WEBSITE PRIVACY POLICY

Practice Name: Rivers Dermatology, LLC

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

Jurisdiction: Maryland (MODPA Compliant) / District of Columbia

At Rivers Dermatology, LLC, we are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal and medical information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information gathered from visitors to our website, www.riversdermatology.com (the "Site").

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices vs. Website Privacy Policy

It is important to understand the distinction between website data and medical data:

  • Website Privacy Policy: This policy governs the general, non-medical information collected when you browse this Site, complete community interest surveys, or use general contact forms.

  • HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices: Any Protected Health Information (PHI) you provide through our secure, encrypted Patient Portal or during a clinical visit is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). You will receive our formal HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices separately during your clinical intake process. Please do not submit specific health histories or symptoms via standard website contact forms, as they are not designed to transmit PHI.

Data Minimization & Purpose Limitation (MODPA Compliance)

In accordance with the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA), we limit our digital collection of personal data to only what is reasonably necessary and proportionate to provide the specific services you request (such as scheduling an appointment or opting into a waitlist). We do not engage in broad secondary processing, profiling, or tracking without your explicit, opt-in consent.­

Strict Prohibition on the Sale of Sensitive Data

Under Maryland and District of Columbia consumer privacy standards, "Sensitive Data" includes consumer health data, biometrics, genetic information, and precise geolocation.

  • Our Policy: Rivers Dermatology, LLC does not collect precise background geolocation or biometric data via this website.

  • No Sale of Data: We are categorically prohibited from selling, renting, or trading your sensitive personal or health data under any circumstances, and user consent cannot override this legal prohibition.

Information We Collect

We collect two primary types of information on our Site:

  • Voluntarily Provided Information: This includes your name, email address, phone number, and postal code when you opt into our cosmetic waiting list, request an appointment via a contact form, or complete our community aesthetic preference surveys.

  • Automated Data Collection: Like most websites, we automatically collect basic technical data when you visit our Site. This includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, pages viewed, and the time/date of your visit. This data is collected via cookies and analytical tools to optimize site performance.

How We Use Your Information

We utilize website visitor data solely to:

  • Manage and process your non-clinical requests and appointments.

  • Analyze aggregate, anonymous survey data to plan our future cosmetic dermatology services based on community interest.

  • Improve website functionality, navigation, and user experience.

  • Deliver practice updates, newsletters, or notifications regarding our upcoming grand opening or service rollouts (only if you explicitly opt-in).

Disclosure of Information

We value your trust and do not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. We may share your data only under the following limited circumstances:

  • Trusted Service Providers: With secure third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, managing our patient scheduling software, or conducting communications, provided they agree to keep this information strictly confidential and sign compliant data protection agreements.

  • Legal Obligations: If required by law, subpoena, or government regulation, or to protect the safety, rights, or property of our practice, our patients, or the public.

Security of Your Information

We implement rigorous administrative, technical, and physical security measures to shield your data from unauthorized access or disclosure. Standard communication channels on our website utilize Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption.

Mid-Atlantic Consumer Rights

If you are a resident of Maryland or the District of Columbia, you are entitled to specific digital data rights:

  • Right to Confirm & Access: You can confirm if we are processing your personal data and request a copy of it free of charge once every 12 months.

  • Right to Delete & Correct: You may request that we correct inaccuracies or completely delete any personal data collected via our website.

  • Right to Opt-Out & Universal Signals: You have the right to opt-out of targeted advertising. Our website recognizes Universal Opt-Out Preference Signals (such as Global Privacy Control / GPC) deployed in your web browser.

  • Right to Appeal: If we decline to take action on a data privacy request, you have the right to appeal our decision within 45 days. Unresolved violations can be reported directly to the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or the DC Office of the Attorney General.

Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your consumer data rights, contact us at:

Rivers Dermatology, LLC
 8926 Woodyard Rd, Suite 101, Clinton, MD
info@riversdermatology.com
(301)-818-5001