Privacy Policy for AcademyHealth

AcademyHealth respects the privacy of its members and other visitors to its website. This Privacy Policy explains how AcademyHealth collects, safeguards, and uses personal information on AcademyHealth.org, AcademyHealth microsites, email and other digital communications under the control of AcademyHealth.

Our Privacy Policy may change periodically. All updates will be posted on this page.

Information AcademyHealth Collects and How We Use That Information

The data we collect are used to help us better serve our members and visitors. It is our policy to collect and store only information that our members and visitors knowingly provide.

AcademyHealth collects information from individuals during the following activities:

Commercial and non-commercial transactions such as becoming an AcademyHealth member and/or registering for an AcademyHealth event or activity.

• Voluntarily submitting a form with personal information to:
  • Receive additional information from AcademyHealth
  • Nominate one’s self or other individuals for awards or leadership positions
  • Apply for professional development opportunities such as fellowships and scholarships
  • Submit work for presentation or publication in AcademyHealth outlets
  • Access, apply for or post a job on the AcademyHealth Career Center.

AcademyHealth uses information provided by individuals to communicate content that the individual explicitly asked to receive and/or information that AcademyHealth believes is of interest to the individual. Individuals can opt-out of receiving communications from AcademyHealth at any time.

Information may also be used to study and analyze trends in the field and the market, to better serve our membership and the broader health services research and health policy community.

AcademyHealth members, and in some instances non-member visitors to www.academyhealth.org, have access to their online profiles and can update their information at any time. To do so:

1. Visit www.academyhealth.org
2. Click on My Account
3. Login
4. Update your information and communications preferences.

In some instances, AcademyHealth does sell, rent, or distribute information shared with us to third parties, including:

• As necessary for the management of membership benefits, we will share the names and mailing information of our members and affiliates to the publishers of journals and newsletters provided to members and affiliates.

• Consistent with accepted practice for most professional societies, third parties may rent our membership mailing list for a fee, provided they demonstrate to our satisfaction that their planned mailing will reasonably be of interest to our members or affiliates. Upon request, organizational affiliates of AcademyHealth may receive, free of charge, up to two membership mailing lists each year. We also occasionally trade mailing lists with other health care-related organizations, for example, to cross promote events and opportunities of interest.

• Consistent with common practice of similar professional societies, sponsors of AcademyHealth conferences and events may receive up to two copies of the registrant list for the event they have sponsored.

• As a service to participants, AcademyHealth will publicly share lists of registrants to conference attendees. This list does not include contact information.

• In the course of administering programs and projects sponsored by foundations, government agencies, or others, AcademyHealth may share personally identifiable information with the sponsors or other third parties to the extent necessary for the management of the program or project. This may include such information as participants in program-related meetings or workshops, including their contact information and biographical sketches.

• The identities of our board members, officers, employees, committee members, sponsors, and organizational affiliates are not confidential.

From Website Visitors

Visitors to the AcademyHealth website may browse anonymously. Aggregate data such as total site visitors, page views, etc. are collected. Aggregate data may be used for website improvement, internal analysis, program evaluation and validation. No personally identifiable information is utilized for these purposes.

We collect an IP address from all visitors to our website. An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you use the Internet. We use IP addresses to help diagnose problems with our server, administer our site, and analyze trends.  This data helps us improve the website. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Our website may use cookies to enhance your online experience while using our website. Use of cookies makes Web surfing easier by performing certain functions, such as saving your personal preferences and completing your basic site login to access content. Cookies do not allow access to your member account or approve any financial transactions. These steps require an additional login.

Your browser is likely set to accept cookies. However, if you would prefer not to receive cookies, you can alter the configuration of your browser to refuse cookies.

Privacy Issues with Links to Other Sites

This website contains links to other websites. We have no control over and are not responsible for the privacy policies of any website other than our own.

Future Changes to This Policy

From time to time, our policies may change to reflect new business practices and changes in the communications environment. Check this Privacy Policy periodically for updates and changes. Where applicable, we will provide you with the ability to opt out of any new uses.

Security

 AcademyHealth protects account information by placing it on a secure portion of our website and database that is accessible only by certain qualified employees of AcademyHealth. However, no data transmission over the Internet is, or remains, 100 percent secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information.

Credit Card Account Information

AcademyHealth does not disclose credit card account information provided by its members and customers except as follows: When members and customers choose to pay using their credit cards, AcademyHealth submits the necessary information to effect payment to the appropriate clearinghouse, using encryption.

Sharing Your Personally Identifiable Information When Legally Necessary

AcademyHealth may disclose your personally identifiable information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to legal requirements or comply with legal process served on the AcademyHealth; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of AcademyHealth; or (c) protect the personal safety of AcademyHealth personnel or members of the public in appropriate circumstances.

Questions

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, contact the AcademyHealth web team at info@academyhealth.org.