Privacy Policies

Notice of Privacy Practices

Boston University’s Sargent Choice Nutrition Center (SCNC) follows explicit guidelines regarding the privacy of your personal information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was designed to protect your privacy and mandates that we allow each client to review our Privacy Policy.
SCNC Notice of Privacy Practices

Privacy Notice Written Acknowledgment Form

This form can be printed and brought with you to your first visit, or it will be available when you arrive.
SCNC Acknowledgment that Notice of Privacy Practices was given

Email Communication Policy

Regular email is not a secure form of communication. The SCNC uses a secure email service, DataMotion, for all communications. DataMotion requires that each party log in using a user name and password before accessing email messages. You may also request that the SCNC use non-secure (unencrypted) email and/or text for various types of communication.
SCNC Request for Non-Secure Communication

Authorization to Disclose Protected Health Information

This form may be used to indicate the purpose; the records to be disclosed; the method of delivery; and the duration of your authorization to disclose protected health information.
SCNC Authorization for Release of PHI

Privacy Policy

The term “Personal Information” means information that identifies you as an individual, including but not limited to your email address, age, weight, gender, and interest in a particular health topic. We may ask you to submit Personal Information at various places on our website, including… providing Registration Data, subscribing to a newsletter, or submitting feedback. The SCNC also stores the information you enter about foods, activities, goals, and all other information collected in our online forms.  We reserve the right to use your contact information if we consider it necessary to send you information about the operation of the site, including information about changes to our Privacy Policy.

We may also collect information automatically about the use of the website, through, for example, “cookies” or “IP addresses” (as described below). The SCNC also archives log files and uses non-personally identifying information in aggregate form to detect errors with the website, identify security issues, build higher quality, more useful online services by performing statistical analyses of the collective characteristics and behavior of the SCNC users, and measure demographics and interests in connection with specific areas of the website.

“Cookies” are small files which websites place on your hard drive that allow websites to identify you. For example, if you allow a website to remember your login name or password, the website places a cookie on your computer. Cookies cannot read any other information on your hard drive. We may place cookies on your computer to allow us to identify you when you visit the website. We may use cookies to measure website traffic, or to customize your visit. However, if you do not wish to receive cookies, or want to be notified of when they are placed, your browser may permit you to do so. An “IP address” is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you use the Internet. In some cases your IP address stays the same from browser session to browser session; but if you use a consumer internet access provider, your IP address probably varies from session to session.

We use a combination of multiple firewalls and multiple levels of physical security to protect the Personal Information you share with us from unauthorized access or disclosure. We encrypt your password when it is submitted to us in order to protect the Personal Information you share with us from unauthorized access or disclosure. However, you should know that no organization can fully eliminate security or other risks associated with the possession of Personal Information. For example, third parties may unlawfully intercept or access transmissions or private communications. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login information and password.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

HIPAA protects the records of our patients who are billed for our services.  It does not apply to records of students who access the services at the SCNC included with their tuition.  Those are protected by a separate statute, the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), just like Student Health records.  Be assured the SCNC takes its confidentiality obligations very seriously for all records.