HIPAA Disclaimer & Health Information Notice

1. What is HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a U.S. federal law that sets standards for protecting sensitive patient health information. HIPAA applies to:

• Healthcare Providers: Doctors, hospitals, clinics, therapists, and other entities that provide medical care
• Health Plans: Insurance companies, HMOs, government healthcare programs
• Healthcare Clearinghouses: Entities that process health information
• Business Associates: Third parties that handle protected health information on behalf of covered entities

2. Why HIPAA Does Not Apply to Pulse

Pulse does not fall under HIPAA regulations because:

3. What This Means for Your Information

Because HIPAA does not apply to Pulse, your data has different legal protections than information shared with healthcare providers:

3.1 No "Protected Health Information" (PHI)

The information you share with Pulse is not legally classified as Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA. While we treat your relationship data as confidential and sensitive, it does not receive the specific legal protections that apply to medical records.

3.2 No Therapist-Client Privilege

3.3 Legal Process Disclosure

While we are committed to protecting your privacy, we may be required to disclose your information in response to:

• Valid court orders or subpoenas
• Law enforcement requests with proper legal process
• Legal proceedings where the information is relevant
• Situations involving imminent harm to yourself or others

4. How We Protect Your Data

Even though HIPAA does not apply to us, we take your privacy seriously and implement strong security measures:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256)
• Access Controls: Strict role-based access to user data
• Data Minimization: We only collect data necessary for the Service
• Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee Training: Staff trained on privacy and confidentiality
• Secure Infrastructure: SOC 2 compliant cloud providers

5. Pulse is Not a Substitute for Professional Help

Pulse can help with:

• Improving communication patterns
• Establishing regular relationship check-ins
• Identifying areas for growth
• Learning conflict resolution techniques
• Building healthy relationship habits

Pulse cannot help with:

• Clinical diagnosis of mental health conditions
• Treatment for depression, anxiety, or trauma
• Couples therapy for serious relationship crises
• Crisis intervention or emergency support
• Legal advice for divorce or custody matters

6. When to Seek Professional Help

Please consult a licensed therapist, counselor, or healthcare provider if:

• You or your partner are experiencing abuse (physical, emotional, or verbal)
• You have thoughts of harming yourself or others
• You are struggling with addiction or substance abuse
• You are experiencing significant depression or anxiety
• Your relationship problems are severely impacting your daily life
• You need support during separation or divorce
• Either partner has experienced trauma that affects the relationship

7. Crisis Resources

8. Finding Professional Support

To find a licensed therapist or counselor:

• Psychology Today: psychologytoday.com/therapists
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy: aamft.org
• BetterHelp: betterhelp.com (online therapy)
• Your insurance provider's mental health directory
• Your primary care physician for referrals

9. Questions About This Disclaimer

If you have questions about this HIPAA Disclaimer or our privacy practices, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@pulsetherapy.app
• Support: support@pulsetherapy.app