Privacy Policy

Please Read This Privacy Policy

This website is owned and operated by Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) (“CUIMC” or “we”, “us” or “our”). This Privacy Policy applies to CUIMC’s website located at https://cuimc.columbia.edu as well as all other websites owned, operated, licensed, or controlled by CUIMC, and certain affiliate websites that are hyperlinked to the foregoing (collectively, the “Websites”). This Privacy Policy also applies to all mobile applications offered under the CUIMC name that do not have a separate privacy policy or that link to this Privacy Policy (the “Apps”). Collectively, the Websites and Apps are referred to in this Privacy Policy as the “Services.”

BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SERVICES, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THIS PRIVACY POLICY AND THE TERMS OF USE. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS PRIVACY POLICY OR THE TERMS OF USE, DO NOT ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICES.

This Privacy Policy applies to the use of the Services and the information provided by and obtained from users of the Services. CUIMC maintains a separate policy in connection with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) that can be viewed on the Office of HIPAA Compliance website.

Information That We Collect

CUIMC collects two types of information: (1) personally identifiable information that you provide voluntarily when you access certain features of the Services as noted below in this Privacy Policy, and (2) usage information that we collect automatically as you access the Services.

Information That You Provide Voluntarily on the Websites

CUIMC collects personally identifiable information that you enter into data fields on the Websites. For example, when you access the “Request an Appointment” or “Schedule an Appointment” feature via a Website, you may be asked for certain personally identifiable information, including but not limited to your name and email address. Other features of the Websites may ask for other personally identifiable information necessary for the proper functionality of such features. If you decline to provide certain information while using the Websites, you may not be able to use or participate in some or all of the features offered through the Websites. We may retain email and other communications that you send us in order to process your inquiries, respond to your requests, and improve the Services. CUIMC also collects and stores personally identifiable information that you enter during chats and that you enter into pre-chat surveys.

Information That You Provide Voluntarily on the Apps

CUIMC collects personally identifiable information that you enter into data fields on the Apps. For example, when you access the “Request an Appointment” or “Schedule an Appointment” feature via an App, you may be asked for certain personally identifiable information, including but not limited to your name and email address. Other features of the Apps may ask for other personally identifiable information necessary for the proper functionality of such features. If you decline to provide certain information while using an App, you may not be able to use or participate in some or all of the features offered through the App. CUIMC also collects and stores personally identifiable information that you enter during chats and that you enter into pre-chat surveys.

Usage Information That Is Automatically Collected on the Websites 

When you access the Websites, CUIMC may collect certain information automatically without your actively providing such information. This information may include technical information collected from your computer or device (e.g., your IP address, device identifiers, browser type, and operating system) as well as information about your usage of the Websites (e.g., the pages you visit, the search terms you enter, how often you visit the Websites, and the pages you access before and after accessing the Websites). This information may be collected using various technologies including cookies, as explained below.  

Usage Information That Is Automatically Collected on the Apps 

When you access the Apps, CUIMC may collect certain information automatically without your actively providing such information. This information may include technical information collected from your device (e.g., your IP address, device identifiers, the type of mobile device you are using, and your mobile operating system) as well as and information about your usage of the Apps (e.g., how you interact with the Apps, the search terms you enter, and how often you use the Apps). When you access certain Apps, we may assign to you a unique analytics tracking identification number (ID). CUIMC uses this ID to collect information about your interaction with the Apps in order to improve your experience of the Apps. Certain Apps may also use location services to provide location-based features. If you enable location services on your device and grant permission for such Apps to access this feature, we may collect your location via GPS in order to provide you with such features.

How We Use Information That We Collect

CUIMC uses the information that it collects to ensure the proper functionality of the Services across various devices, to process user inquiries and respond to user requests, to analyze usage trends, to improve the Services, and to develop new Services.

CUIMC employs a variety of online security measures to safeguard and keep your information private.

We may also use your information to:

  • Personalize your experience and inform you about the treatments/services in which you have indicated an interest
  • Tailor digital advertisements on third-party websites based on your interactions on our Services
  • Send you information and updates
  • Administer a promotion, survey or other feature of the Services
  • Communicate changes to our Privacy Policy or terms of use
  • Fulfill online requests, process credit card information, and respond to customer service inquiries, or in other ways as required by law.

CUIMC processes information only for the purposes for which it was collected and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

CUIMC does not share your personally identifiable information with third parties without your consent, except for third-party suppliers that perform essential business or administrative services for us (for example, our online scheduling provider). CUIMC provides these suppliers only with the information they need to perform such services and asks that they either comply with this Privacy Policy or maintain comparable privacy policies that protect your personally identifiable information. In some cases, third parties that partner with CUIMC may have access to usage information for the purposes listed above as well.

When you download and access the Apps, CUIMC may send you push notifications to alert you of important information. If you no longer wish to receive such communications from us, you may disable them at the mobile device level.

Cookies, Tracking, Analytics and Internet-based Advertising

Our websites work with third-party products or services (“Providers”). These include Piwik PRO, Google, and other Providers who help us track and analyze visitor activity on the website, measure the effectiveness of our advertising efforts, and support the optimization of our digital marketing campaigns.

To accomplish these, the Services uses “cookies,” tracking pixels, and related technologies. These can be set by CUIMC or by our Providers.

Cookies are small data files that online services can store on, and retrieve from, a user’s computer or mobile device through the user’s web browser. The information is stored and retrievable either for the duration of a website visit (known as “session cookies”), or until some later point in time set by the website setting the cookie (known as “persistent cookies”).

Most internet browsers accept cookies by default, but you can modify your browser preferences to block or restrict cookies if you do not want your web browsing activity tracked. There are a variety of tools publicly available to manage cookies and similar technologies that collect information related to your use of the website.

We and our Providers use this information in the aggregate to understand how our visitors as a group use different resources and to help us improve our website. We and our Providers also collect information about the activity of individual website users. This information may be used to direct CUIMC advertisements and/or informational content to website users when they visit other websites.

Our Providers may acquire additional information about your activity on our website, including pages you visit, access times, duration of visit, how you arrived at our website and your IP address. An IP address is a number that identifies a device connected to the Internet. For most devices, the IP address changes on at least a weekly basis. Our Providers may also acquire device identifiers and specific information about the browser you use. In some cases, this information may be unique to you.

CUIMC also uses third-party platforms provided by Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other providers to manage and deliver digital advertisements about its services on third-party, non- CUIMC websites.  In providing this service, these platforms may collect limited data related to your activity on those third-party websites using technology such as cookies to deliver CUIMC advertisements on those websites to users that may find them relevant. For example, cookies on those third-party websites may capture data such as date and time of web browsing, browser type, operating system type, IP address, or alphanumeric identifier.  In order to provide verification to CUIMC that an ad was delivered, these platforms may report some of this data to CUIMC on an aggregated basis.

Through the Digital Advertising Alliance and Network Advertising Initiative, several media and marketing associations have developed an industry self-regulatory that are customized based on a consumer’s online behavior across different websites and properties. To make choices about internet-based ads from participating third parties, including to opt-out of receiving behaviorally targeted advertisements from participating organizations or to learn more about opting out of advertising cookies, please visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s or Digital Advertising Alliance’s consumer opt-out pages, which are located at http://networkadvertising.org/choices/  or www.aboutads.info/choices.

We are not responsible for the effectiveness or compliance of third party opt-out mechanisms or programs. Please note that if you delete your cookies or upgrade your browser after having opted out, you will need to opt out again. Further, if you use multiple browsers or devices you will need to opt out on each browser or device. You can access the information on our websites without enabling cookies in your browser but disabling cookies may result in a diminished ability to take advantage of the services and related informational content on the website.

Third-Party Websites

In order to provide you with other valuable information, CUIMC may provide links to third-party websites outside the CUIMC network. CUIMC exercises no authority over, and does not necessarily endorse, such third-party websites.

These destination links are provided only for your convenience and, as such, you access them at your own risk. However, CUIMC wishes to assure the integrity of the Services and their destination links, so any comments pertaining to the Services or any websites accessed through our links are greatly appreciated. Comments can be submitted to CUIMC Web Services.

Legal Matters

CUIMC reserves the right to comply with the law and to release personally identifiable information relating to any user of the Services (i) if we reasonably believe that the user is in violation of our Terms of Use or other published guidelines or is engaged in illegal activity, (ii) to release information in response to court and governmental orders, other enforceable requests from government entities, civil subpoenas, discovery requests and otherwise as required by law, (iii) if we reasonably believe that such release is required to protect the rights, property, safety or security of any of our users or the public, or (iv) to respond to an emergency.

Children’s Privacy

The Services are not intended for use by children under the age of 18. In accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), CUIMC does not knowingly request personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13 without parental consent. When we do receive information (with parental consent) from users under the age of 13, we will not share their personally identifiable information with third parties, regardless of their stated preference given at registration, in compliance with COPPA.

Accessibility

The Services are designed to be accessible to visitors with disabilities, and to comply with federal guidelines concerning accessibility. We welcome your comments. If you have suggestions on how to make the Services more accessible, please contact CUIMC Web Services.

Changes To Privacy Policy

CUIMC may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. We encourage you to check this page for any changes to the Privacy Policy and for new versions thereof. By continuing to access, browse, and/or use the Services, you agree to accept any posted revised terms.

Last updated:  03/28/2024