PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated: September 29, 2026
This page explains what information we collect, how we use it and the choices you have about it. It covers our website (doctorrileysmith.com) and its forms and chat assistant, our acupuncture clinic (including in-person and virtual patient visits), functional lab testing, our coaching programs and the emails and text messages you sign up to receive.
These services are provided by Dr. Riley Smith, LAc, DACM, doing business as Smith Wellness Group, 2404 Broadway, 2nd Floor, San Diego, CA 92102. In this policy, “we,” “us” and “our” mean Smith Wellness Group.
If you are our patient or client, the health information you share for your care (visit notes, lab results, intake forms and insurance details) is also protected by our Notice of Privacy Practices. Where the two documents differ on health information, the Notice of Privacy Practices is the one that applies.
Information we collect
Information you give us. When you fill out a form, book an appointment, join the Challenge, sign up for emails or texts, or use the chat assistant, we collect your name, email address and phone number. If you become a patient or client, we also collect the health information you share on intake forms, questionnaires and assessments, and the insurance details you enter on our insurance verification form. When you pay for a service or program, your payment is handled by our payment processor. We also keep the messages you send us by email, text or chat. Anything you share in group calls or online communities may be seen by other participants.
Information from others. When you order functional lab testing through us, the lab company sends us your results. We may also receive information from your insurance company or from another provider you ask to share records with us.
Information collected automatically. When you visit our website, we collect basic technical information, such as your device and browser type, your IP address (a number that shows roughly where your internet connection is), the pages you visit and how you found us. This is gathered through cookies and similar tools, explained in the Cookies and tracking section below.
About the chat assistant. The chat assistant on our website is an automated tool powered by artificial intelligence that answers general questions about our services and programs. Please don’t share personal health information in the chat, such as symptoms, diagnoses, medications or lab results. If you have a health question for Dr. Riley, book a consultation or use the secure intake forms you receive as a patient or client. Conversations with the chat assistant are recorded and stored by us and by the company that provides the chat tool, so we can answer your questions and improve our service.
How we use your information
We use your information to provide the services you ask for. That includes scheduling appointments and sending reminders, providing acupuncture and related clinical care, functional lab testing and coaching, reviewing your lab results with you, and processing payments and insurance claims.
We also use it to answer your questions, send the emails and text messages you signed up for, and improve our website and services. You can unsubscribe from emails or texts at any time.
Your health information is used for your care and handled as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices. We do not use your health information for marketing without your written permission.
We may also use or share information when the law requires it, or to protect the safety of our patients, clients or others.
Text messages
If you give us your mobile number and agree to receive texts, we may send you appointment reminders, messages related to your care or program, and other messages you have agreed to receive. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to stop receiving texts, or HELP for help.
We do not share your mobile number or your consent to receive texts with any third party for their marketing purposes. Information about your text message opt-in is never shared, sold or rented to anyone outside the companies that help us send the messages.
Who we share your information with
We do not sell your personal information.
We share information only with companies that help us run our practice and programs, and only what they need to do their job. These include our website, scheduling, email and text message platforms, our payment processor, our electronic health record system, the labs that process your functional lab tests, our online supplement dispensary and herbal pharmacies, and the tools that power our website chat assistant. These companies are required to protect your information and may not use it for their own purposes.
We may also share information with your insurance company to process claims, with another provider when you ask us to, or when the law requires it. If you are receiving care for a workplace injury, we share your records with the workers’ compensation insurance carrier, claims administrators and others involved in your claim, as workers’ compensation law allows. If you are receiving care for a personal injury, we share your records with your attorney or others you name only after you sign a written medical records release. If an account is unpaid, we may share the information needed to collect it with a collection agency, as described in your program agreement.
Cookies and tracking
Cookies are small files saved on your device when you visit a website. They help the site remember you, keep forms and the chat assistant working, and show us which pages people visit so we can improve them.
We use cookies and similar tools to run our website and understand how visitors use it. If we advertise online, advertising platforms such as Google or Meta (Facebook and Instagram) may also use cookies to show you our ads and measure how well they work. We do not allow advertising tracking tools on pages where you book appointments or share health information.
When you first visit our website, you will see a notice about cookies. Tools that are not needed to run the site, such as analytics and advertising tools, load only after you agree. You can change your choice at any time.
Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” setting. Our website does not currently respond to these signals.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Some parts of the website, such as booking and forms, may not work properly if you do.
Your choices and privacy rights
You have choices about the information we hold. You may ask us to show you the personal information we have about you, correct information that is wrong, or delete information you no longer want us to keep. You can also unsubscribe from our emails using the link at the bottom of any email, and stop text messages by replying STOP.
Some information we must keep by law. Health and treatment records, for example, must be kept for a set number of years, so we may not be able to delete them when asked. Requests about your health records, including getting a copy, follow our Notice of Privacy Practices.
To make a request, email us at hello@doctorrileysmith.com. We may need to confirm your identity before we act on it, and we aim to respond within 30 days. We will not treat you differently for making a request.
We do not sell or share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising (advertising based on your activity across different websites), and we do not share it with third parties for their own direct marketing.
How we protect and keep your information
We use reasonable physical, technical and administrative safeguards to protect your information. That includes password-protected systems, limiting access to the people who need it to do their work, and working only with service providers who are required to protect it. No website, email or online system is completely secure, so we cannot promise that your information will never be accessed without permission. If a breach affects your information, we will notify you as the law requires.
We keep your information only as long as we need it for the reasons described in this policy. Health and treatment records are kept for the number of years the law requires. Contact information used for emails and texts is kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it, unless we need it for another reason, such as an ongoing program or care.
Lab reports and other health records are shared with you through a secure method, such as a client portal. Please avoid sending sensitive health information by regular email or text. If you choose to communicate that way, you accept the risk that it is not fully secure.
Children's privacy
Our website, chat assistant and coaching programs are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13. If you believe a child has shared information with us through the website, email hello@doctorrileysmith.com and we will delete it.
Patients under 18 receive care at our clinic only with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, who must be present during visits. The parent or guardian may also receive information about that care as the law allows.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. If we make significant changes, we may also let you know by email or with a notice on our website.
How to contact us
If you have questions about this policy or your information, contact us at:
Smith Wellness Group
Dr. Riley Smith, LAc, DACM
2404 Broadway, 2nd Floor
San Diego, CA 92102
hello@doctorrileysmith.com
© 2026 Dr. Riley Smith, LACDCM · All Rights Reserved
The information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. See our Medical Disclaimer.