Effective date: October 5, 2026
About this policy
This Website Privacy Policy explains how Yellowstone Surgery Center, LLC (“Yellowstone Surgery Center,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects information when you visit yellowstonesurgerycenter.com (the “Site”) or submit information through it.
This policy covers the Site only. How we handle your protected health information as a patient is described in our Notice of Privacy Practices. If the two ever differ for health information we hold as a healthcare provider, the Notice of Privacy Practices controls.
Information we collect
Information you give us. We collect what you choose to submit through the Site:
- Contact form: your name, phone number, email address, preferred location (Downtown or West End), and the message you write.
- Medical records request form: patient name and any other names used, date of birth, phone number, dates of service, the records requested, the reason for the request, the name and address or email of the person who will receive the records, your relationship to the patient, your address and phone number, and your typed full legal name as your signature.
- Phone calls, mail, and email you send to us.
Information submitted through the medical records request form can include protected health information. Please do not include medical details, diagnoses, insurance numbers, or Social Security numbers in the contact form or in unencrypted email.
Information collected automatically. When you visit the Site, our servers and tools may record your IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, language, the pages you view, the date and time of your visit, and the page that referred you. This is collected using standard web server logs and cookies.
The Site does not collect payment card numbers. Online bill payment is handled by a separate service described below.
How we use information
We use information collected through the Site to:
- Respond to your questions and requests.
- Process medical records requests and verify that a request is authorized.
- Operate, maintain, and secure the Site, and prevent fraud and abuse.
- Understand how the Site is used so we can improve its content, performance, and accessibility.
- Meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use information from the Site to send you third-party advertising.
Health information and HIPAA
Yellowstone Surgery Center is a healthcare provider subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). When you submit health information to us through the medical records request form, we handle it as protected health information in accordance with HIPAA and our Notice of Privacy Practices. We release records only to the patient, the patient’s legal representative, or a recipient the patient has authorized in writing.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device. The Site uses cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for it to work, such as keeping pages and forms functioning and protecting the Site from spam and abuse. We may also use website analytics tools to understand which pages are visited and how the Site performs. [CONFIRM BEFORE PUBLISHING: name any analytics provider in use, or delete this sentence if none.]
You can control cookies through your browser settings, including blocking or deleting them. Some parts of the Site may not work properly if you block all cookies. Because there is no common standard for Do Not Track browser signals, the Site does not respond to them.
When we share information
We share information only as described here:
- Service providers. Companies that help us host, secure, maintain, and support the Site and its forms, who may access information only to perform those services and are required to protect it.
- Linked services run by others. The Site links to services operated by third parties, each with its own privacy practices:
- Patient registration, through One Medical Passport.
- Bill payment and statement lookup, through PatientNotebook.
- Job applications, through Paycom.
- Social media, through Facebook and Instagram.
- Legal and safety reasons. When required by law, court order, or government request, or when needed to protect the rights, safety, or property of our patients, staff, or the public.
- Business changes. If Yellowstone Surgery Center is involved in a merger, sale, or transfer of assets, information may transfer as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.
Disclosures of protected health information are governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices and HIPAA.
Third-party websites
Our Site contains links to websites and services we do not control. This policy does not apply to them. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any site where you enter personal or health information.
Children’s privacy
The Site is intended for adults, including parents and guardians who are seeking information for their children. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the Site. If you believe a child has submitted information to us, please contact us and we will delete it.
Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information submitted through the Site, including encrypting data in transit using HTTPS and limiting access to those who need it. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. For anything urgent or sensitive, please call us instead of using the contact form.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
How long we keep information
We keep information collected through the Site for as long as needed to fulfill the purpose it was collected for, to resolve disputes, and to meet legal and record retention requirements. Medical records are retained according to applicable federal and Montana law.
Your choices and rights
You may contact us to ask what information you have submitted through the Site, to request a correction, or to request deletion, and we will respond as required by applicable law. We may need to verify your identity first, and we may be required to keep some information.
For your rights over your health records, including access, amendment, and an accounting of disclosures, see our Notice of Privacy Practices or call our Privacy Officer using the contact details below.
Accessibility
We want everyone to be able to use this Site. If you have trouble using any part of it, or need this policy or other Site information in another format, contact us and we will work with you to provide it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the revised version on this page and update the effective date above. Your continued use of the Site after a change means you accept the updated policy.
Contact us
Yellowstone Surgery Center, LLC Attention: Privacy Officer 1144 N. 28th St. Billings, MT 59101
Phone: (406) 237-5900, ext. 5908
West End location: 1739 Spring Creek Ln., Suite 100, Billings, MT 59102, (406) 237-5150