1Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how DOCCS handles information collected through doccs.us and related online tools. It applies alongside our Notice of Privacy Practices (below), which governs protected health information. Our services are provided only to patients located in the State of Florida.
2Protected Health Information and HIPAA
DOCCS is a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). We use and disclose protected health information only as permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and Breach Notification Rule (45 CFR Parts 160 and 164) and by Florida law, including Fla. Stat. § 456.057 governing the confidentiality of patient records. Our full Notice of Privacy Practices appears below and is given to every patient at the first visit.
3Information We Collect Through This Website
The public pages of doccs.us collect only the information you choose to send us through the contact or appointment request forms (name, email, phone, and your message) and standard website analytics (pages visited, device and browser type, approximate location from IP address). Please do not include medical details in a website contact form.
Clinical information, appointment scheduling, telehealth visits, medical records, and payments are handled through the eClinicalWorks patient portal, the healow telehealth application, and healow Pay. These platforms are HIPAA compliant and operate under written Business Associate Agreements with DOCCS. Their privacy terms apply when you use them.
4How We Protect Your Information
This website and every patient portal and payment page we link to are served over SSL/TLS encryption. Protected health information is stored in access-controlled, audit-logged systems, not on this website. DOCCS workforce members complete HIPAA privacy and security training, and we maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards consistent with the HIPAA Security Rule, including role-based access, secure disposal, and a designated Privacy Officer.
5Sharing With Third Parties
DOCCS does not sell your information. We disclose protected health information only for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations; to business associates bound by written agreements; with your written authorization; or as required or permitted by law. Website analytics data is processed by our website platform and analytics providers to operate and improve the site and is not linked to your medical record.
6Breach Notification
If a breach of unsecured protected health information or personal information occurs, DOCCS will notify affected individuals and regulators as required by the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule and the Florida Information Protection Act, Fla. Stat. § 501.171.
7Your Rights and How to Contact Us
You have the right to access and obtain a copy of your medical record, request an amendment, request an accounting of disclosures, request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures, request confidential communications, and receive a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may file a complaint with DOCCS or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, and you will not be retaliated against for doing so.
8Children
This website is not directed to children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect information from them online. Care for minors is provided through a parent or guardian.
9Changes
We may update this policy; the effective date above will change when we do. The version posted here is the one in effect.
Notice of Privacy Practices
DOCCS Urgent & Primary Health Care · Effective October 12, 2026 · Privacy Officer: Nagmani Sharma
About this notice
DOCCS Urgent & Primary Health Care (“DOCCS,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the HITECH Act, and Florida law to protect the privacy of your health information. “Health information” or “protected health information” (PHI) means information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, the care you receive, or payment for that care.
This notice applies to all records of your care created or received by DOCCS at 2100 N. Wickham Rd., Melbourne, FL 32935, and through our telehealth and online services. It is followed by all of our physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, medical assistants, technicians, front-desk and billing staff, students, and volunteers, across all of our services, including urgent care, primary care and internal medicine, dermatology and aesthetic services, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, infusion, women’s health, and telehealth.
Our responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- We must give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and we must follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
- We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time by letting us know in writing.
- We limit uses and disclosures to the minimum necessary to accomplish the purpose, except for treatment and other situations where the law does not require this.
Your rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you. To use any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer (see Contact us).
Get a copy of your medical record
- You can ask to see or get a paper or electronic copy of your medical and billing records and other health information we have about you. You may also ask us to send a copy directly to another person or entity you designate.
- Many records are available at no cost through our Patient Portal. For other requests, we will provide a copy or a summary, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by federal and Florida law.
- In limited circumstances we may deny access (for example, psychotherapy notes). If we do, we will tell you why in writing and explain how you may request a review of the denial.
Ask us to correct your medical record
- You can ask us to correct health information that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Please make the request in writing and explain the reason.
- We may say “no,” but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days, and you may submit a statement of disagreement to be included with your record.
Request confidential communications
- You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, by cell phone instead of home phone) or to send mail to a different address.
- We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests, and we will not ask you why.
Ask us to limit what we use or share
- You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.
- If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information with your health insurer for payment or operations. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share it.
Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information
- You can ask for a list (an “accounting”) of the times we’ve shared your health information for up to six years before the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
- We will include all disclosures except those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We will provide one accounting a year for free, but may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another within 12 months.
Get a copy of this notice
You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. Copies are available at our front desk and on this page.
Choose someone to act for you
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or health care surrogate authority, or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will confirm the person has this authority before we take any action.
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
See Complaints below. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your choices
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
- Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or in paying for your care.
- Share information in a disaster relief situation.
If you are not able to tell us your preference (for example, if you are unconscious), we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission (an “authorization”):
- Marketing purposes
- Sale of your information
- Most sharing of psychotherapy notes
Fundraising: We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again. Every fundraising communication will tell you how to opt out.
Appointment reminders and health-related communications: We may contact you by phone, text message, email, or mail to remind you of appointments, share test results availability, or tell you about treatment options or health-related services we offer. You may ask us to stop or to use a different method at any time.
How we typically use or share your health information
Treat you
We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you. Example: An urgent care provider treating you for an injury shares X-ray results with your primary care physician or an orthopedic specialist. We may also check Florida’s prescription drug monitoring program (E-FORCSE) before prescribing certain controlled substances, as required by law, and may share information through health information exchanges so that your other providers can access your records for your care.
Run our organization
We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. Example: We use health information to review the quality of care, train staff, conduct audits, and manage our business. We may share information with “business associates” who perform services for us (such as billing, electronic health records, patient portal, telehealth, transcription, or IT services). Business associates must sign a written agreement to protect your information.
Bill for your services
We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan, Medicare, or Medicaid so it will pay for your services, including to obtain prior authorization.
How else can we use or share your health information?
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways — usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.
| Help with public health and safety issues | Preventing disease; reporting communicable diseases and test results to the Florida Department of Health as required; helping with product recalls; reporting adverse reactions to medications; reporting suspected child abuse or neglect (including to the Florida Abuse Hotline), elder or vulnerable adult abuse, or domestic violence; and preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety. |
|---|---|
| Do research | We can use or share your information for health research when approved by an institutional review board or privacy board, or as otherwise permitted by law. |
| Comply with the law | We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law. |
| Respond to organ and tissue donation requests | We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations. |
| Work with a medical examiner or funeral director | We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies. |
| Workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests | We can use or share health information about you: for workers’ compensation claims (as permitted by Florida law); for law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official as required or permitted by law; with health oversight agencies (such as the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration or the Florida Board of Medicine) for activities authorized by law; and for special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services. |
| Respond to lawsuits and legal actions | We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena when the requirements of HIPAA and Florida law (including Fla. Stat. § 456.057) are met. |
| Correctional institutions | If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may share information with the institution or official as needed for your health care or for the health and safety of others. |
| Employers | When we provide services at the request of your employer (such as a work-related injury evaluation or drug screening), we may share findings with your employer as permitted by law. We will tell you when this applies. |
Specially protected information
Some types of health information have additional protections under federal and Florida law. When these laws are more protective than HIPAA, we follow them. Examples include:
- HIV/AIDS test results — protected under Fla. Stat. § 381.004 and generally released only with your specific written consent or as the law specifically permits.
- Sexually transmitted infection records — confidential under Fla. Stat. § 384.29.
- Mental health records — clinical records protected under Fla. Stat. ch. 394. Psychotherapy notes receive additional protection under HIPAA.
- Substance use disorder records — protected under Fla. Stat. ch. 397 and, where applicable, federal regulations at 42 C.F.R. Part 2. If we receive records subject to Part 2, we will not use or disclose those records, or testimony relaying their content, in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you unless you give written consent or a court order is issued after notice and an opportunity to be heard, as required by Part 2. Any Part 2 records will not be used for fundraising unless you are first given a clear opportunity to opt out.
- Genetic information — health plans may not use or disclose genetic information for underwriting purposes, and DNA analysis results are protected under Fla. Stat. § 760.40.
- Minors — In general, a parent or legal guardian may access a minor’s health information. Florida law allows minors to consent to certain services on their own (for example, STI testing and treatment and certain substance use services), and information about those services may be kept confidential as permitted by law.
Breach notification
If unsecured health information about you is accessed, used, or disclosed in a way not permitted by law, we will notify you in writing without unreasonable delay — no later than 60 days after discovery as required by HIPAA, and within any shorter time frame required by the Florida Information Protection Act (Fla. Stat. § 501.171). The notice will describe what happened, what information was involved, what we are doing, and steps you can take to protect yourself.
Changes to the terms of this notice
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website at doccs.us, with its effective date shown at the top.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with us by contacting our Privacy Officer, Nagmani Sharma (see Contact us).
You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Acknowledgment of receipt
At your first visit, we will ask you to sign a written acknowledgment that you received this notice. If you decline or are unable to sign, we will document our good-faith effort to obtain your acknowledgment. Your care will not be affected.
Language assistance and nondiscrimination
DOCCS complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Free language assistance services and auxiliary aids are available. Please ask our front desk or call 321-752-7100.
Contact us
For questions about this notice or policy, or to exercise any of your privacy rights, contact our Privacy Officer: