Privacy Policy
This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have over your data.
Who we are
The Patient Insider (thepatientinsider.com) is an independent educational website providing guides, tools, templates, and resources to help patients and caregivers navigate healthcare systems, medical billing, and insurance processes.
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, "we," "us," and "our" refer to The Patient Insider and its operator.
We take your privacy seriously. This policy explains clearly and honestly what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we protect it. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Information we collect
We collect only the information necessary to provide our services and improve your experience. We collect information in three ways:
Information you provide directly
This includes any information you enter voluntarily, such as:
- Your email address when you subscribe to our newsletter or request a free download
- Your name and email when you submit a contact form
- Information entered into our tools and generators (such as hospital name, visit date, or account number) to produce a personalized letter or document
⚠ Important — what we do NOT collect through our tools
Our tools are designed to generate useful documents using minimal personal information. We do not ask for, and you should never enter, your full Social Security number, complete insurance policy numbers, detailed medical history, diagnosis information, passwords, or payment details into any tool on this website.
Tool inputs are processed in your browser to generate the output document. We do not store the content of tool sessions on our servers.
Information collected automatically
When you visit our website, certain technical information is collected automatically by our analytics and hosting providers:
- Your IP address (anonymized where possible)
- Browser type and version
- Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Referring website (how you found us)
- General geographic location (country or region level only)
Information from third-party services
If you interact with our content on third-party platforms (such as social media), those platforms may share limited information with us in accordance with their own privacy policies. We do not control what those platforms collect.
| Data type | How collected | Purpose | Stored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email address | Newsletter / download signup | Send requested content and updates | Email platform (e.g. MailerLite) |
| Name (optional) | Contact form or email signup | Personalize communication | Email platform |
| Contact form message | Contact form submission | Respond to your inquiry | Email inbox only |
| Tool inputs | Letter / script generators | Generate personalized document | Browser only — not stored on our servers |
| Analytics data | Automatic on page load | Understand site usage and improve content | Analytics provider (e.g. Google Analytics) |
| IP address | Automatic — server logs | Security and fraud prevention | Hosting provider (Hostinger) |
How we use your information
We use the information we collect only for the following legitimate purposes:
- To deliver the content, download, or resource you requested
- To send you email newsletters or updates you signed up for
- To respond to questions or messages you send us through the contact form
- To understand how visitors use the website so we can improve its content and tools
- To maintain the security and performance of the website
- To comply with applicable laws and legal obligations
What we will never do with your information
- Sell your personal information to any third party
- Share your email address with advertisers or marketing partners
- Use your data to target you with ads on other platforms
- Use your tool inputs for any purpose other than generating your requested document
- Send you unsolicited commercial messages unrelated to what you signed up for
Email marketing and newsletters
When you sign up for our newsletter or request a free download, you are opting in to receive email communications from The Patient Insider. These emails may include the resource you requested, follow-up tips related to the topic you signed up for, and occasional announcements about new guides or products.
Your consent
By submitting your email address on this website, you are giving us your explicit consent to contact you by email. We use a confirmed opt-in process where possible — meaning you may receive a confirmation email before being added to our list.
Unsubscribing
You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email we send you. You can also unsubscribe by contacting us directly. We will process your request within 10 business days.
Email platform
We use a third-party email marketing platform (such as MailerLite or Mailchimp) to manage our subscriber list and send emails. Your email address and name are stored on that platform's servers. Please refer to their respective privacy policies for information on how they handle your data. We have chosen platforms that comply with GDPR and CASL.
Subscriber tagging
We may tag subscribers by the topic area they signed up for (for example: US billing, Canadian healthcare, caregiving, or careers) in order to send relevant content rather than blanket emails. This tagging is based only on how you signed up — it does not involve tracking your browsing behavior.
Cookies and analytics
What are cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites function properly and to help website owners understand how their site is being used.
Cookies we use
| Cookie type | Purpose | Can be disabled? |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | Required for the website to function correctly (e.g. form submissions, security) | No — required for basic functionality |
| Analytics cookies | Help us understand how visitors use the site (pages visited, time on site, traffic sources) | Yes — via browser settings or cookie banner |
| Email platform cookies | Set by our email signup forms to track form completion | Yes — via browser settings |
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. Google Analytics collects anonymized data including pages visited, time on site, device type, and geographic region. We have enabled IP anonymization, meaning your full IP address is never stored by Google Analytics.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
Managing cookies
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of this website. For more information on managing cookies, visit aboutcookies.org.
Third-party services
We use a small number of trusted third-party services to operate this website. Each of these services may collect or process some of your data as described below:
| Service | Purpose | Data shared |
|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | Website hosting | IP address, server access logs |
| Google Analytics | Website analytics | Anonymized usage data |
| MailerLite / Mailchimp | Email marketing and newsletters | Email address, name (optional), signup source |
| Gumroad / Payhip | Digital product sales and delivery | Email address, name, payment details (handled by platform) |
| Google Fonts | Typography on the website | IP address (standard web request) |
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We share data with third-party services only to the extent necessary to operate this website and deliver the services you have requested.
Each of these services operates under its own privacy policy and data handling practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with through this site.
Note on product purchases
When you purchase a digital product through Gumroad or Payhip, your payment information is handled entirely by those platforms. The Patient Insider does not receive or store your credit card or payment details. Please review Gumroad's and Payhip's privacy policies for details on how they handle purchase data.
Data storage and security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.
Where your data is stored
Our website is hosted on Hostinger servers. Our email list is stored on our email marketing platform's servers, which may be located in the United States or European Union. By using this website and submitting your email address, you consent to your data being transferred to and stored in these locations.
How long we keep your data
- Email subscriber data is retained for as long as you remain subscribed. Upon unsubscribing, your data will be removed from our active list within 30 days.
- Contact form submissions are retained only as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry — typically no more than 12 months.
- Analytics data is retained in accordance with our analytics provider's data retention settings (typically 14 months for Google Analytics).
- Tool inputs are not stored on our servers at all — they exist only in your browser session.
Security measures
- This website uses HTTPS encryption (SSL/TLS) for all data transmission
- Access to subscriber data is restricted to authorized personnel only
- We use reputable, security-audited third-party platforms for email and payments
- We do not store payment card information on our own systems
While we take privacy and security seriously, no method of data transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data and encourage you to use strong passwords and be cautious about what personal information you share online.
Your rights
Depending on where you are located, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data. We are committed to honoring these rights regardless of your location.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us with your request. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
Residents of specific regions
- European Union / UK (GDPR): You have all the rights listed above. Our legal basis for processing your data is your consent (for email) and legitimate interest (for analytics). You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
- Canada (PIPEDA / Law 25): You have the right to access and correct your personal data. You can file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
- California (CCPA / CPRA): You have the right to know what data we collect, request deletion, and opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information.
Children's privacy
This website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16 years of age. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to remove that information from our records.
International visitors
The Patient Insider is operated from Canada and serves a global audience. If you are visiting from outside Canada — including from the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, or Australia — please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in Canada or the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your home country.
By using this website, you consent to the transfer and processing of your information as described in this policy. We take steps to ensure your data is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy regardless of where it is processed.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of this website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If we make changes that materially affect how we handle your personal information, we will notify subscribers by email where possible.
How to contact us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us:
- Website: thepatientinsider.com/contact/
- Email: contact@thepatientinsider.com
- Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 10 business days.
Privacy questions or requests?
To access, correct, or delete your personal data — or if you have any questions about this policy — please reach out and we will respond within 10 business days.
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