Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 21, 2026

Surgical Associates of Southern Texas (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit www.surgicalstx.com (the “Website”), how we use cookies and similar technologies, how we use Google Ads and social media advertising, and the choices you have.

This policy covers the Website only. How we use and protect your medical information as a patient is described in our Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If you would like a copy, please ask our office.

1. Information We Collect

Information you give us

When you request a consultation, call us, email us, or otherwise contact us through the Website, you may give us:

• Your name, phone number, and email address
• Your preferred office location (Katy or Sugar Land)
• Whether you are a new or existing patient
• The type of service you are interested in
• Your consent to be contacted, and any message you choose to include

Please do not include detailed medical history, test results, or insurance ID numbers in website forms or email. Our team will collect the clinical details we need securely when we speak with you or during your visit.

Information collected automatically

When you use the Website, some information is collected automatically by our systems and by the third-party tools described below, such as:

• Your IP address and approximate location (city or region)
• Browser type, device type, operating system, and screen size
• Pages you view, the time and date of your visit, and how long you stay
• The website, search engine, or advertisement that referred you to us
• Buttons and links you click on the Website
• Your selected Website language

2. How We Use Your Information

• To respond to your consultation request, call you back, and schedule appointments
• To answer questions and provide information you ask for
• To operate, maintain, secure, and improve the Website
• To understand which pages and services are most helpful to visitors
• To measure how well our advertising works and to show relevant ads, as described in Sections 5 and 6
• To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

3. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser. We and our partners also use similar technologies such as pixels (tags), scripts, local storage, and session storage. These help the Website work, remember your preferences, measure traffic, and support advertising.

Types of cookies we use

Type	What it does	Examples
Strictly necessary	Required for the Website to load securely and function properly. These cannot be switched off in our systems.	Security, page caching, and load-balancing cookies
Preference	Remember choices you make, such as your language, and whether you have already seen our consultation pop-up during your visit.	Google Translate language cookie (googtrans); browser session storage
Analytics	Help us understand how visitors use the Website, such as which pages are viewed and which buttons are clicked, so we can improve it.	Google Analytics (_ga, _ga_*) loaded through Google Tag Manager
Advertising and marketing	Measure whether our ads lead to visits, calls, or consultation requests, and allow us to show ads to people who have visited the Website (“remarketing”).	Google Ads (_gcl_au, _gcl_aw, IDE), Meta/Facebook Pixel (_fbp, _fbc), and similar tags from other social media platforms

Cookies can be “session” cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or “persistent” cookies, which remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. The specific cookies in use may change over time as we update our tools.

How to control cookies

Most browsers let you view, block, or delete cookies. If you block all cookies, some parts of the Website may not work as intended. You can find instructions in your browser’s help section:

• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge

4. Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager

We use Google Tag Manager to manage the tags on our Website and Google Analytics to understand Website traffic. Google Analytics collects information such as the pages you visit, how long you stay, your device and browser, and how you arrived at the Website. Google processes this information on our behalf. To learn more, see How Google uses information from sites that use its services.

You can opt out of Google Analytics on all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

5. Google Ads

We advertise on Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, and the Google Display Network. We use Google Ads features that may place cookies or use similar technologies on your device, including:

• Conversion tracking, which tells us when someone who clicked one of our ads later calls us, clicks a button, or submits a consultation request. This helps us understand which ads are useful.
• Remarketing and audiences, which may show our ads to people who previously visited the Website as they browse other websites or use Google services.
• Call tracking and ad click identifiers (such as the gclid value added to a web address when you click an ad), used to connect ad clicks with Website visits.

Google may use cookies to show ads based on your past visits to our Website and other sites. You can manage or turn off personalized advertising from Google at My Ad Center, and learn more in Google’s advertising policies.

6. Social Media Advertising and Pixels

We may advertise on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram (Meta), and may use similar tools from other platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, or X (Twitter). These platforms provide pixels or tags that we may place on the Website to:

• Measure whether our social media ads lead to Website visits or consultation requests
• Show our ads to people who have visited the Website (“retargeting”)
• Reach new people who may be similar to our Website visitors

These platforms may collect information such as your IP address, browser details, the pages you view, and actions you take on the Website, and may combine it with information they already have about you under their own privacy policies. You can control social media advertising through each platform’s settings:

• Facebook and Instagram ad preferences and Meta Privacy Policy
• LinkedIn advertising settings
• TikTok Privacy Policy and X personalization settings

Industry opt-out tools

You can also opt out of interest-based advertising from many participating companies at once through the Digital Advertising Alliance (YourAdChoices) and the Network Advertising Initiative. On mobile devices, you can limit ad tracking in your device’s privacy settings. Opting out does not stop you from seeing ads; it means the ads you see will be less personalized.

7. Health Information and Advertising

We take extra care with information that could relate to your health:

• We do not sell your personal or health information.
• We do not share the details you enter into our consultation form with advertising or social media platforms.
• We do not use your protected health information for advertising without your written authorization, as required by HIPAA.
• Advertising and analytics tools on the Website are intended to measure general Website activity and ad performance, not to identify your medical condition.

Because some of our Website pages describe medical conditions and procedures, please be aware that visiting those pages may be recorded by analytics and advertising tools as general browsing activity. You can limit this using the cookie and opt-out choices described above.

8. Third-Party Services We Use

We work with trusted service providers who help us run the Website. They may process information on our behalf and are expected to protect it:

• Secure consultation form: our online consultation form is provided by Sentira (Avonix AI) and is loaded from a secure, encrypted connection.
• Google services: Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google Maps (office location maps), and Google Translate (Website language options).
• Website hosting, security, and performance providers that store and deliver the Website.
• Email delivery services used to send Website notifications to our office.

Embedded content such as Google Maps behaves the same way as if you visited that provider’s website directly and is subject to that provider’s privacy policy.

9. How We Share Information

We may share information:

• With service providers who perform services for us, as described above
• With advertising and analytics partners, limited to the Website activity data described in Sections 3 to 6
• When required by law, subpoena, or court order, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of our patients, staff, or others
• In connection with a merger, sale, or transfer of our practice, subject to applicable law

We do not sell your personal information for money.

10. Phone Calls, Text Messages, and Email

If you give us your phone number or email address, we may contact you about your consultation request, appointments, and related services. If you agree to receive text messages, message and data rates may apply and message frequency varies. You can reply STOP to opt out of text messages at any time, or reply HELP for help. We do not share your mobile number with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

11. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” signal. Because there is no common industry standard for responding to these signals, the Website does not currently change its behavior when it receives one. Where required by applicable law, we will honor recognized opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control.

12. Data Retention and Security

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law and medical record retention rules. We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, including encrypted (HTTPS) connections, to protect information. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. Your Choices and Rights

• Cookies and advertising: use your browser settings and the opt-out links in Sections 3 to 6.
• Communications: ask us at any time to stop calling, texting, or emailing you about non-essential matters.
• Access and correction: you may ask us what personal information we hold about you from the Website and ask us to correct or delete it, subject to legal and medical record requirements.
• State privacy rights: depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under state law. We will respond to requests as required by applicable law.

Requests about your medical records are handled under our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

14. Children’s Privacy

The Website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Website. A parent or legal guardian should contact us on behalf of a minor. If you believe a child has given us personal information through the Website, please contact us and we will delete it.

15. Links to Other Websites

The Website may link to other websites, such as social media pages, insurance companies, and medical organizations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. Please review their privacy policies before sharing information with them.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Surgical Associates of Southern Texas
Phone: 713-955-9191
Email: info@surgicalstx.com

Katy Office: 410 W Grand Pkwy S, Suite 4D, Katy, TX 77494
Sugar Land Office: 17510 W Grand Pkwy S, Suite 320, Sugar Land, TX 77479

Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.