Privacy Policy

The Medical Gas Professional Healthcare Organization (MGPHO)

Last Updated: December 30, 2024

Introduction

The Medical Gas Professional Healthcare Organization (“MGPHO,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website mgpho.org, including any member-only areas, forums, and related services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Register for membership
• Create an account
• Complete forms or applications
• Make a purchase or donation
• Subscribe to newsletters
• Participate in forums or discussions
• Contact us directly

This information may include:

• Name and professional title
• Email address
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• Company or organization name
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party providers)
• Professional certifications and credentials
• Forum posts and comments
• Any other information you choose to provide

Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website
• Date and time of visit
• Device information

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. These include:

• Essential cookies: Required for website functionality
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may limit website functionality.

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Process membership applications and renewals
• Provide access to member-only content and resources
• Process transactions and send related information
• Send administrative communications
• Respond to inquiries and provide support
• Send newsletters, updates, and promotional materials (with your consent)
• Manage forum participation
• Improve our website and services
• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect against fraudulent or unauthorized activity

Forum Conduct and User-Generated Content

Forum Guidelines

By participating in MGPHO forums, you agree to:

• Post content that is professional, respectful, and relevant
• Refrain from posting content that is defamatory, abusive, harassing, or discriminatory
• Not share confidential, proprietary, or copyrighted material without authorization
• Not post spam, advertisements, or promotional content without approval
• Not impersonate others or misrepresent your identity or affiliations
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations

Content Ownership and Moderation

• You retain ownership of content you post but grant MGPHO a non-exclusive license to display, distribute, and archive such content
• MGPHO reserves the right to remove, edit, or refuse any content at our discretion
• We may suspend or terminate forum access for violations of these guidelines
• Forum posts may be visible to other members and, in some cases, the public
• You are solely responsible for content you post

Reporting Violations

If you encounter content that violates these guidelines, please contact us at admin@mgpho.org.

Disclosure of Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We may share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, including:

• Payment processing (e.g., Stripe)
• Email delivery services
• Website hosting and maintenance
• Analytics services

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you provide explicit consent.

Member Directory

Certain member information may be displayed in our member directory, accessible only to other authenticated members. You may opt out of directory inclusion through your account settings.

Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. When information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal obligations
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
• Account closure: Request closure of your account

To exercise these rights, contact us at admin@mgpho.org.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected information from a child, we will delete it promptly.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of the website after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

This Privacy Policy is provided for informational purposes. MGPHO recommends consulting with legal counsel to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.