Policy IT-003
SMS Policy
By providing your mobile number and affirmatively opting in, you agree to receive automated or manually sent SMS/text messages from La Clínica del Pueblo for appointment, scheduling, billing, administrative, care-coordination, health-education, and support purposes. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Consent is not a condition of treatment, payment, enrollment, or benefits.
Text Message Terms and Conditions
Reply STOP at any time to opt out. Reply HELP for help or call (202) 462-4788. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Messages may include limited PHI and SMS is not fully secure. Do not use SMS for emergencies; call 911.
La Clínica does not send marketing or promotional texts under this program and does not sell or share mobile numbers, SMS opt-in data, or SMS consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Service providers may process information only to support the program. See La Clínica’s Online Privacy Policy for general website privacy practices.
1. Separate and Voluntary Consent
SMS consent must be requested separately from consent for email, telephone, voicemail, Patient Portal, mail, recording, or other communications. A person who does not affirmatively opt in must be treated as opted out.
Consent to SMS is not a condition of treatment, payment, enrollment, eligibility, or benefits. La Clínica will offer reasonable non-SMS communication options.
2. Permitted Messages
The program is limited to health care and administrative communications. La Clínica will not use this consent for marketing or promotional texts.
- Appointment reminders, confirmations, scheduling, and rescheduling.
- Billing and administrative notifications.
- Referrals, medicines, follow-up steps, care coordination, health education, and general health reminders.
- Responses to patient questions or support requests.
3. Required Public Terms and Disclosures
Before consent is collected, the consent form or interface must identify La Clínica del Pueblo as the sender; describe the message purposes; state that message frequency varies; state that message and data rates may apply; provide STOP and HELP instructions and a customer-care number; state that carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages; link to the Online Privacy Policy and these SMS Terms; state that consent is optional; and disclose that texts are not for emergencies.
Regular SMS is not fully secure. Messages may include limited PHI needed to support care. Patients should protect device access and notify La Clínica if their number changes.
4. Privacy and Data Sharing
La Clínica will not sell or share mobile numbers, SMS opt-in data, or SMS consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Information may be disclosed to service providers that support the SMS program, such as messaging, hosting, or customer support vendors. Those providers may use the information only to provide contracted services and must protect it as required by law and agreement.
5. Frequency, Charges, Delivery, and Emergencies
Message frequency varies based on the person’s health care needs and interactions with La Clínica. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. SMS is not monitored or appropriate for emergencies; call 911 in an emergency.
6. Opt-Out, Revocation, and Help
A recipient may opt out at any time by replying STOP or by contacting La Clínica at (202) 462-4788. La Clínica will honor reasonable revocation requests as required by law and may send one confirmation message. No further program messages may be sent after opt-out unless the person provides new affirmative consent.
A recipient may reply HELP or call (202) 462-4788 for assistance. Opting out of SMS does not revoke separately granted choices for other communication methods.
7. Consent Records and Changes
La Clínica will retain auditable consent and revocation records, including the disclosure version presented. Material expansion of message purpose requires review and, when required, new consent. Numbers known to be reassigned, invalid, or associated with repeated delivery failures must be suppressed until re-verified.
Definitions
Consent Record: Evidence of a person’s affirmative agreement to receive SMS messages, including the number, date, time, method, disclosure version, and source.
PHI: Protected Health Information as defined by HIPAA.
SMS: Short Message Service text messages sent to a mobile phone.
Transactional or Care Message: A non-marketing message about health care, appointments, billing, administration, care coordination, or patient request.
