Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Last Updated: January 1, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to TheHeartHospitalBaylor.com (“we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Site”). We are committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of our users (“you,” “your”). This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we collect from visitors to our Site, how we use this information, and the steps we take to protect it. By accessing or using our Site, you consent to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this Privacy Policy, please discontinue your use of the Site.

We encourage you to read this policy in its entirety to understand our practices. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected through this Site and does not extend to any other websites, products, or services offered by third parties. If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us using the information provided in the “Contact Us” section at the end of this document.

2. Information We Collect

2.1. Personal Information

“Personal Information” refers to any information that can be used to identify or contact you, such as your name, email address, postal address, phone number, or other similar details. We collect Personal Information from you when you voluntarily provide it in various ways, including but not limited to:

  1. Contact Forms: If you submit inquiries via our contact form or email, we may collect your name, email address, and any additional information you provide in your message.
  2. Newsletter Subscriptions: When you sign up for our newsletter or mailing list, we collect your email address and may ask for your first and last name to personalize our communications.
  3. User Feedback and Surveys: If you participate in surveys, polls, or questionnaires, we may collect personal details such as your age group or geographic location, alongside any feedback you provide.

2.2. Non-Personal Information

We may also gather information that does not directly identify you personally but helps us improve your user experience. This includes:

  1. Device and Browser Data: Information about your device (e.g., desktop, tablet, or mobile), browser type, operating system, and screen resolution.
  2. Usage Data: Data regarding how you interact with our Site, such as pages visited, time spent on a page, and navigation paths through the Site.
  3. Location Data: Approximate geographic information derived from your IP address. This is generally limited to a city or regional level.

2.3. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use “cookies” and similar tracking technologies to enhance user experience, analyze Site usage, and streamline our communication efforts. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. You can manage cookie preferences through your web browser settings, but please note that disabling cookies may limit certain functionalities of our Site.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for a variety of purposes related to our services and to support the functionality of our Site. Specifically, we may use your information to:

  1. Respond to Your Inquiries: If you contact us via email or our contact form, we use your contact details to reply to your questions, comments, or concerns.
  2. Send Newsletters and Updates: When you subscribe to our newsletter, we use your email address to share updates, new articles, healthy lifestyle tips, or other Site-related information. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email.
  3. Improve User Experience: Non-personal data, such as browser type or device information, allows us to refine the design and layout of the Site, ensuring you have a smoother browsing experience.
  4. Monitor and Analyze Trends: Usage data helps us understand which sections of our Site are most popular, enabling us to optimize our content strategy.
  5. Enhance Security Measures: We may use IP addresses and other unique identifiers to detect and protect against fraudulent activities or unauthorized access.
  6. Enforce Our Policies: Where necessary, we may use your information to enforce our Terms of Service and this Privacy Policy, and to protect the rights, property, or safety of our Site, our users, or others.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

As noted, we use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to track user behavior and gather analytic insights. These technologies help us:

  • Remember your preferences (e.g., language settings) so you do not have to re-enter them each time you visit the Site.
  • Analyze traffic patterns to see what content is most frequently accessed, allowing us to adapt our content to meet user interests.
  • Measure marketing effectiveness by understanding how you arrived at our Site (e.g., through search engines or referral links) and whether particular campaigns lead to increased visitor engagement.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Popular browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, generally provide options to block, delete, or alert you when cookies are being used. However, please remember that modifying these settings may impact how certain features of our Site function.

5. Sharing Your Information

We take your privacy seriously and do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. However, we may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

  1. Service Providers: We may work with third-party companies or individuals to facilitate certain Site functions (e.g., email newsletter distribution or analytics services). These parties are obligated by contract to keep your personal information confidential and to use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
  2. Legal Compliance: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or in response to valid legal processes, such as a subpoena. We may also disclose information when we believe, in good faith, that it is necessary to protect our rights, investigate fraud, or ensure safety.
  3. Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user information may be transferred or disclosed as part of the transaction. In such cases, we will notify you if your personal data becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as it is needed to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce agreements. The exact retention period can vary based on the type of data and context in which it was collected. If you wish to request deletion of your personal data before our standard retention period ends, please see the “Your Rights and Choices” section below for more information.

7. Data Security

We employ a range of security measures designed to safeguard the personal information you provide to us. These may include, but are not limited to, using secure sockets layer (SSL) protocols to encrypt data transmissions, limiting access to data within our organization, and regularly monitoring our systems for potential vulnerabilities. However, no online service can guarantee absolute security. While we strive to protect your personal information, you acknowledge that the transfer of information over the internet carries inherent risks.

8. International Data Transfers

Our Site is operated from servers in the United States (or another specified location), but we may use third-party service providers located in various countries. Your information may be processed in a country different from where you reside, which may have data protection laws different from the laws of your jurisdiction. By using this Site, you consent to the transfer of your data to the United States and other jurisdictions as necessary for our legitimate business purposes.

9. Children’s Privacy

This Site is not directed to individuals under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child without proper consent, we will delete that information as soon as possible. If you are a parent or legal guardian and believe that your child has provided personal information to us, please contact us so we can investigate and take the necessary actions.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on the laws of your jurisdiction, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as:

  1. Access: The right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
  2. Rectification: The right to request that we correct any inaccuracies in your personal information.
  3. Deletion: The right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
  4. Restriction of Processing: The right to request that we limit the processing of your personal information where you believe it is inaccurate, unlawful, or no longer needed.
  5. Data Portability: Under certain circumstances, the right to request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
  6. Objection: The right to object to certain types of data processing, such as direct marketing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us as indicated in the “Contact Us” section. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by law. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request, to ensure that your personal information is protected.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. When you click on such links, you may be directed to a website maintained by an external entity. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of all third-party websites you visit, especially if you choose to provide personal information there.

12. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time, in response to changes in applicable laws, our Site’s functionality, or evolving best practices. When we make material changes to this policy, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or by placing a prominent notice on our Site. Your continued use of the Site following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, comments, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please reach out to us using the following information:

Email: [email protected]
Mailing Address: TheHeartHospitalBaylor.com, 1221 Baylor Avenue
Waco, TX 76798
United States

You may also use our online contact form to get in touch with us for any inquiries related to privacy and data protection.