Privacy Policy
Signature Health respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it at all times. This online Privacy Policy explains how the Signature Health collects, uses and safeguards information on its various websites and apps. We collect information about our users in three ways: directly from the user, from our Web server logs and through cookies and other technologies. We use the information primarily to provide you with a personalized Internet experience that delivers the information, resources, and services that are most relevant and helpful to you. We don’t share any of the information you provide with others, unless we say so in this Privacy Policy, or when we believe in good faith that the law requires it. You should review this Policy and our related Terms of Use. By accessing our websites and using our services, you agree to this Privacy Policy and to be bound by our Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use and this Privacy Policy, you should end this session now and refrain from using our websites and apps in the future.
Changes to the Privacy Policy
As our organization, membership and benefits change from time to time, we expect this Privacy Policy to change as well. We reserve the right to amend the Policy at any time, for any reason, and will signal a change by revising the “Last updated” date at the bottom of this page.
What information we collect and how we use it
Information we collect — When you browse our hocatt.com, for example, and do not interact with the site for any online service or product from the Signature Health, you browse anonymously. Information that identifies you personally–such as your name, address, phone number and email address–is not collected as you browse.
When you create an account to become a registered user on our sites, or choose to interact with us in other ways, such as subscribing to Signature Health publications, purchasing an Signature Health product, applying for Signature Health membership, participating in online surveys, submitting questions or comments or requesting information or materials, we will collect certain personal information from you. The type will vary but may include name, address, phone number, birth date, billing and delivery information, email address, credit card information and other demographic information. We do not collect Social Security numbers via any Signature Health website. The product or service that you seek will determine the personal information collected.
How we use personal information — Once collected, we may use your personal information for the following purposes:
- Register you for programs and services you have requested
- Process, fulfill and follow up on your orders or membership application
- Provide access to journal content
- Answer your emails or on-line requests
- Send information you request
- Send and process surveys and CME quizzes
- Ensure the Signature Health sites are relevant to your needs
- Deliver Signature Health services such as newsletters, meetings or events
- Recommend content that suits you
- Alert you when fresh content is posted or released
- Notify you about new products/services, special offers, upgrades and other related information from the Signature Health, The Signature Health Network and approved third parties
You can manage your account, limit alerts or opt-out of some or all future communications. All e-mail communications contain an “unsubscribe” option in case you want to discontinue the communication at any time. Contact us via the phone number or contact form on our website at any time to:
- See what data we have about you, if any;
- Change/correct any data we have about you;
- Ask us to delete any data we have about you; and/or
- Opt out of some or all future communications from us.
When we hire vendors to deliver emails to you on our behalf, they are under agreement and limited from using your email address and other personal information for any other purpose.
These email messages may contain “clear GIFs” or “Web beacons” to measure the offer’s effectiveness so we know how to serve you better. We do not collect information that identifies you personally through “clear GIFs” or “Web beacons.” You may refuse or remove the placement of these and other cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your web browser.
How to opt out of email — To opt out of future emails and newsletters, go to our Signature Health e-newsletter sign-up page or click the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email or e-newsletter from the Signature Health. You also can call the Signature Health Office at 844-696-9663.
With whom we may share information — The Signature Health may share personal information (except your email address) with our business partners in order to provide them an opportunity to offer products or services that may be of interest to you. The Signature Health also occasionally hires other companies to provide limited services on our behalf including, but not limited to, processing credit card transactions, packaging, mailing and delivering purchases, answering customer questions about products or services, consulting services, data modeling, printing, sending postal mail and processing membership and event registration. We will only provide those companies the information they need to deliver the service. They are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose. Except as described in this section, third parties may not collect personally identifiable information about your online activities over time or across different Web sites when you use our web sites.
The Signature Health may disclose your personal information to a third party if (1) reasonably necessary to perform a service or deliver a product or publication; (2) authorized by you; (3) permitted under this Privacy Policy; (4) required by statue or regulation; or (5) in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to legal requirements or comply with legal process served on the Signature Health; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Signature Health; (c) protect the personal safety of Signature Health personnel or members of the public in urgent circumstances; or (d) enforce the Signature Health’s Privacy Policy or Terms of Use. In addition to the disclosures identified above, if you are a physician or medical student, the personal information you provide through the Signature Health websites may be incorporated into the Signature Health’s physician database commonly known as the Physician Masterfile. The Signature Health has licensed its Physician Masterfile to third parties for more than 50 years under strict guidelines. The names and addresses of physicians and medical students in the Signature Health Physician Masterfile are made available only for communications that are germane to the practice of medicine or of interest to physicians or medical students as consumers. Read further information about the Physician Masterfile.
Tracking activity on our website We track how our sites are used by both anonymous visitors and registered users who interact with the site. One way we track is by using “cookies.” A cookie is a small file or string of text on the site user’s computer that is used to aid Web navigation. Two types of cookies are commonly used. A session cookie is created by a website when that website is accessed; that type of cookie is automatically deleted by closing the Web browser. A persistent cookie is a cookie that is stored on the hard drive of the user’s computer for a period of time chosen by the website that set the cookie, usually for a number of years, unless the user deletes it manually. This policy distinguishes between short-lived cookies and long-lasting cookies. Short-lived cookies include all session cookies and those persistent cookies that are set to be stored for no more than one week. Signature Health-related websites may at times require users to accept short-lived cookies in order for the websites to function properly. Long-lasting cookies may be used on the site to track visitor practices to help determine which site features and services are most important and guide editorial direction. Other long-lasting cookies may make it possible for the user to access the site without requiring entry of a user name or password, allow the user to view different restricted areas of the site without reregistering, allow the user to personalize the site for future use and provide other features and benefits. Users who do not desire the functionality created by the long-lasting cookie can disable the long-lasting cookie function, either by indicating when asked that they do not wish to have a long-lasting cookie created or by disabling the long-lasting cookie function on their Web browser. Individuals can opt out of long-lasting cookie functions at any time.
Cookies are required for the Members-Only and e-commerce sections of the website. Cookies are essential for site administration and security. Another way we track site activity is by using transparent electronic images called “clear GIFs,” “Web bugs,” or “Web beacons” on Web pages. These images count the number of users who visit that page from specific banner ads outside hocatt.com or through email links. A similar image, sometimes called a “spotlight tag,” is used on Web pages where transactions take place. The spotlight tag collects numeric information, such as the dollar amount of an online purchase, to help us understand usage of the site. We do not use any of these electronic images to collect personally identifiable information.
Third party tracking on our websites — Online advertisements on the Signature Health’s websites do not collect any personal information on individual visitors. Ad networks and data analytics firms track and analyze traffic on the Signature Health sites, in part, to determine advertising effectiveness, browser types and usage trends, and to present targeted ads based on anonymous information collected through tracking. This anonymous aggregate data on visitors and their use of our content provides business intelligence to better serve visitors, improve our content and track trends that might signal the outbreak of an infectious disease, or contribute to improving health outcomes. If you open an ad, you leave our sites and become subject to the terms and practices of that separate website, which may have different rules about tracking and data usage. Activation of cookie blocking or Do Not Track settings in your browser, or other mechanisms that block cookies or other tracking technologies, will not affect the collection or use of personal information as outlined elsewhere in this Privacy Policy.
Children under 13 — We do not knowingly solicit data online from or market online to children under the age of 13.
Information security — The Signature Health implements security measures to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction of data. We restrict access to personal information to our employees and the Signature Health’s business partners who may need to know that information in order to operate, develop or improve our services. These individuals are bound by confidentiality obligations and may be subject to discipline, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations.
How we safeguard information
Site security features
SSL technology and how you benefit from it — Signature Health realizes the importance of security, so we’ve taken a number of steps to enhance the protection of personal information sent to or from Signature Health over the Internet. First, we require that a “secure session” be established, using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. This is done any time you supply or access information in one of our secure online areas.
SSL technology creates a private conversation that only your computer and Signature Health systems can understand. The SSL technology encodes information as it is being sent over the Internet between your computer and Signature Health systems, helping to ensure that the transmitted information remains confidential.
User ID and password — Many areas of the site require the use of a user ID and password as an additional security measure that helps protect your information. This allows Signature Health to verify who you are, thereby allowing you access to your account information and preventing unauthorized access. When you have finished using a secure area of Signature Health’s website, make sure you always click on the “Log Out” link which appears on every secure page. When you click on the “Log Out” link, you will be given the option to end your secure session. No further secure transactions can be conducted without re-entering your user ID and password. You should be aware that browser software often “caches” a page as you look at it, meaning that some pages are saved in your computer’s temporary memory. Therefore, you may find that clicking on your “Back” button shows you a saved version of a previously viewed page. Caching in no way affects the security of your confidential user ID or password.
No guarantee — Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Accordingly, and despite our efforts, Signature Health cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us, or to or from our online products or services. Email messages sent to or from a website may not be secure. Confidential information should not be sent by e-mail. Site visitors sending e-mail accept the risk that a third party may intercept e-mail messages.
Linking to other Internet sites
You should be aware that other Internet sites that link to the Signature Health sites or to an Signature Health email may contain privacy provisions that differ from these. To ensure your privacy is protected, we recommend that you review the privacy statements of other Internet sites you visit.
How you can access and change information
If you are a registered user of an Signature Health website, subscriber to Signature Health publications, purchaser of Signature Health products or an Signature Health member, you may review and update or correct your information online or by contacting the Signature Health Unified Service Center at 844-696-9663.
Physicians and medical students may update or correct any information the Signature Health may have on file by going online or calling 844-696-9663. Updates or corrections to certain types of information (e.g., physician licensure, medical education or training, etc.) will require independent verification prior to effectuating any (permanent) change to our files.