Hospice Patients Alliance - Privacy Policy and Security of Information

Hospice Patients Alliance: Consumer Advocates

Privacy Policy and Security of Information

"Internet Cookies"

Hospice Patients Alliance itself does not use internet "cookies" nor do we track customers' internet surfing patterns. However, some of the companies that are listed as sources of computer security software on our site do use cookies when you click on the link to their site. The purpose of those cookies is to let them know that a visitor has come from the HPA site. When a visitor to the HPA site buys something from these vendors, the cookie lets the vendor know to send a portion of the purchase price to HPA since HPA participates in affiliate programs in order to help support our website and corporate overhead. Our online secure e-commerce site used for donations and book orders uses cookies. The "cookies" used are simply to help process information you enter when placing an order for our book or making a donation. Hospice Patients Alliance does not gather any personal information when cookies are used, nor does Hospice Patients Alliance share any personal information with any other organization or business in any way at all.

The only information we "collect" is name and address information (which you give when you fill out the online order form) which is needed to send out our books to those who order them, or to receive donations which support our mission of serving hospice patients and their families and improving hospice services throughout our nation. Regulations require us to keep records of those who donate to our nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, and to issue a receipt to those who donate. We do review standard data about how many visitors we have to our website for the purpose of improving our site.

Encrypted Transaction

When customers wish to order our books, customers can place their orders by filling out an order form and sending it in by mail or by filling in an online order form at our secure e-commerce site and can send their order information via an encrypted, secure computer/server. Secure sites on the internet are indicated by the address URL: "https://....." (with an "s" added) rather than simply "http://....."

In the case of online orders, the credit card information is encrypted and securely electronically routed through the secure computer processing center for authorization. The purchase amount is authorized by the credit card processing company, and the order is then sent to us for order procesing.

HPA does NOT Store Credit Card Info

One of the weakest links to online security relating to online purchases is the mistake some website managers make by storing credit card information on the server/computer that processes the credit card order. HPA has chosen not to store this information on our e-commerce website server, therefore, no information would or could be retrieved even if a hacker were to hack into the computer which acts as a server for our ecommerce store. You may have heard about such hacking events, and wondered about the security of doing online business at all.

In ALL cases where credit card information was retrieved by the hacker, the business chose to keep the credit card information on the computer/server which could then be accessed if the system's security and firewalls were breached. Hospice Patients Alliance uses one of the #1 internet/web hosting companies in the nation: www.hostway.com, and it uses the latest SLL technology to provide a secure encrypted transaction and has state of the art security measures in place. That being said, the most significant fact which can let you shop at HPA's e-commerce site with full confidence, is that the full credit card number you provide is never stored at our site! Not at all, not even for one millisecond. There is nothing for any "hacker" to get. If you wish to read a very relevant article on online security for e-commerce/shopping online, take a look at PC World's article at: http://www.pcworld.com/features/article/0%2Caid%2C49929%2C00.asp.

Disclaimer Regarding Links to Other Sites and Website Information

This site contains links to other sites. We have tried our best to provide links to other sites that will prove useful and relevant to those visitors to our site who are seeking information and assistance in their own unique situations. We believe that the sites linked to are reputable and reliable sources of information, however, we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these other web sites.

The information contained in our website is for informational purposes only, given in the spirit of consumer advocacy. We believe that informed consumers of hospice services will be better served by hospice agencies, and that once informed, hospice patients and their families will better know how to go about obtaining quality hospice services which provide a death with dignity and peace.

We do not provide legal or medical advice. If you need legal or medical advice, you are strongly encouraged to consult a competent, experienced and reliable attorney or physician.

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HPA is a nonprofit, charitable 501 (c) (3) Patient Advocacy Organization

Hospice Patients Alliance, 4680 Shank Street, Rockford, MI 49341

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