Privacy Policy
Effective date: August 24, 2026
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Advanced Surgery Center of Fort Myers ("Practice," "we," "us," "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you visit ascfortmyers.com (the "Site") or submit information through it. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.
2. Information We Collect
Information you provide directly. When you submit a form on the Site, we may collect your name, email address, and any message or details you provide; some forms may also collect your phone number.
Health Information (PHI). If you are a patient, we may collect Protected Health Information ("PHI") as defined by HIPAA — including medical history relevant to your visit, referring physician information, insurance information, and treatment-related information — through forms, referral documents, or communications with our staff.
Information collected automatically. When you visit the Site, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as your IP address, browser type, device type, and pages visited.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to your inquiry and coordinate scheduling of surgical or physician services;
- Communicate with referring physicians, insurance carriers, and payers as needed to process your referral, billing, and coverage;
- Contact you by phone or text message (SMS) about your inquiry, where you have given consent as described in Section 4;
- Operate, maintain, and improve the Site;
- Comply with legal obligations, including HIPAA;
- Provide surgical and related medical services, including scheduling, care coordination, and communicating with your referring physician.
4. Consent to Be Contacted by Phone and SMS
Where a form on the Site includes a consent checkbox, checking that box means you agree to receive calls and text messages (SMS) from Advanced Surgery Center of Fort Myers, including messages sent using an automatic telephone dialing system, at the phone number you provide, regarding your inquiry.
This consent is not required as a condition of receiving care or any other service from us. You may revoke your consent at any time by contacting us using the information in Section 11 below. Message and data rates may apply, as determined by your mobile carrier.
5. How We Share Your Information
We may share your information with:
- Referring physicians and other healthcare providers involved in your care;
- Insurance companies and payers, for billing and coverage purposes;
- Service providers and vendors who help us operate the Site (e.g., hosting, website security);
- Legal or regulatory authorities, where required by law, subpoena, or court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Practice, our patients, or others;
- Affiliated providers operating at the same location, where relevant to coordinating your care;
- With your consent, any other third party you direct us to share information with.
We require service providers who handle PHI on our behalf to do so under a signed HIPAA Business Associate Agreement.
6. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you, subject to our legal and recordkeeping obligations.
HIPAA Rights. As a patient, you have specific rights regarding your PHI, including the right to access and obtain a copy of your PHI, request that we amend it, receive an accounting of certain disclosures, request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures, request confidential communications, and receive a Notice of Privacy Practices describing how we use and disclose your PHI.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information in Section 11. We will respond to requests concerning PHI within the timeframe required by HIPAA (generally within 30 days, which may be extended by up to 30 additional days as permitted by law).
7. Data Security
We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures designed to protect your information, consistent with the safeguards required by HIPAA for PHI. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. We retain PHI for the period required by HIPAA and other applicable laws and regulations.
9. Children's Privacy
The Site is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site itself. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information through the Site, contact us using the information in Section 11 so we can remove it.
10. Cookies and Analytics
As of the effective date above, the Site does not use third-party analytics or advertising tracking tools. If this changes in the future, this Policy will be updated to disclose the tools used and, where applicable, a cookie consent tool will be added to the Site.
11. Contact Information
Advanced Surgery Center of Fort Myers
12460 Brantley Commons Ct
Fort Myers, FL 33907
Phone: (239) 689-5327
Email: info@ascfortmyers.com
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.