Sentara Privacy Statement
Sentara Healthcare is dedicated to protecting the privacy of website users. As a user of our websites, you will have access to comprehensive information that will help you to understand certain health conditions, find accurate, in-depth details about local services and providers, and take charge of your personal health.
Sentara wants you to feel as comfortable as possible when visiting our website and using the services it offers. This Privacy Statement tells you what information we collect, how we protect it and what choices you have about how that information is used. Your privacy refers to any information that is collected about you while interacting with this website.
Sentara may revise these terms and conditions at any time. We will endeavor to display changes if and when they occur, so that you may always know what information is being collected, how it is being used, and under what circumstances it is being disclosed. Please review this document periodically to be aware of any changes posted, because your continued use of the site will indicate your approval of all changes.
We urge you to read the following Privacy Statement so that you will understand both our commitment to you and your privacy, and how you can participate in that commitment.
Collection of Information
By using this website, you consent to the collection and use of your information as discussed in this section.
Our website does not automatically collect personal information from your computer without you voluntarily providing this information. However, some features offered on this website require you to register first and provide basic, personal information, such as your name, address and phone number.
Sentara collects information that you volunteer through electronic forms, such as contact us, appointment request and information request forms. For some transactions on this website, certain information is required to process your request. When information is requested from you, Sentara attempts to clearly indicate which information is required and which information is optional. Information collected to process specific transactions is only used for the specific service that you have chosen. However, you may also be offered opportunities to receive related or general information in the future from Sentara. In cases like these, Sentara will ask for your permission to contact you (see next section for more).
Overall, your information is used to maintain accuracy in our customer files, improve the content of this website, enhance Sentara products and services and to provide updates relating thereto.
How Sentara Uses Your Information
Sentara does not sell, trade, rent or share your personal information to organizations outside Sentara Healthcare and its affiliate companies unless required to do so by legal, judicial or governmental proceedings.
Sentara reserves the right to store and use any information you voluntarily provide for marketing and communications specific to Sentara without additional notice. However, we will undertake commercially reasonable efforts to get your permission (“opt-in”) for Sentara to contact you in the future. You may also have the option of requesting that Sentara not contact you (“opt-out”).
We also collect non-personal information in aggregate that cannot be traced back to a specific individual. Such information is used to determine the number of visitors to our website, sources of traffic, and other key indicators of website usage to create a better experience for visitors to this website. This information does not identify you personally.
This website receives internet protocol (“IP”) addresses from all users because this information is reported by your web browser when you visit a web page. We use your IP address to display information about Sentara locations and services near you. You are also able to change your Sentara location/region at any time.
A “cookie” is small text file placed on the hard drive or storage device on your computer when you visit our website, which stores information about your visit to our website. Some cookies only last for the duration of your visit. Other cookies remain on your computer after the end of each session and store information helpful to your experience. Every computer that accesses our website is assigned a different
cookie by Sentara.
Cookies do not retain any personal information or protected health information on your computer. The cookies allow us to access information that we can then use to improve your
browsing experience, such as providing you with customized pages based on your past viewing history on our website. Most web browser software can be set to reject all cookies. If you reject our cookies or otherwise disable the cookie feature on your web browser, certain functions and conveniences of our website may not work properly.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web analysis service used by Sentara to collect and store non-personal information about our website visitors. Google may use data collected to display and personalize advertisement on its own network.
Hotjar
Hotjar is a technology service that helps us better understand our users’ experience, which enables us to build, maintain and optimize the Sentara.com website for our customers. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behavior (in anonymized form) and stores this information in a pseudonymized user profile. This information cannot be used to identify individual users.
Social Media Features
Our websites include some social media features, including the AddThis widget to share our content on various social media sites.
We allow third-party companies, including AddThis, to collect certain anonymous information when you visit our website. These companies may use non-personally identifiable information during your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services likely to be of greater interest to you. These companies typically use a cookie or a third party web beacon to collect this information. To learn more about this behavioral advertising practice, you can visit http://www.networkadvertising.org/.
Disqus
Sentara uses the Disqus blog commenting tool on the ExploreHealth with Sentara blog. Disqus allows you to register or post as a guest. Please read the Disqus privacy policy.
Links to Other Websites
Sentara websites include links to other websites not associated with Sentara Healthcare. If you choose to visit another site, Sentara cannot assume responsibility for its content or information handling practices. We encourage you to review each site’s privacy policy prior to entering into transactions with the respective site.
Security & Confidential Information
Sentara has taken the appropriate precautions to protect information sent over the Internet. Our website has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control. Sentara employs strict security measures to safeguard transactions that take place over the Internet. Any personal information is stored in a secure database and sent and received by a secure, encrypted Internet channel wherever possible.
Sentara provides several ways to contact us electronically throughout our website, including online forms and email. Please note that any information sent through email is unsecured. We recommend that you do not email sensitive personal health information or confidential information to Sentara or anyone else. Should you choose to provide information in this manner, you do so at your own risk. Please choose to contact Sentara by telephone for matters that require greater privacy and security.
Sentara has taken appropriate precautions to protect information sent via our web forms to protect the loss, misuses or alteration of the information.
Feedback
If you have comments or suggestions, please contact us by selecting “About this Web site” from the available options.