Website privacy policy

Who we are

Riverbend Medical Group is a multi-specialty physician practice serving patients in Columbus, Ohio, from our Short North and Dublin offices. This Website Privacy Policy applies to information collected through this public website, including information you submit through our appointment request form. It explains what we collect, why we use it, when we share it, and the choices available to you.

This policy is about the website and its online forms. Information created or maintained as part of your care is subject to health privacy laws and our separate Notice of Privacy Practices.

Information you give us

If you submit an appointment request, we collect the information you enter so our scheduling team can respond. The form may ask for your name, email address, phone number, specialty, preferred doctor, office, preferred date and time, and an optional note. You decide whether to provide optional information. Please make sure your contact details are accurate so we can reach you.

The appointment request form is for scheduling, not medical care. Please do not include sensitive medical details in the optional note. Do not send diagnoses, symptoms, medication information, insurance identification numbers, or other confidential health information through this general website form. If you need to discuss a health concern, call our office or speak with your care team through an appropriate clinical channel.

You may also choose to provide information when you call us after visiting the site. Information shared by phone may be handled differently from website information, depending on its purpose and whether it becomes part of your medical record.

Information collected automatically

When you browse the website, our systems and service providers may automatically receive basic technical information. This can include your device and browser type, operating system, pages visited, time and duration of a visit, referring page, and general interaction with the site. We may infer an approximate location from your internet protocol (IP) address, such as a city or region; this is not intended to identify your precise location.

We use Google reCAPTCHA on forms to help distinguish people from automated spam. To provide this protection, Google may collect information about your browser, device, and interaction with the page, and may use cookies or similar technologies. Google processes that information under its own privacy terms.

Basic site analytics help us understand overall website activity, such as which pages are visited and whether the site is functioning as expected. We use this information in aggregate to maintain and improve the site; it is not intended to provide medical advice or make decisions about a patient's care.

How we use information

We use information you submit to respond to your appointment request, contact you about availability, and help schedule a visit. We may use the contact details you provide to follow up about that request or clarify a scheduling preference. Sending a request does not confirm an appointment; our team must contact you to confirm the date and time.

We use technical and analytics information to operate, troubleshoot, protect, and improve the website. We also use information to identify and reduce spam, address technical problems, understand general site performance, and meet legal obligations. We do not use website analytics to diagnose a condition or make a treatment decision.

How we share it

We may share website information with service providers that help us host and maintain the website, process appointment requests, provide analytics, or protect forms from spam. These providers may use information only to perform services for us and are subject to confidentiality obligations and appropriate safeguards.

We may also disclose information when required by law, in response to valid legal process, to protect the rights, safety, and security of patients or others, or to investigate suspected misuse of the website. We do not sell or rent personal information collected through this website, and we do not share it with third parties so they can market their own products to you.

Cookies and your choices

Cookies are small files stored by your browser. The website or its service providers may use cookies and similar technologies for basic site operation, security, analytics, and reCAPTCHA spam protection. Some cookies are temporary and expire when you close your browser; others may remain for a period set by the service that placed them.

You can use your browser settings to block, delete, or limit cookies. If you block all cookies, some site features or security protections may not work as intended. You can also leave the website if you do not want to use a feature that relies on cookies. Browser controls do not necessarily stop all technical information from being received by a website or service provider.

How long we keep it

We retain appointment requests submitted through the website for up to 12 months so we can respond, manage scheduling follow-up, and maintain appropriate business records. If information from a request becomes part of your medical record, we retain it according to the requirements that apply to medical records rather than this website period. We may also keep information longer when required by law, needed to resolve a dispute, or necessary to protect the website and our practice.

Technical logs and analytics may be kept for different periods depending on their purpose and the service provider's settings. We take reasonable steps to use or retain only the information needed for those purposes.

How we protect it

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards intended to protect website information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or disclosure. Our service providers are expected to protect information they handle for us. No website, email, or internet transmission can be guaranteed completely secure, and we cannot promise that every risk will be eliminated.

For your safety, do not send sensitive medical details through the appointment request form. If you believe information you submitted through the website has been misused, please call us using the contact information below.

Children's privacy

This website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information online directly from children under 13. A parent or legal guardian may submit an appointment request on a child's behalf. Please provide only the details needed to arrange scheduling and do not include sensitive medical information in the note.

If you believe a child under 13 has submitted personal information directly through this website, contact us so we can review the request and take appropriate steps.

Your choices

You may contact us by phone to ask us to access, correct, or delete information you submitted in a website appointment request. We may need to verify your identity and locate the request before acting. We will honor requests as permitted by law and our recordkeeping obligations. If the information has become part of your medical record, medical record laws and our Notice of Privacy Practices apply.

You may choose not to submit an appointment request online and call either office instead. You may also adjust cookie settings in your browser, understanding that some site functions may be affected.

Health information

This policy does not describe all of the ways we use or disclose protected health information in our role as a medical practice. Those practices, including your rights regarding your medical information, are explained in our Notice of Privacy Practices. Please use that notice for questions about information connected with treatment, payment, or health care operations.

Changes to this policy

We may revise this policy as our website, services, or legal requirements change. We will post the revised version on this page and update its effective date. The revised policy applies to website information as described in the updated terms. We encourage you to review this page from time to time.

Contact us

For questions or requests about information collected through this website, contact our Privacy Officer:

Riverbend Medical Group
Attn: Privacy Officer
655 N High Street, Suite 210
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 938-2740