Notice of Privacy Practices

Martha E. Wittenberg, MD, Inc. dba Thrive Health MD
4000 Birch Street, Suite 120B, Newport Beach, CA 92660 | (949) 464-8575

Effective Date: October 8, 2026

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal health information ("PHI"). This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your PHI, your rights regarding your PHI, and our legal duties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and applicable state laws.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Information

We may use or share your health information in the following ways:

  • Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your care, including sharing information with your other healthcare providers, pharmacies, and labs when applicable.

  • Payment: To bill and receive payment from you or other responsible parties.

  • Healthcare Operations: For business and administrative functions such as quality assessment, staff training, and compliance audits.

  • As Required by Law: When required by federal, state, or local law, court order, or public health reporting.

  • Public Health and Safety: To report disease, injury, adverse reactions to medications or products, suspected abuse or neglect, or to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of you or others.

  • Health Oversight: To agencies authorized by law to conduct audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure activities.

  • Legal Proceedings and Law Enforcement: In response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process, or to law enforcement officials as permitted by law.

  • Workers' Compensation: As authorized by laws relating to workers' compensation or similar programs.

  • Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Organ Donation: To coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, and organ or tissue donation organizations as permitted by law.

  • Research: For research purposes when approved through a process that protects your privacy, or with your written authorization.

  • Specialized Government Functions: For military, veterans, national security, and similar government functions as required or permitted by law.

  • Individuals Involved in Your Care and Disaster Relief: Limited information may be shared with a family member, friend, or person involved in your care, or for disaster relief, as permitted by law. If you object, tell us and we will not share.

  • Business Associates: We may share PHI with vendors who perform services for us (e.g., billing or IT support). These entities are required to safeguard your PHI.

  • Appointment Reminders and Health-Related Notices: We may contact you with appointment reminders or information about treatment options.

  • Marketing and Sale of PHI: We will not use your PHI for marketing or sell your PHI without your written authorization, except as permitted by law (e.g., face-to-face communications). Other uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the right to:

  • Inspect and Copy your health records (paper or electronic when readily producible) and direct us to transmit a copy to a third party. Reasonable, cost-based fees may apply where allowed.

  • Request Amendments if you believe information is inaccurate or incomplete.

  • Request an Accounting of Disclosures: Receive a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI in the six years before your request, other than those for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or those you authorized.

  • Request Restrictions on how we use or disclose your information. If you (or someone on your behalf) pay in full, out-of-pocket for a service, you may request we not disclose that service to a health plan for payment or operations, unless disclosure is required by law.

  • Request Confidential Communications (for example, have us contact you using a different address or phone number).

  • Receive a Paper Copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

  • Receive Breach Notification in the event of a breach of unsecured PHI.

  • How to Exercise Your Rights: Submit written requests to our Privacy Officer (see Contact Information and Complaints below). We will respond within legally required timeframes and explain any denial and your options.

  • Fundraising: We do not use your information for fundraising. If that changes in the future, you will have the right to opt out of any fundraising communications.

Our Legal Duties

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.

  • We must provide you with this Notice and abide by it while it is in effect.

  • We may revise this Notice at any time, and the new Notice will apply to all PHI we maintain. The current Notice is available at our office and on this website.

Contact Information and Complaints

Privacy Officer: Martha E. Wittenberg, MD
Martha E. Wittenberg, MD, Inc. dba Thrive Health MD, 4000 Birch Street, Suite 120B, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: (949) 464-8575 | Email: hello@marthawittenbergmd.com

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us by contacting our Privacy Officer, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints or 1-800-368-1019. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

State Privacy Addendum – California

This practice complies with the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) and other applicable California privacy laws. In addition to your HIPAA rights, under California law:

  • Your medical information will not be disclosed without your written authorization, except as permitted or required by law.

  • You may inspect or receive a copy of your records within the timeframes set by California law, and you may submit a written addendum of up to 250 words if you believe any item in your record is incomplete or incorrect.

  • We do not sell or share personal health information.

  • We require our business associates, including technology vendors, to protect your information as required by HIPAA and California law.

Electronic Communication (Email/Text)

With your consent, we may contact you by email and/or text for appointment reminders, billing notices, and limited care coordination. Email and text can involve security risks (messages could be read by someone with access to your device or account). You may change your preference at any time by notifying us.