Information collection/use 

 
The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) understands that your privacy and security are important to you. This privacy policy outlines how the ACOFP intends to collect, use and safeguard information on its various websites and digital applications, including ACOFP.org, ACOFP social media properties and any other digital services and platforms officially operated or used by the ACOFP (“Site(s)”). 
 
By using an ACOFP Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. Please read this policy thoroughly and carefully. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please exit the Site immediately. 
 
The ACOFP is the sole owner of the information collected on our Sites. We will not sell, share, or rent this information to others in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. 
 

Changes to privacy policy 

 
In the future, the ACOFP may make changes to this Privacy Policy. When we make changes or additions to our privacy policy, we will post the date of the update on the privacy statement. If you choose to reject any portion of this policy and have your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) removed from ACOFP records, please notify us at membership@acofp.org. 
 

Personal information collection/use 

 
“Personally Identifiable Information” (PII) refers to any information that identifies or can be used to identify or contact you when you use or visit our Site. The ACOFP collects the PII that you provide, which may include, but is not limited to, your name, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number, as well as demographic and transactional data. In addition to PII collected online, the ACOFP may also receive information about you from other sources, such as the American Osteopathic Association, colleges of osteopathic medicine and residency programs. Additional PII collected and used by ACOFP on physicians and osteopathic medical students is outlined in the Physician Data Collection and Use section below. 
 
Some examples of where and when your PII may be collected include when you: 
 
  • apply for membership, or renew membership dues; 
  •  register for an ACOFP event or meeting; 
  •  access our products or services; 
  •  create an account on our websites; 
  •  subscribe to our publications; 
  •  request marketing materials from us; 
  •  participate in a promotion or survey provided by the ACOFP; 
  •  serve as a volunteer; 
  •  participate in continuing medical education (CME) activities and reporting; 
  •  contact the ACOFP with feedback or request membership/customer support. 
Aggregate information is information in summary form and is not considered PII because it does not reveal your identity. The ACOFP uses analytical tools and software to analyze trends, administer the Site, track your movements through the Site, and gather broad information for aggregate use. The ACOFP uses and allows third parties to use aggregate information to aid in the development or implementation of programs, products and services. The ACOFP also uses such aggregate information to analyze website visits, page views and referral links to gain insight into functionality, interest, and overall user experience. 
 

Financial information 

 
The ACOFP does not disclose payment information provided by its members and customers. When members and customers choose to pay, whether by credit card, check, or other form of payment, ACOFP submits the information needed to obtain payment to the appropriate clearinghouse. 
 

Activity tracking 

 
ACOFP websites use cookies to improve users’ experience with our Sites. A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s hard drive which allows organizations to collect non-PII about the user’s use of a site. This cookie is used to identify you, to assist in displaying personalized content on our Sites or to save your Site login information. Some of the ways we use cookies are to identify you, assist in displaying personalized content, save your login information and analyze our traffic. 
 
Some of our websites and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags and single-pixel gifs) that permit the ACOFP, for example, to count users who have visited those pages, or opened an email, and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content and verifying system and server integrity). 
 
The ACOFP may use automatic data collection technology to gather information about your device(s) and how you interact with content on our sites. This may include information such as whether you are a new or existing user, the duration and frequency of your visits, the web content you view, and what searches you conduct. We may also collect information about how you’re accessing our sites, such as the type of device you’re using (e.g., cellphone, tablet, desktop computer, etc.), what browser you’re using, your network, your operating system and the speed of your server connection. 
 

Advertising 

 
Information about your visits to ACOFP websites (but not your name, address, email address or other personal information) may be used to serve advertisements while you browse online. Our sites use cookies, web beacons, or similar technologies placed on your computer to help present, better target, and measure the effectiveness of the ads served to you on our website or through affiliate advertising network providers. 
 
We may also participate in interest-based advertising using similar technology. This means information about your browsing behavior may be used to serve ads tailored to your interests when you visit our sites, or to serve ads for ACOFP products and services when you visit other sites within our affiliate advertising network. Although these sites use your web browsing history to choose which ads to display, no Personally Identifiable Information about you is shared with third party ad networks. 
 
You may opt out of receiving behavioral ads from third party advertisers who follow the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising by visiting the opt-out section of the DAA website: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/. You can also opt out of interest-based ads from third parties who are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NIA): http://networkadvertising.org/choices. Opting out of behavioral advertisements will not opt you out of traditional digital or print advertising. 
 
Other websites, such as Facebook, may serve you ads using interest-based preferences you have selected for those sites. Some internet browsers, websites such as Facebook and mobile devices offer opt-outs for interest-based advertising. Please refer to the website that you are visiting, your browser and/or your device settings for additional information. 
 

Links 

 
Our Sites contains links to other sites. The ACOFP is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites. This Privacy Policy applies solely to our Sites. Should you follow a link to another site, you are encouraged to review the privacy policy applicable to that website. 
 

Using your PII 

 
The ACOFP uses PII collected to: 
 
  • verify membership with ACOFP;  
  • provide access to subscription-based or membership content and services; 
  • deliver personalized content on our sites based on the visitor’s PII; 
  • improve or add content, usability, functionality to our sites; 
  • display content, ads and marketing; 
  • send informational service or marketing-related communications on ACOFP activities, news, events or products and services; 
  • process your payment for ACOFP member dues, or an ACOFP-sponsored product, service or event; 
  • process and record your CME for your CME report; 
  • deliver and process survey requests; 
  • provide dietary and disability accommodation; 
  • respond to your email or online request for service or feedback. 
 

Disclosure and sharing with third parties 

 
The ACOFP will disclose your PII to third parties when necessary for the provision of services to you, for the protection of others, and when required by law. 
 
The ACOFP may also use PII provided by you to conduct research, to improve our Sites, and to provide services to you. Your PII may be shared with our business partners so that they can identify and offer products or services that you may be interested in, ranging from the business or practice of medicine to practice-related commercial offers to physicians as consumers. The ACOFP may work with outside companies to carry out tasks such as, but not limited to, certification and licensing, CME processing, advocacy action alerts, credit card payment processing, distributing purchases, responding to customer inquiries, consulting, website analytics and monitoring, printing, mailing, event registration, email marketing, website hosting and data storage. Any companies we work with are given only the information they need to deliver that service, and they are forbidden by contract from using the information for any other purpose. Except as described here, third parties are not allowed to collect PII about your digital activities over time or across other internet-based platforms or applications when you use our Sites. 
 

Managing your PII 

 
You can manage your profile and email preferences, or request to be removed from any non-transactional communication from the ACOFP by contacting us using the information in the Contact Us section of ACOFP.org. California residents have additional considerations per California’s “Shine the Light” law. 
 
You have the right to: 
 
  • opt out of some or all future communications from us;  
  • Request and view any personal data we have about you; 
  • correct or update any data we have about you*; 
  • ask us to stop using or sharing data about you; and/or 
  • ask us to delete any data we have about you. 
 
The ACOFP will remove your PII from our active databases or anonymize so that the data is no longer identified with you. In instances where physicians request the ACOFP’s assistance in verifying credentials for employment, licensing or other practice-related support, deletion of your data could impede or delay the credentialing process. Additionally, your data may remain in our archives if the ACOFP determines that it is not possible to delete. 
 
*Corrections or updates to certain data we have on you (i.e., licensure, medical education or training, etc.) will require primary source verification prior to any changes to your data. 
 
In addition to the PII management rights listed earlier, physicians may further direct the ACOFP: 
 
  • Not to release contact information to affiliates or licensees: This option permits the ACOFP to contact the physician, but the ACOFP will not share any contact information with other osteopathic organizations, or with its licensees, which is the basis for receiving most of their products and services, including journals, new product announcements, information about health hazards and information about drug recalls. 
  • Not to release physician-provided information (PII): This option means that the ACOFP will not release any physician-provided information to licensees or other osteopathic organizations. This means the physician will not receive OFP or any ACOFP special publications. 
 
The ACOFP will immediately record your request and preferences; however, there will be a delay while your request to remove PII is communicated to its licensees. You may see residual marketing and communication pieces or emails for a short length of time until your PII is removed. Please contact the ACOFP should you have any questions or concerns. 
 

Information security 

 
The ACOFP takes precautions to protect the information we collect. We use SSL encryption to protect your payment transactions. We also take necessary precautions to protect our database off-line. The server on which we store personally identifiable information is kept in a secure environment. 
 
Due to the current state of technology, there is no ability to provide complete assurance as to the security of data transmissions over the Internet and electronically stored data.  While the ACOFP takes appropriate and reasonable efforts to protect the PII and other Data from unauthorized access as described in this Privacy Policy, we are unable to guarantee or warrant the security of the Personal Data you transmit to us. 
 

Contact us 

 
For suggestions, compliments, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy, please email the ACOFP at membership@acofp.org or use the online feedback form in the Contact Us section of ACOFP.org. 
 
The ACOFP can also be reached by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CST, at (847) 952-5100, or by mail at American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, Attn: Membership, 8501 West Higgins Road, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60631.