HSPA: Instrumental to Patient Care

Information Collection

This privacy policy applies to information that HSPA collects (i) on the HSPA website (site), (ii) through other platforms used in connection with the services and products that we provide, and (iii) by telephone, email, text message, letter, or other methods of communication. When you use our services or products, we collect (i) information provided voluntarily and (ii) information collected automatically, as described in detail below.

Information Provided Voluntarily

Member and Certificant Information: We will collect personal information that you provide to us, including, but not limited to, your name, employer’s name, job title, mailing address(es), email address(es), telephone number(s), fax number, and photograph. Such information is necessary to facilitate your access to, use of, purchase of, or participation in our service and product offerings, including, but not limited to: membership; events, meetings, or conferences; educational programs; certification programs; and online forums. Please note: You may decline to share your personal information with us, in which case we may not be able to provide you with certain aspects of our services or products.

Payment Information: If you choose to purchase a product or service, we and/or our third-party payment processors will collect your payment information, including, but not limited to, your credit or debit card number, card verification value (CVV) number, and expiration date.

Enrollment, Registration, and Order Form Information: In order to enroll in or register for an HSPA program, attend HSPA events, meetings, or conferences, or request HSPA products or services, you will be required to fill out a registration or order form and provide personal information, which we will use to process your registration or order. In certain circumstances, a program, event, meeting, or conference accessed through the site may be jointly sponsored or co-sponsored with another organization. If the enrollment or registration is handled by such other organization, that organization’s (not HSPA’s) privacy policy will apply and be controlling. Please note: HSPA is not responsible for the privacy policies of such other organizations or their collection, use, sharing, or other processing of your personal or other information, and HSPA hereby disclaims any liability or responsibility in connection therewith.

Information Collected Automatically

Automated Information: Your web browser or mobile device automatically provides information when you visit the site, including but not limited to your Internet Protocol (IP) address or unique device identifier.

Cookies: Cookies are pieces of stored information on a user’s computer or device that are tied to information about the user and used to provide smoother navigation throughout the site, such as to store a saved password; to identify user trends, such as page views; and for other internal purposes, such as to assess the effectiveness of the site. You will be asked to consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this privacy policy when you visit the site. You have the option of setting your computer to disable cookies or to alert you when cookies are being used. If you choose to disable cookies, please be aware that portions of the site may not function properly.

Log Files: Log files store information such as a user’s IP address, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks. Like most websites, the site uses log files to analyze trends, administer the site, and track users’ movement on the site.

Children's Information

The site and our services and products are not directed toward children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If we become aware that a child has provided us with information without parental consent, that information will be deleted from our records.

Information Use

HSPA uses the information that we collect to provide our services and products and to operate our business. We may use and store such information for legitimate and lawful business purposes. For example, in order to:

• Provide a service or product you requested;
• Secure your membership or certification status;
• Fulfill your membership or certification benefits;
• Analyze and evaluate member and prospective member needs and interests, and improve the member and prospective member experience;
• Notify you of HSPA official business, news, activities, programs, events, meetings, conferences, services, products, and benefits;
• Send occasional email communications on behalf of vendors;
• Track event, meeting, and conference attendance;
• Track education and certification-related activities;
• Prepare invoices and process payments;
• Respond to communications and inquiries that you send to us;
• respond to a notice of alleged copyright infringement;
• Promote the function, safety, and security of our services; and
• For other legitimate and lawful business purposes

For individuals located in the European Economic Area, we rely on multiple legal bases to collect, use, share, or otherwise process your personal data, including that:

• You have given consent, which you may withdraw at any time;
• It is necessary for us to perform a contract with you;
• It is necessary for us to comply with legal obligations;
• It is necessary for our or a third party’s legitimate interests;
• It is necessary for us to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions; and/or
• It is necessary to protect someone’s life.

Information Sharing

Personal information may be given to a third party in order to complete a specific business transaction on behalf of HSPA. Such transactions may include the following:

• Your name and contact information, as provided to HSPA, may be shared with HSPA members or certificants to provide a service, satisfy a question, or develop a prospective business relationship. We are not responsible for members’ use or misuse of your personal information.
• Yourname and contact information, as provided to HSPA, may appear on registration or attendee lists distributed at HSPA programs, events, meetings, and conferences to other attendees, including members, and other third parties, including, but not limited to, exhibitors or sponsors. We are not responsible for use or misuse of your personal information by exhibitors, sponsors, or the like.
• We may share your personal information with third parties that provide services to HSPA, including but not limited to administration/operation support; marketing, promotions, and communications; program, event, meeting, or conference enrollment, registration, planning, hosting, or management; website hosting; database management; payment card processing; or other data processing.
• We also may disclose personal information if we become subject to a subpoena, court order, or law enforcement or other government agency inquiry or investigation or if we are otherwise legally required to disclose such information. We also may use and disclose information about you to establish or exercise our legal rights, to enforce the Terms and Conditions of Use Agreement to assert and defend against legal claims, or if we believe such disclosure is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take other action regarding actual or suspected illegal or fraudulent activities or potential threats to the physical safety or well-being of any person.
• If all or part of HSPA is merged into or otherwise transferred to another entity, we may transfer the personal information you provided to us to such entity as part of that transaction.

Access to and Control of Information

HSPA takes your privacy and the protection of your personal information seriously, and we will provide you with reasonable access to and control of the personal information that you have provided to us. You may request to update your personal information or to opt in to or opt out of any service offerings at any time. For individuals located in the European Economic Area, you may have additional rights concerning your personal data, such as to access, obtain a copy of, correct, or delete that information or to withdraw your consent or object to the collection, use, sharing, or other processing of that information. To make any request with respect to your personal information, please contact HSPA as set forth below in the “HSPA Contact Information” section.

Data Security

We employ reasonable physical, electronic, and procedural security measures to safeguard your personal information and to help protect against unauthorized access and disclosure. Online registration information, such as payment card information, will be secured using a commercially accepted method of encryption. However, please be aware that no method of electronic transmission is completely infallible, and we cannot guarantee its absolute safety. We encourage you to use reasonable care in how you handle and disclose your personal information, user name(s), and password(s). If you become aware of any breach of site security, please contact us immediately.

Data Retention

HSPA retains your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected as set forth in this privacy policy, after which we will securely destroy or delete such personal information from our records unless otherwise required by law. We will retain and use information as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and as otherwise set forth in this privacy policy.

Data Transfer

If you are visiting the site from outside the United States, please be aware that you are sending information, including personal data, to the U.S. where our servers are located. That information may then be transferred within the U.S. or to other countries outside the U.S. other than your country of residence. Countries other than your country of residence, including the U.S., may have data privacy and protection laws that differ from, and potentially provide less protection than, the applicable laws in your country of residence. To the extent that HSPA may be deemed to have transferred personal data outside of the European Economic Area, we rely on multiple legal bases for doing so. For individuals located in the European Economic Area: (i) you consent to our use of your personal information in accordance with this privacy policy, including the transfer of your information across international boundaries to jurisdictions anywhere in the world as permitted by applicable law, when you provide your personal information; (ii) we will use the standard contractual data protection clauses adopted by the European Commission, which provide safeguards for the transfer of such data, in connection with the provision of certain services that involve such transfers; and (iii) we may obtain separate consent in connection with the provision of certain services that involve the transfer of personal data. Our collection, use, sharing, and other processing of your personal information will at all times be governed by this privacy policy.

External Links

There are external links to other websites throughout the site. Please note that HSPA is not responsible for the privacy policies of those other websites and hereby disclaims any liability or responsibility in connection with such linked websites.

Privacy Policy Updates

Should any changes be made to this privacy policy, we will post them on this page with an appropriate explanation.

Acceptance of Privacy Policy Terms

Using the HSPA site indicates your acceptance of our privacy policy. Your continued visits to the HSPA site after changes are posted to this policy will signify your acceptance of those changes.

HSPA Contact Information

If you have questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how we process personal information, or if you would like to exercise any of the legal rights set forth in this policy, please contact us at:
Healthcare Sterile Processing Association
55 West Wacker Drive, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60601
Telephone: (800) 962-8274 or (312) 440-0078
Email: mailbox@myhspa.org