Privacy Policy and SMS Terms

Effective Date: November 13, 2026

Lincoln Reference Laboratory (“Lincoln,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of our patients, health care providers, clients, website visitors, and others who interact with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we may collect, use, disclose, and protect information obtained through our website, online services, communications, and text messaging programs.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through
www.lincolnreference.com
and related Lincoln Reference Laboratory websites and online services.

HIPAA and Protected Health Information

Lincoln Reference Laboratory is committed to protecting the privacy and security of protected health information (“PHI”) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”), and other applicable federal and state privacy laws.

Certain information that we receive or maintain in connection with laboratory testing, patient care, billing, treatment, health care operations, or other covered health care activities may constitute PHI.

Our use and disclosure of PHI is governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which explains in greater detail how medical information may be used and disclosed and describes your rights regarding your health information.

For additional information about HIPAA and the federal Notice of Privacy Practices requirements, please visit the

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices resource

If there is a conflict between this Website Privacy Policy and Lincoln Reference Laboratory’s HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices regarding PHI, the Notice of Privacy Practices will govern.

Information We May Collect

Depending on how you interact with Lincoln Reference Laboratory, we may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including your name, telephone number, email address, mailing address, date of birth, account information, health care provider information, appointment or service requests, and other information you choose to submit.

When health or medical information is submitted as part of laboratory services or other covered health care activities, that information may be protected by HIPAA and other applicable laws.

Our websites may also automatically collect limited technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring website, pages visited, dates and times of access, and similar information used to operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve our websites.

How We Use Information

We may use information to:

• Provide laboratory and patient services.
• Communicate with patients, providers, clients, and other authorized individuals.
• Process service requests and coordinate appointments or services.
• Provide customer support.
• Operate patient, provider, and client portals.
• Process billing and payment activities.
• Maintain, secure, and improve our websites and information systems.
• Detect and prevent fraud, misuse, or security incidents.
• Comply with legal, regulatory, accreditation, and reporting requirements.
• Perform other activities permitted or required by law.

When information constitutes PHI, we use and disclose it only as permitted by HIPAA, our Notice of Privacy Practices, and other applicable laws.

How We Share Information

Lincoln Reference Laboratory does not sell protected health information.

We may disclose personal information to service providers, contractors, business associates, laboratories, health care providers, payers, government agencies, and other parties when necessary to provide services, operate our organization, comply with legal obligations, or as otherwise permitted by law.

When a third party handles PHI on our behalf and qualifies as a business associate under HIPAA, we require appropriate contractual protections, including a Business Associate Agreement when required.

We may also disclose information when required by law, legal process, court order, regulatory requirement, or when otherwise permitted to protect the rights, safety, or security of Lincoln Reference Laboratory, our patients, or others.

Cookies and Website Technologies

Our websites may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for website functionality, security, user preferences, performance measurement, and analytics.

We seek to use these technologies in a manner consistent with applicable privacy laws. We do not intend to use advertising or tracking technologies to disclose PHI to third parties for their own advertising or marketing purposes without appropriate authorization.

You may be able to control certain cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of portions of our website.

Patient and Provider Portals

Patient portals, provider portals, ConnectMD, and other authenticated systems may be subject to additional privacy, security, and terms-of-use requirements.

For your protection, sensitive medical information should be submitted only through communication methods and systems authorized by Lincoln Reference Laboratory for that purpose.

Email and Electronic Communications

We may communicate with patients, providers, clients, and other authorized individuals by email or other electronic methods. Electronic communications may present privacy and security risks.

We use reasonable safeguards designed to protect sensitive information and may direct users to secure portals or other approved communication systems when appropriate.

Please do not send highly sensitive medical or financial information to a general Lincoln Reference Laboratory email address unless instructed to do so.

Data Security

Lincoln Reference Laboratory maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information and PHI against unauthorized access, use, alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction.

No website, electronic communication, or information system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We continually evaluate our safeguards and take reasonable steps to protect information in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, meet operational needs, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, maintain required medical and laboratory records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and protect our legitimate interests.

PHI and medical records are retained in accordance with applicable health care and laboratory record-retention requirements.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on the type of information involved and applicable law, you may have rights relating to access, correction, amendment, restriction, confidential communications, or information about certain disclosures of your information.

Your rights concerning protected health information are described in Lincoln Reference Laboratory’s HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

These rights may include the right to:

• Request access to certain health information.
• Request correction or amendment of certain information.
• Request confidential communications.
• Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures.
• Request an accounting of certain disclosures.
• Obtain a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices.
• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

Lincoln Reference Laboratory will not retaliate against you for exercising your privacy rights or filing a privacy complaint.

Children and Minors

Our general website is not intended to collect personal information directly from children under 13 without appropriate authorization.

Lincoln Reference Laboratory may process information concerning minors when necessary to provide laboratory or health care services and when authorized by a parent, guardian, health care provider, or applicable law.

Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, portals, payment services, or other online resources. Lincoln Reference Laboratory is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of websites or services that we do not operate.

We encourage users to review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing personal information.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, services, or applicable legal requirements.

When we make material changes, we will update the effective date displayed at the top of this page and take any additional steps required by applicable law.