|
Privacy
Policy
The Public
Information Act
|
The
material and content contained in this website is for general health
information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Users of this website should not
rely exclusively on information provided in this website for their own
health needs. All specific medical questions should be presented to your
own health care provider.
M. D. Anderson makes no
warranties or representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy or
completeness, timeliness or usefulness of any opinions, advice, services
or other information contained or referenced in this website. M. D.
Anderson does not assume any risk for your use of this website. Users of
this website should be aware that information about health care changes
constantly; since this website is only updated periodically, it may not
contain the most recent information. M. D. Anderson reserves the right
to update or change information contained in this website at any time.
M. D. Anderson is not responsible for information appearing at
hyperlinks. The use of this website does not create a physician-patient
relationship and does not obligate M. D. Anderson to follow-up or
contact users of this website.
In consideration for your use of and access to this website, you
agree that in no event will M. D. Anderson or any other party involved
in creating, producing or delivering this website or any site linked to
this website, be liable to you in any manner whatsoever for any decision
made or action or non-action taken by you in reliance upon the
information provided through this website.
|
|
Privacy
Policy
This is
how we handle the information we learn from you when you visit The
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center web site (www.mdanderson.org).
The information we receive depends on what you do during your visit.
Web
Server
Our web server collects and stores the following general information
about you:
- the
name of the domain from which you access the Internet (for example,
aol.com, if you are connecting from an America Online account);
- the
date and time you access our service;
- the
pages you visit;
- the
Internet address of the web site from which you linked directly to
us.
- the
name and release number of web browser software you are using.
This
information is collected automatically and is not linked to your
personal identity. It is used in an aggregate way to help us improve our
web site and make it more useful to you. We do not use cookies to
collect information.
Online
Forms & Email Communication
We
do not obtain personal information (e.g. name, address, e-mail address,
etc.) about you when you visit the M. D. Anderson web site unless you
choose voluntarily to provide such information to us.
If you
identify yourself by sending an e-mail, by using a form like
"Contact Us," or by registering to receive information from
us, there are a few things you should know.
- Various
people at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center may see the material you
submit.
- We may
enter the information you send into our electronic database, to
share with our physicians, other health care professionals,
researchers, or our Internet services staff.
- In
other limited circumstances, including requests from legal
authorities, we may be required by law to disclose information you
submit.
You
should note that electronic mail and other Internet communications
channels are not necessarily secure against interception. While we take
precautions, such as encrypting communications where appropriate, if
your communication is very sensitive, or includes information like your
diagnosis or medical history, you might want to send it by postal mail
instead.
Message
Boards
Our patient message boards collect and store the following information
about you:
- First
Name, Last Name & Email Address
- Posted
Messages
- The
date and time you access the board
Patient
communications on the message boards are not private and can be seen by
a community of cancer discussion participants. Message boards offer a
chance for patients to share concerns and ideas they have about cancer
and its impact on their lives.
Under
no circumstances will we ever disclose (to a third party) personal
information about individual medical conditions or interests, except
when we believe in good faith that the law requires it.
With few exceptions,
you are entitled on your request to be informed about the information M.
D. Anderson Cancer Center collects about you. Under Sections
552.021 and 552.023 of the Texas Government Code, you are entitled to
receive and review the information. Under Section 559.004 of the Texas
Government Code, you are entitled to have M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
correct information about you that is held by us and that is incorrect,
in accordance with the procedures set forth in The University of Texas
System Business Procedures Memorandum 32. The information that M.
D. Anderson Cancer Center collects will be retained and maintained as
required by Texas records retention laws (Section 441.180 et seq. of the
Texas Government Code) and rules. Different types of information
are kept for different periods of time.
From time
to time, this web site may provide links to other useful or interesting
web sites that are not owned or controlled by M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center. We cannot be responsible for the content or privacy practices
used by other web site owners.
You may contact
us with
any questions or comments about our privacy policy.
Return
to top of page
|
The
Public Information Act
|
|
Texas
Government Code, Chapter 552, gives you the right to access
government records, and an officer for public information and the
officer's agent may not ask why you want them. All government
information is presumed to be available to the public. Certain
exceptions may apply to the disclosure of the information.
Governmental bodies shall promptly release requested information
that is not confidential by law or information for which an
exception to disclosure has not been sought.
Rights
of Requestors
You have
the right to:
-
Prompt access
to information that is not confidential or otherwise
protected;
-
Receive
treatment equal to all other requestors, including
accommodation in accordance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements;
-
Receive
certain kinds of information without exceptions, like the
voting record of public officials, and other information;
-
Receive a
statement of estimated charges, when charges exceed $40, in
advance of work being started and opportunity to modify the
request in response to the itemized statement;
-
Choose whether
to inspect the requested information (most often at no
charge), receive copies of the information or both;
-
A waiver or
reduction of charges if the governmental body determines
that access to the information primarily benefits the
general public;
-
Receive a copy
of the communication from the governmental body asking the
Office of the Attorney General for a ruling on whether the
information can be withheld under one of the accepted
exceptions, or if the communication discloses the requested
information, a redacted copy;
-
Lodge a
written complaint about charges for public records with the
General Services Commission. Complaints of other possible
violations may be filed with the county or district attorney
of the county where the governmental body, other than a
state agency is located. If the complaint is against the
county or district attorney, the complaint must be filed
with the Office of the Attorney General.
Responsibilities
of Governmental Bodies
-
All
governmental bodies responding to information requests have
the responsibility to:
-
Establish
reasonable procedures for inspecting or copying public
information and inform requestors of these procedures;
-
Treat all
requestors uniformly and shall give to the requestor all
reasonable comfort and facility, including accommodation in
accordance with ADA requirements;
-
Be informed
about open records laws and educate employees on the
requirements of those laws;
-
Inform
requestors of the estimated charges greater than $40 and any
changes in the estimates above 20 percent of the original
estimate, and confirm that the requestor accepts the
charges, or has amended the request, in writing before
finalizing the request;
-
Inform the
requestor if the information cannot be provided promptly and
establish a date and time to provide it within a reasonable
time;
-
Request a
ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding any
information the governmental body wishes to withhold, and
send a copy of the request for ruling, or a redacted copy,
to the requestor;
-
Segregate
public information from information that might be withheld
and provide that public information promptly;
-
Make a good
faith effort to inform third parties when their proprietary
information is being requested from the governmental body;
-
Respond in
writing to all written communications from the General
Services Commission regarding charges for the information.
Respond to the Office of the Attorney General regarding
complaints about violations of the Act.
Procedures
to Obtain Information
-
Submit a
request by mail, fax, email or in person according to a
governmental body's reasonable procedures.
-
Include enough
description and detail about the information requested to
enable the governmental body to accurately identify and
locate the information requested.
-
Cooperate with
the governmental body's reasonable efforts to clarify the
type or amount of information requested.
A.
Information to be released
-
You may review
it promptly, and if it cannot be produced within 10 working
days the public information officer will notify you in
writing of the reasonable date and time when it will be
available.
-
Keep all
appointments to inspect records and to pick up copies.
Failure to keep appointments may result in losing the
opportunity to inspect the information at the time
requested.
B.
Information that may be withheld due to an exception
-
By the 10th
business day after a governmental body receives your written
request, a governmental body must:
-
request an
Attorney General opinion and state which exceptions
apply;
-
notify the
requestor of the referral to the Attorney General; and
-
notify
third parties if the request involves their proprietary
information.
-
Failure to
request an Attorney General opinion and notify the requestor
within 10 business days will result in a presumption that
the information is open unless there is a compelling reason
to withhold it.
-
Requestors may
send a letter to the Attorney General arguing for release,
and may review arguments made by the governmental body. If
the arguments disclose the requested information, the
requestor may obtain a redacted copy.
-
The Attorney
General must issue an opinion no later than the 45th working
day from the day after the attorney general received the
request for a decision. The attorney general may request an
additional 10 working day extension.
-
Governmental
bodies may not ask the Attorney General to
"reconsider" an opinion.
Cost
of Records
-
You must
respond to any written estimate of charges within 10 days of
the date the governmental body sent it or the request is
considered automatically withdrawn.
-
If estimated
costs exceed $100.00 (or $50.00 if a governmental body has
fewer than 16 full time employees) the governmental body may
require a bond, prepayment or deposit.
-
You may ask
the governmental body to determine whether providing the
information primarily benefits the general public, resulting
in a waiver or reduction of charges.
-
Make a timely
payment for all mutually agreed charges. A governmental body
can demand payment of overdue balances exceeding $100.00, or
obtain a security deposit, before processing additional
requests from you.
To
request information from this governmental body, please contact:
Michael J. Best
You
may send your request
By
mail to: 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Box 194, Houston, TX 77030 By
e-mail to: mbest@mdanderson.org By fax to: 713-794-4566 In
person at: HMB8.070
For
complaints regarding failure to release public information, please
contact your local County or District Attorney at Harris County
District Attorney's Office (713) 755-5101.
-
You may also
contact the Office of the Attorney General, Open Records
Hotline, at 512-478-6736 or toll-free at 1-877-673-6839.
-
For complaints
regarding overcharges, please contact the General Services
Commission at 512-475-2497.
If
you need special accommodation pursuant to the Americans With
Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our ADA Coordinator, James
P. Dorn, 713-792-5075.
|
Return
to top of page
©2002
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030
1-800-392-1611 (USA) / 1-713-792-6161
|
