Last updated: May 2026

Shelton Family Eye Care, PLLC (“we,” “our,” or “the practice”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients and website visitors. This policy explains how we handle information you share with us through our website and as part of receiving care at our practice.

Two kinds of information

Your interactions with us fall into two categories with different protections:

• Protected Health Information (PHI) — medical records, exam findings, prescription details, insurance information, and anything else related to your healthcare. This is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and we follow strict HIPAA rules for how it’s collected, stored, used, and shared. Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices is available on request and at our office.
• Website information — what you submit through this website (contact form requests, appointment requests) and standard technical data your browser sends when you visit (IP address, browser type, pages visited). Most of this is not PHI and is covered by this privacy policy.

Information we collect through this website

When you fill out our contact form or appointment request form, we collect:

• Your name, phone number, and email address
• The reason for your inquiry (e.g., service you’re interested in, preferred appointment date)
• Any additional information you choose to share in the message field
• Date of birth and insurance information if you provide them

We also collect basic technical information automatically when you visit:

• Your IP address and approximate location
• Browser type and operating system
• Pages you visited and how you arrived at our site
• Time spent on each page

This technical information is collected through standard web analytics (such as Google Analytics) and is used to understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it.

How we use the information you share

Contact and appointment requests are used to respond to your inquiry, schedule your visit, and provide care. We do not use this information for marketing to third parties.

If your inquiry leads to becoming a patient, the information you shared will become part of your medical record and be protected as PHI under HIPAA going forward.

How we share information

We do not sell your information. We share information only as needed for:

• Treatment, payment, and operations — sharing with your other healthcare providers, your insurance company, or business operations as permitted by HIPAA
• Service providers — companies that help us run the practice (electronic health records, scheduling, billing). These vendors sign HIPAA business associate agreements that bind them to the same privacy standards
• Legal requirements — when required by law, court order, or to respond to lawful requests from authorities
• Public health and safety — rare cases where disclosure is required to prevent serious harm

Cookies and tracking

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to make the site work properly and to gather anonymous usage statistics. Most cookies are non-essential and you can disable them in your browser settings without affecting your ability to use the site. We do not use cookies for cross-site advertising or behavioral targeting.

Third-party services

This website may include links to third-party services like Google Maps, Google Analytics, or a contact form processor. These services have their own privacy policies that govern data they collect. We don’t control their practices but we choose them carefully and review their privacy policies for compatibility with healthcare patient privacy expectations.

Data security

We take reasonable measures to protect your information:

• This website uses HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
• Contact form submissions are transmitted securely
• Office systems handling PHI follow HIPAA security requirements
• Staff receive training in HIPAA and privacy best practices

No system is perfectly secure, but we take privacy seriously and follow industry best practices.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Request a copy of your medical records (HIPAA right)
• Request corrections to information in your records
• Restrict certain uses of your PHI
• Receive a separate accounting of how your PHI has been disclosed
• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at (360) 427-8324 or in person at our office.

Children’s privacy

We see patients age 5 and up. For minor patients, we follow Washington State law and HIPAA regulations regarding parental access to and authorization for the minor’s medical records. This website is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them through the site.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Significant changes will be noted at our office and on this page.

Contact us about privacy

Questions about this policy or about how we handle your information:

• Phone: (360) 427-8324
• Email: sheltonfamilyeyecare@gmail.com
• Mail: Shelton Family Eye Care, 100 E Wallace Kneeland Blvd, Shelton, WA 98584

For HIPAA-specific concerns, ask for our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which provides additional detail required by federal law.