Privacy Policy
Last updated on March 1st, 2026
Welcome to the Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology website and related digital services ("Site"). This Site is provided by Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology and its affiliates ("Charlotte Gastro," "we," "us," or "our").
We take your privacy seriously, and we want you to know how we collect, use, share, and protect your information. This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through this Site.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to protected health information ("PHI") created or received by Charlotte Gastro in the course of providing medical care. PHI is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") and applicable federal and state law. If you communicate with us through the MyChart patient portal, your use of that portal is also governed by the terms and privacy practices of MyChart and its provider.
Information you give us
We respect the privacy of all visitors to our Site. We receive and store information that you enter on our Site or provide to us through the Site in any other way.
Information we collect directly from you may include:
- Contact and identifying information, such as your name, postal address, email address, and telephone number.
- Appointment and scheduling information, such as preferred location, preferred provider, reason for visit, date of birth, insurance information, and referring physician, when you complete an appointment request form.
- Health-related information that you choose to share with us through a form, email, or other communication in order for us to respond to your request or provide services.
- Records of your correspondence with us, including emails and messages sent through contact forms.
- Responses to surveys we may invite you to complete.
Please do not send us highly sensitive information (such as Social Security numbers, full insurance account numbers, or detailed medical history) by unencrypted email or web form. For secure communication about your care, use the MyChart patient portal or contact our office by phone.
Information we collect automatically
As you navigate through or use our Site, we may collect information about your device and browsing activity automatically. This may include:
- Usage details, such as pages visited, referring and exit pages, date and time of access, and other communication data.
- Device information, such as IP address, operating system, browser type and version, and screen size.
- Location information, derived from your IP address (approximate city-level) for analytics purposes only. We do not use precise GPS-based geolocation on our Site.
This information helps us operate, secure, and improve the Site, understand how visitors use it, and provide a better experience.
Technologies we use
- Cookies. A cookie is a small file stored on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, and similar technologies to remember your preferences, understand how the Site is used, and improve performance. Most browsers let you refuse or manage cookies through your browser settings. If you disable cookies, some parts of the Site may not function properly.
- Analytics. We use third-party analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to understand how visitors interact with our Site. These services may set their own cookies and process information according to their own privacy policies.
- Do Not Track. Some browsers can send a "Do Not Track" signal. Because there is no consistent industry standard for how to respond to these signals, we do not currently respond to them. We do not track your activity across unrelated third-party websites.
Email communications
If you contact us by email or through a form on the Site, we may share your message internally with the staff member best able to respond. Once we have responded, your message may be retained for our records.
Email sent to us through the Site is not automatically encrypted. Please do not send sensitive health or financial information by standard email. Use the MyChart patient portal or call our office for secure communication.
If you sign up to receive newsletters or other marketing communications from us, you can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us at the information below.
Appointment reminders and text messages
If you provide us with a mobile number in connection with your care, you may receive automated text messages or voice calls related to your appointments, care reminders, or account (such as MyChart notifications). Message and data rates may apply depending on your carrier. You may opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. Opting out of reminders may affect our ability to contact you about your care.
How we use the information we collect
- Respond to appointment requests, contact forms, and other inquiries;
- Provide, maintain, and improve the Site;
- Operate, evaluate, and improve our practice;
- Understand how the Site is used and how we can make it more helpful;
- Communicate with you about appointments, care, and practice updates;
- Send you newsletters or information you have requested;
- Protect the security and integrity of the Site; and
- Comply with our legal and professional obligations.
If information collected through the Site relates to an existing patient and is combined with PHI, we will treat the combined information as PHI and handle it in accordance with HIPAA and applicable law.
Data retention
We retain information collected through the Site for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Medical records and other information related to patient care are retained as required by applicable state and federal law, independent of this Privacy Policy.
How we share your information
- Service providers who help us operate the Site and our practice, such as website hosting providers, analytics providers, email delivery services, and IT support. These providers are only permitted to use your information to perform services on our behalf.
- Patient portal provider (MyChart). If you use MyChart, your information is handled according to the terms and privacy notices of MyChart and its provider.
- Affiliates, successors, or acquirers in connection with a merger, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction.
- Legal and safety disclosures, where we believe disclosure is required to comply with a court order, subpoena, or other legal process; to respond to a government or regulatory request; to enforce our terms or agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Charlotte Gastro, our patients, staff, or others.
Any sharing of PHI is governed by HIPAA and applicable law, not this Privacy Policy.
We may also share aggregated or de-identified information (information that does not identify any individual) for analytics, research, or business purposes.
Your choices
- Cookies. You can refuse or manage cookies through your browser or device settings. Refusing cookies may affect how the Site works for you.
- Marketing emails. You can unsubscribe from our marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us.
- Text messages. You can opt out of appointment or care-related text messages by replying STOP to any message.
- Access and corrections. For non-clinical information we hold about you, you may contact us at the address below to ask what we have and request corrections. For medical records, please contact our office or use MyChart to request copies or corrections in accordance with HIPAA.
Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information under our control, including encryption in transit for information submitted through our Site. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted to or from the Site. You send information at your own risk.
Children's privacy
The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site. Parents and legal guardians may provide information about a minor in their care in connection with a minor's appointment or treatment. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13 without appropriate parental consent, please contact us and we will delete it.
Links to other websites
Our Site may link to third-party websites that are not operated by Charlotte Gastro, such as MyChart, insurance providers, or educational resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any information.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on this page and update the "Last updated" date above. Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact us
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle information collected through the Site, please contact us:
Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Phone: (704) 377-4009
Email: customerservice@charlottegastro.com
For questions specifically about your medical records or protected health information, please contact our office directly using the information above.