Notice of Privacy Policy
Last Updated: October 2011
Protecting our customers’ privacy has long been an important priority at SMP. We are committed to maintaining strong and meaningful privacy protections for customers. This is a significant responsibility and we value the trust you place in us.
Our privacy policy is designed to inform you about the information we collect, how we use it, and your options with regard to that collection and use. This policy applies to SMP customers in the United States and visitors to our SMP website.
If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about this Privacy Notice please contact: Audrey Ellis, Chief of Operations, at (610) 644-1370 or aellis@smpcares.comThis Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. “Protected health information” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.
How We Collect Information: Specialty Medical Products and its employees collect data through a variety of means including but not necessarily limited to letters, phone calls, emails, voice mails, and from the submission of applications that is either required by law, or necessary to process applications or other requests for assistance through our organization.
What We Do Not Do With Your Information: Information about your financial situation and medical conditions and care that you provide to us in writing, via email, on the phone (including information left on voice mails), contained in or attached to applications, or directly or indirectly given to us, is held in strictest confidence.
We do not give out, exchange, barter, rent, sell, lend, or disseminate any information about customers who receive our products or services that is considered patient confidential, is restricted by law, or has been specifically restricted by a patient/client in a signed HIPAA consent form.
How We Do Use Your Information: Information is only used as is reasonably necessary to process your application or to provide you with health services which may require communication between SMP and health care providers, medical product or service providers, pharmacies, insurance companies, and other providers necessary to: verify your medical information is accurate; determine the type of medical supplies or any health care services you need including, but not limited to; or to obtain or purchase any type of medical supplies, devices, medications, insurance.
If you apply or attempt to apply to receive assistance through us and provide information with the intent or purpose of fraud or that results in either an actual crime of fraud for any reason including willful or un-willful acts of negligence whether intended or not, or in any way demonstrates or indicates attempted fraud, your non-medical information can be given to legal authorities including police, investigators, courts, and/or attorneys or other legal professionals, as well as any other information as permitted by law.
If SMP enters into a merger, acquisition or sale of all or a portion of its assets or business, customer information will also be transferred as part of or in conjunction with the transaction.
Gathering and Use of Information: SMP only collects personal information from our visitors on a voluntary basis. We do not require any personal information from visitors to obtain access to our website. However, in order to respond to the contact section on our website, you will have to provide personal information. Personal information received from any visitor will only be used for internal marketing, supply or employment purposes and will not be sold or provided to any non-affiliated companies except to provide products and services that you have requested.
Information Security: SMP has safeguards in place to help protect against unauthorized access to, use or disclosure of customer information we maintain, including social security numbers. Employees are trained on the importance of protecting privacy and on the proper access to, use and disclosure of customer information. Access to personally identifiable information is authorized only for those who have a business need for such access.
Limited Right to Use Non-Identifying Personal Information From Biographies, Letters, Notes, and Other Sources:Any pictures, stories, letters, biographies, correspondence, or thank you notes sent to us become the exclusive property of SMP. We reserve the right to use non-identifying information about our customers (those who receive services or goods from or through us) for promotional purposes that are directly related to our mission.
Customers will not be compensated for use of this information and no identifying information (photos, addresses, phone numbers, contact information, last names or uniquely identifiable names) will be used without your prior permission. You may specifically request that NO information be used whatsoever for promotional purposes, but you must identify any requested restrictions in writing. We respect your right to privacy and assure you no identifying information or photos that you send to us will ever be publicly used without your direct or indirect consent.
Links to Other Web Sites: The SMP web site contains links to other sites. We are not responsible for the content on these sites or the privacy policies and practices employed by these sites.
Changes to this Policy: We abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Policy. We may change the terms of our notice, at any time. The new notice will be effective for all protected health information that we maintain at that time. Upon your request, we will provide you with any revised Notice of Privacy Policy by accessing our website www.smpcares.com or calling Audrey Ellis, Chief of Operations, and requesting that a revised copy be sent to you in the mail.
