In the course of the Precision Medicine Certification processes, ABOPM has collected and must continue to collect email addresses, as well as personal, professional, and in some cases financial information from and regarding Diplomates, examination candidates, and physicians participating in Certification activities.

ABOPM has established this Privacy Policy to govern its collection, use, and disclosure of such information and to explain its policies and practices regarding privacy.

ABOPM’s goal is to assure each person disclosing information that the organization recognizes the sensitivity of the information and will use care in protecting its confidential nature.

In pursuing and fulfilling its mission and purposes, ABOPM may receive, use, and disclose information and data in connection with involvement in other initiatives and activities.

This information may include physician information, patient information and data, measures data, and data licensed from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) or other entities.

Participation in these activities is voluntary on the part of the physician or the physician’s practice. ABOPM’s receipt, use, and disclosure of information and data in these contexts may be governed by other agreements and policies, including, where necessary, a HIPAA business associate agreement, which will supplement this Privacy Policy.

There may be limited situations in which a person wishes to authorize ABOPM to disclose information to a third party that would otherwise be protected by this Privacy Policy.

ABOPM has prepared a General Release and Waiver for use when a physician wants to authorize the release of information for any purpose.

To authorize such disclosure, the physician must sign the General Release and Waiver and return the signed document to the ABOPM offices.

To identify and determine the qualifications of physicians seeking to sit for examinations or participate in Certification activities, ABOPM requires applicants to provide personal contact and identifying information, as well as personal, educational, National Provider Identification (NPI) number, and professional background information.

This information is used by ABOPM to identify the applicant, determine eligibility and qualifications for Certification, and communicate with the applicant.

Similar information may also be required for participants in Certification activities. ABOPM may additionally receive and use publicly available information and data about a physician from outside sources, including state medical boards and CMS.

Notwithstanding other provisions of this Privacy Policy, ABOPM considers an individual’s participation status and stage of completion of Certification components, including Certification status and Certification history, to be public information.

ABOPM reserves the right to publish and share such public information in public forums it determines to be reasonable, including on the ABOPM website and with medical licensure boards, managed care organizations, third-party payers, and others.

Although ABOPM generally regards other individual information as private and confidential, there are circumstances in which certain information must be released in order for ABOPM to fulfill its responsibilities as a medical specialty board.

ABOPM specifically regards the score or participation results of an individual’s Certification activities as private and confidential.

ABOPM may, however, disclose aggregate examination results for a group of examinees from the same training program or review course. Such disclosure will reflect only aggregate percentages and will not identify examinees or their individual results.

ABOPM will not use individual examination results or confidential financial information for for-profit purposes, but reserves the right to share identifying or other information and aggregate examination results with CME providers and ABOPM-approved external providers for purposes such as updating records, completing, crediting, or maintaining continuing medical education, completing Certification components, or otherwise assisting ABOPM in carrying out its purposes as a medical specialty board.

Except as outlined in this policy, ABOPM will not provide such information to third parties except in response to the order of a court or other administrative agency or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

ABOPM will notify the affected physician before complying with such an order.

ABOPM also reserves the right to disclose information in its possession regarding any individual whom it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, has violated ABOPM rules or procedures, engaged in misrepresentation or unprofessional behavior, or demonstrated signs of impairment.

ABOPM will use performance on examinations and other available information for research purposes.

In connection with the registration of examination candidates, the administration of examinations, and other Certification activities, ABOPM collects personal information such as names, street or post office box addresses, email addresses, and in some cases financial information such as credit card information.

ABOPM restricts access to financial information it collects to ABOPM employees and contractors who need that information in order to conduct the business and affairs of ABOPM.

The Department of Health and Human Services has implemented privacy and security regulations for certain health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). As part of the Certification process, ABOPM may require you to submit patient information of a type and nature that could be subject to HIPAA.

ABOPM requires that any such patient health information be de-identified in accordance with HIPAA regulations so that all identifying information and markers that could reasonably identify the patient are removed.

ABOPM does not intend to accept patient information that has not been de-identified in accordance with HIPAA privacy regulations. It is the applicant’s responsibility to de-identify the patient’s health information before submission.

Although ABOPM will assist in the de-identification process, ABOPM cannot and will not be responsible for an applicant’s violation of privacy requirements under HIPAA.

While ABOPM is committed to the privacy of patient information, ABOPM has received a legal opinion that it is not a “covered entity” under HIPAA privacy regulations and is therefore not subject to those obligations.

ABOPM also states that it is not a “business associate” of physicians or covered entities that submit de-identified patient information to ABOPM.

A copy of the legal opinion may be obtained by contacting the President of ABOPM at 2810 N Church St., Wilmington, Delaware 19802-4447 US or by email at [email protected].

In any instance where ABOPM receives, uses, and/or discloses individually identifiable protected health information (PHI) subject to HIPAA protection, ABOPM will do so only pursuant to a HIPAA business associate agreement and in compliance with applicable HIPAA requirements for the privacy and security of PHI.

For questions about this Privacy Policy, requests for the General Release and Waiver, or requests for the legal opinion referenced above, please contact ABOPM at: