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YNHH Online Privacy Policy

Yale New Haven Hospital respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect from you, how we use the information we collect, with whom we share it, how we protect it, and the choices we offer you regarding our collection and use of such information when you visit our sites hosted by Donor Drive.

Information We Collect

To communicate effectively with visitors to YNHHS digital properties, we may ask you for personally-identifiable information that can include, by way of illustration, name, email address or phone number. YNHHS will never share personally-identifiable information you voluntarily provide to us, except in situations where we must provide information for legal purposes or investigations. 

Use of “Cookies”: Unless you take steps to browse the Internet anonymously, or opt-out, YNHHS, like most institutions and organizations on the Internet, tracks web browsing patterns to inform how our websites are being used. Generic information is collected through the use of “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to evaluate usage patterns so that we can improve both content and distribution. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser; however, doing so may prevent you from using the full functionality of all of our websites.

Some sections of YNHHS-owned websites use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyze how users use our sites. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website includes your IP address. This information will be transmitted to and stored by Google on its servers. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity, and providing other services relating to Internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Please visit the following pages for more information on Google Analytics terms of use and Google’s privacy practices.

Data Security: YNHHS makes every reasonable effort to ensure that all of the transactions that occur on our websites are secure. We store all data with Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to protect information you may submit on our site. SSL is the industry standard protocol. All off-line information is securely stored and is accessible only by authorized staff. That being said, YNHHS cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. We have taken reasonable steps to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of personally identifiable information that you may provide. You should understand, however, that electronic transmissions via the internet are not necessarily secure from interception, and so we cannot absolutely guarantee the security or confidentiality of such transmissions.

User Name and Password: In the event you access any service requiring a User Name and Password, you are solely responsible for keeping such User Name and Password strictly confidential.

Forms: YNHHS’ websites contain secure forms through which users may request information or supply feedback to us. This information may be shared with a patient relations representative, employee or medical expert who is most able to address your inquiry. Once the information is sent to our websites, it is kept in secure databases accessible only by authorized YNHHS users. In some cases, telephone numbers, email addresses or return addresses are required so that we can supply requested information to you. Submissions may be reviewed infrequently, and so no material of an urgent nature should be submitted. There is no guarantee or expectation of a personal response to any individual submission, regardless of the subject matter.

Surveys: Occasionally, YNHHS may survey visitors to our websites. The information from these surveys is used in aggregate form to help us understand the needs of our visitors so that we can make improvements. The information may be shared with third parties with whom we have a business relationship. Those third parties have agreed to keep all data from surveys confidential. We generally do not ask for information in surveys that would personally identify you. If we do request contact information for follow-up, you may decline to provide it. 

Email: YNHHS provides users with the opportunity to receive email communications. If you subscribe to a newsletter produced by YNHHS and distributed via email, we will keep your email address in a private distribution list. You can unsubscribe from our newsletters at any time.

Email communications that you send to YNHHS via the email links on our websites may be shared with a patient relations representative, employee or medical expert who is most able to address your inquiry. We make every effort to respond in a timely fashion once communications are received. Once we have responded to your communication, it is discarded or archived, depending on the nature of the inquiry.

The email functionality on our websites does not provide a completely secure and confidential means of communication. It is possible that your email communication may be accessed or viewed by another internet user while in transit. If you wish to keep your communication private, do not use email. Please do not email patient health information, as that information is confidential and should only be discussed with your physician. If you have a question related to your medical care, please communicate with your provider through MyChart, which is secured for that purpose.

"Phishing" is a scam designed to steal your personal information. If you receive an email that looks like it is from YNHHS asking you for your personal information, do not respond. We will never request your password, user name, credit card information or other personal information through email.

Voice Applications: For voice applications such as those enabled by Amazon and Google, YNHHS collects a unique identifier from your Amazon and Google account. This information is used to enhance user experience and is not personally identifiable to you. We collect no additional information from your account.
Google and Amazon collect and store both the spoken utterance from the customer, and the skill's response, to improve and troubleshoot the voice experience.

You may delete this data in both applications:

Acceptance of Terms

Please read these Terms of Use (the “Terms”) carefully before accessing or participating in any website or other online platform or service available on or through ynhhs.org, bridgeporthospital.org, greenwichhospital.org, lmhospital.org, westerlyhospital.org, ynhh.org, northeastmedicalgroup.org or other Yale New Haven Health sites (the “Site” or “Sites”). The Terms are an enforceable agreement between Yale New Haven Health System (“YNHHS”) and you, the user of the Sites. By using and accessing the Sites, you acknowledge that you have read the Terms and agree to be bound by and comply with them. If you do not agree to be bound by and comply with the Terms, you are not authorized to use the Sites. YNHHS reserves the right to modify the Terms at any time in its sole discretion, and will publish notice of any such modifications on this site. Any modified Terms are effective immediately upon posting. By continuing to access any Site after YNHHS posts notification of modified Terms, you agree to be bound by and comply with them. If you do not agree to the Terms, please do not enter the Sites. If you are not yet eighteen years of age, a parent or guardian may agree to be bound by the Terms on your behalf.

Nothing in the Terms overrides the application of other rules and policies of YNHHS or other agreements between you and YNHHS. 

Use of the Site - Code of Conduct

You agree not to use the Sites or any other YNHHS computing resources to engage in any of the following conduct. Such conduct is unacceptable and may result in the termination of your use of the Sites.

Protecting Children's Privacy

We are committed to protecting children's privacy on the internet, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Submissions to the Site by You 

Where authorized, you may submit any text, images, data, information, content or other materials (collectively, “Materials”) to the Sites. In doing so, such Materials will be considered non-personal and non-confidential (except for personal information as described in the Privacy Policies), and you hereby grant to YNHHS a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, sublicensable, assignable, worldwide right and license to link to, use, reproduce, transmit, modify, adapt, practice, publish, display, perform, distribute, translate, and create derivative or collective works from, any such Materials, in whole or in part, throughout the world in any media, including all intellectual property rights therein, unless otherwise agreed in writing with YNHHS. You acknowledge and agree that any Materials submitted by users of any Site represent the opinions of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion or information of YNHHS. Any such Materials is no substitute for your own research and should not be relied upon for any purpose.

By submitting Materials to any Site, you certify ownership authority to grant such rights to YNHHS and acknowledge that the burden of determining whether any such Materials are protected by copyright rests solely with you.

Further, you are solely responsible for Materials submitted by you, and YNHHS assumes no responsibility or liability for Materials submitted by you or any other visitor to the Sites. We may, but are not obligated to, restrict or remove any and all Materials that we determine in our sole discretion violates the Terms or is otherwise harmful to us, other Site visitors or any third party. We reserve the right to remove Materials you submit at any time, but you understand that we may preserve and access a backup-copy, and we may disclose such Materials if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access, preservation or disclosure is required by law or in the best interests of YNHHS.

Any Materials you submit will be routed through the Internet and you understand and acknowledge that you have no expectation of privacy with regard to any such Materials. Never assume that you are anonymous and cannot be identified by your submissions. You hereby grant YNHHS and any of its sublicensees the right to use the name that you submit in connection with the Materials, if they choose. You represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the Materials submitted by you; that such Materials are accurate; that use of such Materials does not violate the Terms, and will not cause injury to any person or entity; and that you will indemnify YNHHS and its officers, trustees, employees, representatives and agents for all third-party claims resulting from Materials you submit.

Links to Our Sites 

You may not create links to any Site from any website with content that is fraudulent, threatening, harassing, libelous, defamatory, discriminatory, obscene, or similarly objectionable or harmful, or in a manner that would constitute or encourage a criminal offense, violate the rights of any party (directly or indirectly), or otherwise give rise to liability, violate any law or falsely imply YNHHS’ sponsorship, endorsement or approval of your or another party’s site or activities. Additionally, YNHHS, in its sole discretion, has the right to require that you remove links to any Site.

Links to Third-Party Sites 

As a courtesy, the Sites may contain links to websites controlled by third parties. YNHHS is not responsible for these third-party sites or their content, activities or privacy practices. The inclusion of links on the Sites does not imply YNHHS’ endorsement of the linked web sites, their content, or any associated organization or activity. YNHHS makes no representation or warranty whatsoever about the nature of the linked sites. You should read the privacy policies and terms of use that govern your use of other sites before accessing and using their services.

Trademarks and Copyrights

All trademarks, service marks and logos or copyrights displayed and used on these Sites are the property of their respective owners. Nothing on the Sites should be construed as granting any right or license to use any Trademark without the written permission of its owner. You may download and reprint a single copy of the materials from the Sites ONLY for your own personal, noncommercial use, provided you include all applicable notices and disclaimers. Any other use of the materials is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of YNHHS and the permission of the applicable rights holder(s).

Disclaimers of Warranties

The Sites and services, information and content available on or through any of them are provided “as is” and “as available.” YNHHS does not warrant that the Sites or any such services, information or content will be uninterrupted or error-free. There may be delays, omissions, interruptions and inaccuracies in such services, information and content. YNHHS makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, reliability or non-infringement thereof, including user content, or of any services, information or content available through links to other websites. YNHHS reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions in the Sites. If you rely on any services, information and/or content available on or through the Sites, you do so entirely at your own risk.

You specifically acknowledge that YNHHS is not liable for the defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of other users or third parties, and that the risk of injury from this type of conduct rests entirely with you. Your sole remedy for dissatisfaction with any Site or any services, information and/or content available on or through any Site is to stop using the Site and/or those services, information and content.

To the maximum extent permitted under law, YNHHS disclaims all express or implied warranties with respect to the Sites and any services, information and content that are available on or through them, including without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose (even if that purpose has been disclosed) and non-infringement.

Although YNHHS intends to take reasonable steps to prevent the introduction of viruses, worms, “Trojan horses” or other malicious code to the Sites, YNHHS does not guarantee or warrant that the Sites, or any services, information and content that may be available on or through the Sites, are free from such destructive features. YNHHS is not liable for any damages or harm attributable to such features. It is up to you to take any and all precautions to ensure that the services, information and content you access and use from any Site or any hyperlinked website is free of such items of a destructive nature.

Limitation of Liability

YNHHS and its officers, trustees, employees, representatives and agents are not liable for any claim of any nature whatsoever based on loss or injury because of errors, omissions, interruptions or inaccuracies in the Sites or any services, information or content available on or through the Sites, including loss or injury that results from your breach of any provision of the Terms. 

Under no circumstances will YNHHS or its officers, trustees, employees, representatives or agents be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substituted services or materials; loss of use, data, revenues or profits; or business interruption) arising in any way out of or in connection with your use of any Site or any services, information or content available on or through the Sites or the Terms, however caused and regardless of the theory of liability, whether in tort (including negligence of any kind), contract, statutory, or any other legal or equitable theory, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. 

Some states do not allow the limitation of liability for certain kinds of damages, so some of these limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.

General

The Terms are the complete agreement between you and YNHHS regarding the subject matter hereof, and any and all prior or contemporaneous written or oral agreements existing between you and YNHHS regarding such subject matter are expressly canceled. We may terminate this agreement at any time for any reason. If you breach any of the Terms, your license to access and use the Sites, including all services, information and content available on or through the Sites, terminates immediately. Upon such termination, you must stop using the Sites, including all services, information and content available on or through the Sites, and return or destroy all copies, including electronic copies, thereof in your possession or control. Any heading, caption, or paragraph title contained in the Terms is inserted only as a matter of convenience and in no way defines or explains any paragraph or provision contained within the Terms. If any provision of the Terms is found to be invalid by any court having competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions thereof, which shall remain in full force and effect. No waiver of any of the Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or any other term or condition. You may not transfer or assign any rights or obligations under this agreement. In the event of termination hereunder, you shall have a continuing obligation thereafter to comply with any provision of the Terms that by its sense and context is intended to survive termination.

Policy changes

YNHHS necessarily reserves the right to change this policy from time to time, without advance notice. We will promptly post any changes to our privacy policy and terms of use on all sites owned by YNHHS.

Questions