and medical history, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment records
• Insurance information, policy numbers, and billing details
• Emergency contact information
• Information submitted through our website contact form (name, email, phone, message content)
• Referring physician or attorney information (for personal injury and auto accident cases)

Automatically Collected Information: When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address, browser type, operating system, and device information
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8 below)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

• To provide, coordinate, and manage your chiropractic care and treatment
• To process appointments, billing, insurance claims, and payment transactions
• To communicate with you regarding appointments, treatment plans, follow-up care, and practice updates
• To comply with legal obligations, including HIPAA, Missouri state regulations, and applicable federal law
• To respond to inquiries submitted through our website contact form
• To improve our website functionality, content, and patient experience
• To maintain the safety and security of our practice and systems

4. HIPAA Compliance & Protected Health Information

As a healthcare provider, Advanced Wellness Chiropractic is a Covered Entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the HITECH Act. We are bound by the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 160 and Subparts A and E of Part 164) and the HIPAA Security Rule (45 CFR Part 160 and Subparts A and C of Part 164).

Our obligations include:

• Maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all Protected Health Information (PHI) we create, receive, maintain, or transmit
• Implementing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect electronic PHI (ePHI) from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure
• Limiting uses and disclosures of PHI to the minimum necessary for the intended purpose
• Providing you with a Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) at your first visit that details how your PHI may be used
• Training all workforce members on HIPAA privacy and security policies
• Promptly notifying you in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI, as required by the Breach Notification Rule

Your PHI may be used or disclosed without your authorization only for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations (TPO), or as otherwise permitted or required by law (e.g., public health reporting, law enforcement requests pursuant to a valid court order, or workers' compensation claims).

5. Information Sharing & Third-Party Disclosures

We do not sell, trade, rent, or otherwise commercially distribute your personal information or health records to any third party. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• With other healthcare providers involved in your care (e.g., referrals, co-treating physicians)
• With your insurance company for claims processing and payment
• With attorneys or insurance adjusters in personal injury, auto accident, or workers' compensation cases, only with your written authorization
• With third-party service providers who assist our business operations (e.g., billing companies, IT providers), all bound by HIPAA Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)
• As required by federal, state, or local law, including responses to valid subpoenas, court orders, or government investigations
• To prevent or address fraud, security threats, or technical issues

6. Data Security

We implement and maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted transmission of data submitted through our website (SSL/TLS encryption)
• Access controls limiting PHI access to authorized personnel only
• Secure storage of physical and electronic health records
• Regular review and updating of security policies and procedures
• Workforce training on privacy and security best practices

While we take commercially reasonable measures to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to promptly addressing any suspected breach.

7. Your Rights Under HIPAA & Missouri Law

Under HIPAA and Missouri law (RSMo Chapter 191 and 376), you have the following rights regarding your health information:

• Right to Access: You may request access to and obtain a copy of your health records. We will respond within 30 days of your written request.
• Right to Amend: You may request corrections or amendments to your health records if you believe they are inaccurate or incomplete.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made by our practice.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You may request that we limit how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree to all restrictions but will honor reasonable requests where possible.
• Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you through a specific method or at a specific location (e.g., calling only your cell phone rather than your home phone).
• Right to a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of this Privacy Policy and our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.
• Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our practice or directly with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

We will never retaliate against you for exercising any of these rights. To exercise any right listed above, contact our office in writing or by calling (636) 393-8390.

8. Cookies & Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies (small text files stored on your device) and analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to improve functionality and understand how visitors use our site.

What cookies do NOT do:

• Cookies never collect Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Cookies are never used to identify you as a patient
• We do not use cookies for targeted advertising or sell cookie data to third parties

You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain website functionality but will not affect your ability to contact us or receive care.

9. Website Contact Form & Email Communications

Information submitted through our website contact form (name, email, phone, message) is transmitted via encrypted connection and delivered to our practice email. This form is intended for general inquiries and appointment requests only.

Do not submit sensitive health information, insurance numbers, or Social Security numbers through the website contact form. For confidential health matters, please call our office directly at (636) 393-8390 or discuss in person during your appointment.

10. Minors & Pediatric Patients

We provide chiropractic care to patients of all ages, including minors. For patients under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must provide consent for treatment and is responsible for the minor's health information rights. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website without parental consent.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Google Maps, Instagram, insurance provider websites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

12. Data Retention

We retain patient health records in accordance with Missouri law, which requires chiropractic records to be maintained for a minimum of seven (7) years from the date of the last treatment, or in the case of a minor, until the patient reaches the age of 21, whichever is later. Website contact form submissions are retained only as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry.

13. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Material changes affecting how we handle your PHI will be communicated through a notice in our office. Your continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact Us & File a Complaint

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or want to file a complaint about our privacy practices, contact us:

You may also file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services:

15. Terms of Use

By accessing and using the Advanced Wellness Chiropractic website, you agree to the following terms:

• All content on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
• No doctor-patient relationship is created by your use of this website or submission of a contact form.
• You should not rely on website content as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.
• We make reasonable efforts to ensure content accuracy but do not warrant that all information is complete, current, or error-free.
• All text, images, logos, and content on this website are the intellectual property of Advanced Wellness Chiropractic and may not be reproduced without written permission.
• We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of this website at any time without notice.
• This website and its terms are governed by the laws of the State of Missouri. Any disputes arising from use of this website shall be resolved in the courts of St. Louis County, Missouri.