Privacy Policy

Friends Home Care and Hospice LLC (“Friends Home Care,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information when you visit friendshchospice.com (the “website”), contact us, or request information about our services.

This policy applies to information collected through our website and through your inquiries to us. It does not govern the practices of any third party we do not control. If you become a client, additional terms and notices may apply to the care we provide, as described in the next section.

By using our website or contacting us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects certain health information held by “covered entities,” such as health plans and many healthcare providers, and by their business associates. Not every organization that handles health information is a HIPAA covered entity.

Our website is an informational and contact tool. Information you submit through this website, such as a contact form, is generally not protected health information under HIPAA, and this Privacy Policy, rather than HIPAA, governs that website information.

If and to the extent HIPAA applies to the care services we provide, including where we work alongside a hospice or other healthcare provider under a business associate agreement, the health information we create or receive while providing that care is handled under our separate confidentiality practices for clients, and where required, under a separate Notice of Privacy Practices that we provide to clients. If you are a client and have questions about how we handle your health information for care, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy.

Regardless of whether HIPAA applies, we treat information about your health and the care your loved one needs as confidential, and we limit access to the people who need it to respond to you or to provide care.

This section and the sections that follow describe the categories of information we collect, where it comes from, why we collect it, and how we share it. We collect information in the following ways.

Information you provide to us. When you complete a form, call, email, or otherwise communicate with us, you may provide:

• Your name
• Your contact details, such as your phone number, email address, and mailing address if you provide it
• Information about the person who needs care and your relationship to them
• The type of care you are interested in
• Your preferred contact time
• Any other information you choose to include in your message

Information we collect automatically. When you visit our website, we and our service providers may collect:

• Your device type and browser
• Your IP address and general location
• The pages you view, links you click, and time spent on the site
• The website that referred you to us
• Information collected through cookies and similar technologies

Because we provide care services, the information you share may include details about a person’s health, medical conditions, or care needs. You are never required to share more than you choose. We use this information only to respond to your inquiry, to understand the care that may be needed, and to provide care if you become a client. We treat this information as confidential, and we do not use it for advertising.

Some privacy laws treat health information and certain other information as sensitive. Where those laws apply to us, we process sensitive information only for the purposes described in this policy, and where the law requires it, with your consent. You may also have the right to limit our use of sensitive information, as described in the section on your rights.

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to your questions, messages, and requests
• Schedule and prepare for a consultation
• Provide, coordinate, and improve the care we offer
• Operate, maintain, and improve our website
• Send you information about our services when it relates to your request or when you have asked to hear from us
• Comply with our legal obligations
• Protect the rights, safety, and property of our clients, our team, and the public

We do not sell your personal information for money. We share information only as described below:

• With our caregivers and staff, so we can respond to you and provide care
• With service providers who perform work on our behalf, such as website hosting, form processing, email, and analytics. We require these providers by contract to protect your information and to use it only to perform services for us
• For legal reasons, when we believe in good faith that disclosure is required by law, regulation, legal process, or a government request, or is needed to protect the rights, safety, or property of any person
• In connection with a business transaction, such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which information may be transferred as part of that transaction

We do not share your information with third parties for their own marketing purposes without your consent.

Depending on the cookies and tracking tools used on our website, some state privacy laws may treat certain data sharing with analytics or advertising providers as a “sale” or a “share.” Where a law applies to us and treats our activities that way, we will provide a method to opt out, as described in the section on your rights.

Our website may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to operate the site, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use the site. We may use analytics services, such as Google Analytics, that collect information about your use of the website and report website trends to us.

You can set your browser to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. Some parts of the website may not function properly without cookies.

Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” setting or a Global Privacy Control signal. Because there is not yet a common industry standard for responding to these signals, our website may not respond to all of them. Where required by law, we honor recognized opt-out preference signals.

When you provide your phone number, you agree that we may contact you about your inquiry and the care you requested, including by phone call and, where you have opted in, by text message. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. You can opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP, and you can ask us to stop calling you at any time. Your consent to receive calls or texts is not a condition of receiving our services.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the information we collect. No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the authorities as required by law.

We keep your information for as long as we need it to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, to provide and document care, to comply with our legal, tax, and recordkeeping obligations, and to resolve disputes. When we no longer need your information, we take reasonable steps to delete it or to remove the details that identify you.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information. These may include the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request that we correct inaccurate information
• Request that we delete your information
• Opt out of marketing communications
• Where applicable, opt out of certain sharing of your information

Iowa residents have certain rights under Iowa law regarding their personal data. Residents of other states, such as California, Colorado, and Virginia, may have additional rights under their own state laws. We honor the rights that apply to you under applicable law, and we will not discriminate against you for exercising any of them.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy. We may need to verify your identity before we respond, in order to protect your information. We will respond within the time required by applicable law. If an authorized agent submits a request on your behalf, we may ask for proof that you authorized the request. There is no charge to make a request, and we will not discriminate against you for making one.

If we decline your request, we will explain why. Where the law gives you the right to appeal, you may appeal our decision by contacting us, and we will respond within the time the law requires. If you still have concerns, you may contact the office of your state attorney general.

Our website and services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

Our website may contain links to other websites, such as our social media pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of websites we do not operate. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the last updated date at the top of this page, and where appropriate we will provide additional notice. Your continued use of the website after we post changes means you accept the updated policy.

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Iowa and applicable federal law, without regard to conflict of laws principles.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your information, please contact us:

• By phone at (515) 230-6691
• By email at friendshchospice@gmail.com

Friends Home Care and Hospice LLC, Des Moines, Iowa.

If you need this policy in an alternative format, please let us know and we will provide one.