Privacy Policy – The Practical Patient

Last updated: 9-23-25

Hey there, fellow health advocates! We believe in straight talk about everything – including how we handle your personal information here at The Practical Patient. Just like we approach healthcare, we’re going to be completely transparent about our privacy practices.

Who We Are

Our website address is: https://thepracticalpatient.org. We’re The Practical Patient, and we’ve built this space to empower you with real, actionable health information. Just as we believe you deserve honesty from your healthcare providers, you deserve complete transparency about how we protect your privacy here.

Information We Collect and Why

When You Comment or Engage

When you join our conversations in the comments, we collect:

  • The information you share in your comment
  • Your IP address and browser information (this helps us keep spam out of our community)
  • Your email address to send you updates if you choose

We use Gravatar to display your profile picture if you have one set up. You can check out their privacy policy at https://automattic.com/privacy/.

When You Subscribe to Our Newsletter

If you sign up for health tips and updates, we’ll collect:

  • Your email address
  • Your name (if you provide it)
  • Your preferences for the type of content you want

Cookies and Tracking

Let’s talk cookies – and I don’t mean the chocolate chip kind! Here’s what we use:

  • Essential cookies: Keep the site functioning properly
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand which content helps you most (via Google Analytics)
  • Advertising cookies: Support our Pinterest advertising and help us reach others who need practical health guidance
  • Social media cookies: When you share our content or interact with our social media features

Pinterest and Social Media Advertising

Since we advertise on Pinterest to reach more people who need practical health information, Pinterest may place tracking pixels on our site. This helps us:

  • Show relevant health content to people interested in wellness
  • Measure how effective our health advocacy efforts are
  • Create custom audiences of people interested in practical health solutions

How We Protect Your Information

Just like we advocate for your health privacy with healthcare providers, we take your digital privacy seriously:

  • We use secure hosting and SSL encryption
  • We never sell your personal information to third parties
  • We only share data when legally required or with your explicit consent
  • We regularly review and update our security practices

Your Rights and Choices

You have complete control over your information:

  • Access: Request to see what information we have about you
  • Correction: Update any incorrect information
  • Deletion: Ask us to delete your information (though we may need to keep some records for legal purposes)
  • Opt-out: Unsubscribe from emails or opt out of advertising cookies anytime

Cookie Preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie banner when you first visit.

Third-Party Partners

We work with trusted partners who help us serve you better:

  • Google Analytics: Helps us understand which health topics matter most to our community
  • Pinterest: Our advertising partner to reach more health advocates
  • Email service provider: Delivers our newsletter with practical health tips
  • Gravatar/WordPress: Powers our comment system and website functionality

All partners must meet our privacy standards and are contractually obligated to protect your information.

International Visitors

If you’re visiting from outside the United States, please know that your information may be transferred to and processed in the US, where our servers are located.

Changes to This Policy

Healthcare evolves, and so do privacy practices. When we update this policy, we’ll post the changes here and notify newsletter subscribers of significant updates.

Questions? Let’s Talk!

Just like we encourage you to ask questions in healthcare settings, we want you to feel comfortable asking about your privacy. Contact us at tshilarios@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

Legal Compliance

This privacy policy complies with applicable privacy laws including GDPR for EU visitors and CCPA for California residents. If you’re in these regions, you have additional rights which we fully respect and will honor upon request.

Remember: Just as you advocate for yourself in healthcare settings, don’t hesitate to advocate for your privacy rights online. You deserve transparency and control over your personal information everywhere – including here at The Practical Patient.

Contact Information:

  • Email: tshilarios@gmail.com
  • Address:

For California Residents (CCPA): In the past 12 months, we may have collected and shared personal information as outlined above. You have the right to know, delete, and opt-out of the sale of your personal information. We do not sell personal information to third parties.

For EU Visitors (GDPR): Our lawful basis for processing your personal information includes consent, legitimate interests (improving our health advocacy), and compliance with legal obligations. You have the right to withdraw consent, object to processing, and file complaints with supervisory authorities.