Terms of Use

These terms govern your use of whitecoatadvocate.com, operated by White Coat Advocate LLC. By using this website you agree to them. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.

What White Coat Advocate is — and is not

White Coat Advocate provides independent patient advocacy, education, and care coordination. We help you understand medical information, prepare for conversations with your clinicians, coordinate across specialists, and make informed decisions.

We are not a medical practice. We do not diagnose conditions, prescribe or adjust medications, order or interpret tests as your treating clinician, perform procedures, or provide emergency medical services. We do not replace your physicians — we help you work with them. We also do not provide legal representation, and nothing on this site is legal advice.

No physician–patient relationship

Using this website, submitting the consultation form, or having an initial consultation does not create a physician–patient relationship, and does not create an advocacy engagement. William Dugal, MD, MS, BCPA is a licensed physician, but he does not act as your treating physician in this role. Services begin only under a separate written engagement agreement signed by both parties.

This site is not for emergencies

Do not use this website, the consultation form, or email to communicate an urgent or emergency medical situation. If this is an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. We cannot monitor messages continuously and cannot respond to emergencies.

Information on this site is general

Content on this website is provided for general information. It is not medical advice, is not tailored to any individual’s circumstances, and should not be relied on as a substitute for the judgment of your treating clinicians. Always consult your own healthcare team about your care.

Consultation requests

Submitting the consultation form is a request, not a booking. We review every inquiry and respond as promptly as we reasonably can, but we do not guarantee a response within any particular time, and we may decline an engagement. Please submit accurate information, and please keep detailed clinical information off the form, as described in our Privacy Policy.

Services, availability, and fees

White Coat Advocate is based in North Carolina and serves patients and families locally and nationwide. Advocacy is delivered virtually or in person by arrangement. In-person support is routine in Winston-Salem and across North Carolina and is available elsewhere in the country by arrangement, with travel arranged separately. Availability is limited by design. Fees, scope, and terms of any engagement are set out in your engagement agreement, not on this website.

Intellectual property

The White Coat Advocate name, logo, text, photographs, and design on this site are owned by White Coat Advocate LLC and may not be copied, reproduced, or used without written permission, except for ordinary personal reference.

Links to other sites

This site may link to third-party websites. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content, accuracy, or privacy practices.

Disclaimers and limitation of liability

This website is provided “as is,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any warranty of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, White Coat Advocate LLC is not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of your use of this website or reliance on its content.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The effective date above will change when we do, and continued use of the site means you accept the updated terms.