Privacy Notices
UMMC Website Privacy Notice
Last updated December 16, 2024
Introduction
The University of Mississippi Medical Center ("UMMC," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to safeguarding your privacy. As an academic medical center and health care provider, we value the trust you place in us. This privacy notice explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you interact with our websites, mobile applications, and digital services that link to this privacy notice.
Scope of This Notice
This notice applies to personal information collected through our websites, mobile applications, and digital services. For the purposes of this notice, "personal information" means information that identifies, describes, or is reasonably capable of being associated with you or your household.
This notice does NOT apply to:
Protected health information (PHI): Health information regulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that can identify an individual and is created, received, maintained, or transmitted by UMMC as a health care provider is covered by our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Student education records: Information regulated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is governed by UMMC's student privacy policies.
Employment-related information: Information collected during job applications, recruitment, and employment, including personnel files, payroll records, benefits information, and other employee data, is covered by separate employee privacy notices and policies in accordance with state and federal employment laws.
Research activities: Information collected as part of clinical trials, research studies, and other research activities is governed by specific research privacy protocols, informed consent processes, and institutional review board (IRB) requirements in accordance with federal research regulations and UMMC research policies.
Geographic Considerations
Our websites and services are based in the United States and follow U.S. laws. If you use our services from another country, your information will be sent to, stored in, and handled according to U.S. laws.
Information We Collect
Categories of Information Collected
We may collect the following types of information:
Identifiers (e.g., name, email address, IP address, account name).
Demographic Data (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity).
Contact Information (e.g., mailing address, phone number).
Login Credentials (e.g., usernames, passwords).
Payment Information (if applicable).
Browsing and Usage Data (e.g., search history, interactions with our digital services).
Feedback Data (e.g., survey responses, preferences).
Forms and Surveys
We collect personal information through forms used to request information, schedule appointments, pay bills, or provide feedback. We may also use surveys to gather data to improve our services. Any data collected through forms and surveys is securely handled to protect your privacy and ensure data security.
Social Media and Third-Party Websites
If you interact with UMMC’s social media accounts such as Facebook, X, or LinkedIn, the information you share will be visible to others on those platforms. When accessing third-party websites or services linked through our digital platforms, such as online payment portals or scheduling tools, their privacy policies apply. We recommend reviewing their policies to understand how your information may be used.
Use of Non-Personal Information
To improve our services, we may combine anonymous information about how people use our websites with personal information you provide. This helps us better understand how people use our services and make them more useful for you.
Protecting Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect personal information from or market to children under 18 years of age.
IP Addresses
When you visit our websites, we automatically collect some technical information about your device and internet connection. This includes your device's internet address (IP address), the type of web browser you're using, your device's operating system, and which website directed you to ours. We use this information to fix technical problems and make our websites work better.
How We Use and Share Information
Primary Uses
We use your personal information to:
- Answer your questions and help you with problems,
- Process your payments and handle billing,
- Make our websites and apps work better and easier to use,
- Tailor communications to your preferences.
Third-Party Sharing
We may share your information with:
- Companies that help us provide our services (like payment processing companies and technology providers),
- Marketing companies (but only if you specifically agree to this),
- Law enforcement or other authorities when required by law or to protect our legal rights.
Email Communications
UMMC will not send you emails asking for your personal information, passwords, or account details. If you receive an email claiming to be from UMMC that asks for this information, it may be an attempt to steal your information (phishing). Do not respond to such emails. Instead, please contact us immediately to report it.
Tracking and Analytics
To better understand user behavior and improve our services, we use cookies, web beacons, and analytics tools. These technologies enhance navigation and collect combined, anonymous data. Users can manage their privacy settings by opting out of tracking technologies or adjusting their cookie preferences through browser settings.
For cookies used on public pages of our website (pages that don't require you to log in), users can opt out via their browser or privacy tools. For pages that require you to log in (such as patient portals or secure accounts), UMMC adheres to HIPAA compliance standards, limiting tracking to non-health information where possible.
HIPAA-Compliant Tracking
When you use pages that require login (such as patient portals like MyChart) that contain health information, UMMC follows federal health privacy laws and guidelines to protect your information. Our safeguards include:
- Limiting what tracking tools can access about your health information,
- Only using your information in ways permitted by federal health privacy laws,
- Requiring legal agreements with outside companies that help us provide services,
- Regularly reviewing and testing our security measures to protect your information.
For public pages of our website that don't require login, we use standard website tracking that doesn't collect health information. We ensure that information collected through website tracking is never combined with your health information. Any outside companies that may have access to health information must sign legal agreements and follow federal privacy rules.
Mobile Applications
Our mobile apps may collect device information (for example, operating system and location data) and support secure login options using your device's built-in features like fingerprints or face recognition. This login information is processed only on your device using your phone's built-in security features. UMMC does not receive, store, or transmit any fingerprint or face recognition data. This ensures your login information remains secure and private while letting you sign in conveniently.
Mobile apps may also use location tracking to provide location-based services. You can control location-sharing permissions through your device's settings. Additionally, you can manage app notifications and alerts directly through your app settings.
Commitment to Security
UMMC uses reasonable measures to protect your personal information, including:
- Encryption of sensitive data.
- Secure access controls.
- Regular security audits and staff training.
When we work with outside companies, we require them to protect your information through legal agreements and security measures, especially when handling health or payment information. However, no security system is perfect. You can help protect your information by keeping your username and password private and not sharing them with others.
If you think someone may have gained unauthorized access to your information, please contact us immediately using the contact information at the bottom of this notice. We will help you understand what happened and what steps you can take to protect yourself.
Retention of Information
We keep information collected through our websites and apps for as long as needed to provide our services and comply with legal requirements. How long we keep specific information depends on what it is, what we use it for, and what the law requires. When we no longer need information, we securely delete it.
Links to Other Websites
Our websites and apps may contain links to other websites that UMMC does not own or control. When you click these links, you will leave our website. We cannot control and are not responsible for how these other websites collect or use your information. Before sharing any personal information on other websites, we encourage you to read their privacy policies and terms of use.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to update this notice at any time. Changes will be posted at umc.edu/privacy. Continued use of our services after changes indicates your acceptance of the revised notice.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Notice or our practices, contact us:
Mail:
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Office of Information Security and Privacy
2500 N State St
Jackson, MS 39216Phone: (601) 984-1000
Email:privacy@umc.edu