Notice of Privacy Practices
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness
Effective Date: August 26, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how your protected health information may be used and disclosed, your rights regarding that information, and our legal responsibilities.
Your Rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains those rights and some of our responsibilities.
Obtain an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Medical Record
You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other protected health information we maintain about you.
We will provide access or a copy within the time required by applicable law. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.
In limited circumstances, access may be denied as permitted by law. When applicable, you may have the right to request review of that denial.
Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record
You may ask us to correct health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
We may deny the request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If we deny the request, we will provide an explanation in writing and inform you of any additional rights available to you.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as by telephone, email, patient portal, or mail, or to send information to a different address.
We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
Except in circumstances where the law requires us to agree, we are not required to agree to your request. If we agree to a restriction, we will follow it except when the use or disclosure is permitted or required by law, including when the information is needed to provide emergency treatment.
If you pay for a health care service or item out of pocket in full, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service or item to your health plan for payment or health care operations. We will agree when required by law unless the disclosure itself is required by law.
Receive a List of Certain Disclosures
You may request a list, also called an accounting, of certain disclosures of your health information made during the period permitted by law.
The accounting may identify when information was disclosed, who received it, and why it was disclosed. It will not include disclosures that are excluded from accounting requirements by law.
We will provide one accounting during a 12-month period without charge and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests when permitted by law.
Obtain a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
The current Notice is also available on the Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness website.
Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian or otherwise authorized by law to act as your personal representative, that person may exercise your privacy rights and make choices regarding your health information to the extent permitted by law.
We may verify that person's authority before taking action.
Receive Notice of a Breach
You will be notified as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured protected health information.
File a Complaint
You may file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may contact Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness directly or file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences regarding what we disclose.
You may tell us whether we may disclose information to family members, close friends, caregivers, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.
You may also tell us whether we may disclose information to assist with disaster-relief efforts.
If you are unable to communicate your preference, we may disclose information if we believe it is in your best interest and the disclosure is permitted by law. We may also disclose information when necessary to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, as permitted by law.
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your health information for purposes that require authorization, including most uses or disclosures for marketing, the sale of protected health information, and most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes when applicable.
If you provide written authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on your authorization.
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness does not sell protected health information or use protected health information for fundraising communications.
How We May Use or Disclose Your Health Information
Treatment
We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your care.
This may include reviewing your health history, symptoms, medications, supplements, allergies, examination findings, treatment notes, and treatment goals.
When permitted by law, we may disclose relevant information to other health care professionals involved in your care, including physicians, specialists, laboratories, pharmacies, or other providers.
Payment
We may use and disclose health information for payment-related activities.
This may include processing payments, providing receipts or superbills, communicating about account balances, responding to payment-related questions, and communicating with a health plan when authorized or otherwise permitted by law.
Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose health information as necessary to operate the practice.
This may include managing scheduling, communicating with patients, maintaining records, reviewing and improving care, supporting technology and security, training staff or contractors when applicable, and performing necessary administrative and business functions.
Appointment Reminders and Administrative Communications
We may use your contact information to send appointment confirmations, reminders, scheduling information, intake forms, billing notices, patient-portal notifications, policy updates, and other administrative communications in accordance with applicable law and your communication preferences.
Business Associates
We may disclose health information to trusted vendors and service providers that help us operate the practice, including electronic health record systems, scheduling platforms, payment processors, billing systems, secure communication providers, information-technology providers, and other administrative services.
When a vendor or service provider is acting as a HIPAA business associate and receives protected health information on our behalf, it is required to protect that information in accordance with applicable law and contractual requirements.
As Required or Permitted by Law
We may use or disclose your health information when required or permitted by federal, California, or local law.
When applicable California law provides greater privacy protection than federal law, we will follow the more protective applicable requirement.
Public Health and Safety
We may disclose health information for permitted or required public-health and safety activities, including preventing or controlling disease; assisting with product recalls; reporting adverse reactions to medications or products; reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when authorized or required by law; preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety; and complying with lawful public-health reporting requirements.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose health information to health-oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, including audits, investigations, inspections, licensing reviews, and disciplinary proceedings.
Research
We may use or disclose health information for research only when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied, such as when appropriate authorization, review-board approval or waiver, or another lawful basis permits the use or disclosure.
Legal Proceedings and Law Enforcement
We may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, warrant, or other lawful process when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied.
We may disclose information to law-enforcement officials only when permitted or required by law and subject to applicable privacy protections.
Workers' Compensation
We may disclose health information as authorized by and necessary to comply with workers' compensation laws or similar programs.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation
We may disclose health information to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors when permitted or required by law.
We may also disclose health information to organ-procurement organizations or other entities involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation when applicable.
Specialized Government Functions
We may disclose health information for specialized government functions when permitted or required by law, including certain military or veterans' activities, national-security activities, protective services, or correctional-institution functions.
Additional Protection for Certain Substance Use Disorder Records
To the extent that Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness creates, receives, or maintains substance use disorder patient records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive the additional protections required by federal law.
Such records will not be used or disclosed in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigation or proceeding against you unless the use or disclosure is permitted by applicable law, including when authorized by your written consent or appropriate legal process as required by law.
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness does not use protected substance use disorder records for fundraising communications.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
We will notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured protected health information.
We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the version of this Notice currently in effect.
We will not use or disclose your health information for purposes other than those described in this Notice unless you authorize us in writing or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
If you provide written authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time except to the extent that we have already relied upon it or as otherwise permitted by law.
Changes to This Notice
We may change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices.
Changes may apply to all health information we maintain, including information created or received before the change, as permitted by law.
If this Notice is materially revised, the current version will be made available as required by law. The current Notice will be available upon request, at the practice, through the patient portal when applicable, and on the Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness website.
Questions or Complaints
For questions about this Notice, to exercise your privacy rights, or to file a privacy complaint with Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness, please contact:
Privacy Contact: Dr. Ilda Recinto
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness
13179 Black Mountain Road, Suite 125
San Diego, CA 92129
Phone: (858) 609-9191
Email: hello@sculptacuwellness.com
Website: sculptacuwellness.com
You may also file a complaint with:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Telephone: 1-877-696-6775
Sculpt Acupuncture & Wellness will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.