Website Privacy Policy

This policy applies to the public Forge website, the public inquiry form, and ordinary communications about the website or becoming a patient.

This policy does not govern medical records created or maintained in connection with patient care. If you provide medical or health information before a physician-patient relationship is established, Forge will also handle that information under the Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable law.

Information you provide

When you submit a public inquiry or contact Forge, we may collect:

• your name;
• your email address;
• your telephone number, if you choose to provide it;
• whether you are located in Florida;
• your general area of interest;
• your request that Forge contact you; and
• the content and history of non-clinical communications about your inquiry.

Information processed automatically

The services that host, deliver, and protect the website may process ordinary technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, pages requested, referring page, timestamps, and error, security, or diagnostic logs.

The website or its service providers may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies that are reasonably necessary to operate, secure, and remember basic website functions. Forge does not use public-inquiry information for cross-site behavioral advertising.

The public website is not medical intake and is not monitored as a clinical service. Do not submit symptoms, medical history, medication lists, laboratory results, photographs, or urgent clinical questions through the public inquiry form or ordinary email.

If Forge invites you into its intake process, medical information will be collected through Practice Better. Established patients should use Spruce for secure patient communication.

If you send medical information through an unsecured channel despite this instruction, Forge will handle it responsibly but may ask you to resubmit it through an appropriate secure system. Submitting information does not create a physician-patient relationship or guarantee acceptance for care.

Forge may use public-site information to:

• respond to your inquiry;
• determine whether Forge currently serves your location;
• provide next steps for secure communication, intake, scheduling, and payment;
• operate, maintain, secure, and troubleshoot the website;
• prevent spam, fraud, misuse, or security incidents;
• maintain appropriate business and communication records; and
• comply with applicable legal, regulatory, professional, and recordkeeping obligations.

If you voluntarily provide a telephone number and ask Forge to contact you, Forge may call or text that number about your inquiry and next steps. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out at any time, including by replying STOP or by contacting Forge directly. Providing a telephone number is optional and is not a condition of receiving care. Forge will not use that permission for unrelated automated marketing.

Forge does not sell or rent personal information.

Forge may disclose information:

• to vendors that provide website hosting, security, form processing, email delivery, communications, information technology, payment, or practice-support services;
• to professional advisers, insurers, auditors, or legal and compliance personnel when reasonably necessary;
• when required or permitted by law, legal process, licensing obligations, or a valid government request;
• when reasonably necessary to investigate misuse, protect rights or safety, or secure Forge’s systems;
• in connection with a merger, financing, reorganization, sale, or transfer of all or part of the practice, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections; or
• when you direct or authorize the disclosure.

Service providers are permitted to process information only for the services they perform for Forge, subject to applicable contracts and law.

Forge retains public-site information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including legitimate business, legal, security, and recordkeeping needs. Retention periods may vary by the nature of the information and the reason it was collected.

Forge uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the information involved. No website, storage system, or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You may ask Forge to correct, update, or delete general contact information that you submitted through the public website. Forge may need to verify your identity and may retain information when reasonably necessary for legal, security, fraud-prevention, or recordkeeping purposes.

Requests concerning medical records are handled under the Notice of Privacy Practices and through a verified, secure process.

You may control cookies or local storage through your browser settings, although disabling necessary features may affect website operation.

The website and Forge’s services are intended for adults age 18 and older. Forge does not knowingly use the public website to collect personal information from children.

The website may link to services operated by other organizations, including Practice Better and Spruce Health. Those services have their own terms and privacy practices. This policy governs Forge’s own handling of information and does not replace the policies that apply when you use an outside service.

Forge may update this policy when its website, services, vendors, or legal obligations change. The effective date above identifies the current version. Material changes will be posted on this page and communicated when required by law.

For questions about this Website Privacy Policy or information submitted through the public website, contact:

Forge Men’s Health PLLC
Email: info@forgemh.com

Do not include medical information in ordinary email. Established patients should use Spruce for secure patient communication.