These Terms and Conditions of Use are an agreement between you and Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences Continuing Medical Education (DMU CME).  Depending upon your role, this could be regarding your action to create a profile, sign up for an activity, participate in an activity, exhibit at an activity, and/or elect to receive marketing information. DMU CME will also maintain its accreditation status, sharing information with appropriate accreditation and licensure boards, as needed, to provide course credits. These will be known as “DMU CME Services.”

DMU CME may modify these terms and conditions at any time, effective immediately upon posting the revised terms and conditions. You consent to review the agreement periodically to be aware of such changes, and your use of the DMU CME website constitutes your acceptance of the agreement as it appears at the time of your access or use.

Suppose you use other websites or applications that DMU CME or its affiliated entities offer. You may be asked to enter additional agreements or authorizations before accessing features or services. These terms will apply if you are not asked to enter other or different agreements. By agreeing to these terms and conditions of use, you authorize Des Moines University and DMU CME and its staff to communicate and provide information to you.

CME Clinical Content Validation Policy

Accredited providers are responsible for validating the clinical content of their CME activities. Specifically,

  1. All the recommendations involving clinical medicine in a CME activity must be based on evidence accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients.
  2. All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in CME to support or justify a patient care recommendation must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
  3. Providers are not eligible for ACCME accreditation or reaccreditation if they present activities that promote recommendations, treatment, or manners of practicing medicine that are not within the definition of CME, are known to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits, or are known to be ineffective in treating patients. An organization whose CME program is devoted to advocating unscientific modalities of diagnosis or therapy is not eligible to apply for ACCME accreditation.

PRIVACY

Please read our Privacy Policy below to understand what information we collect and how that information will be used and disclosed to provide you with DMU CME Services. In addition, please note that individual web services offered by Des Moines University or its affiliates that you may access while using DMU CME Services may be subject to different or additional privacy policies. If those sites collect identifiable information, you can review and approve those policies before accessing those services.

PRIVACY POLICY

DMU CME is committed to protecting your privacy. We feel it is important for you to know how we collect, use, and disclose your information when interacting with DMU CME Services.  This information can be used to access various services DMU CME provides and its affiliated entities. By agreeing to this Privacy Policy, you agree that we may collect, use, and disclose information about you as outlined in this Policy. Your agreement and participation are always voluntary, but you cannot receive DMU CME Services if you disagree. Use DMU CME to access its affiliates. The information collected by those groups may be subject to different or additional privacy policies. You will be asked to review and agree to those privacy policies before you access those services.

1. Information We Collect and How We Use It

  • Information you provide to create a profile and pay for products and services. This is all the personal and professional information needed to interact with DMU CME Services. We use this information to verify your identity and your eligibility to receive DMU CME Services. We also use certain information items, such as your email and answers to password verification questions, to validate your identity if you need to recover your account password. If you choose to purchase products or services from us, we also collect information necessary to process your payment and use it to process your payment transaction.
  • Information we collect automatically. The Web server automatically collects the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computers that access our site. An IP address is a number assigned to your computer when you access the Internet. We use this information to understand how our site is used and how we can better serve visitors. We also collect information about visitors to our site using "cookies" (see definition on Webopedia) and similar technology such as Web beacons, Web bugs, pixel tags, and so on. We use this technology to recognize a repeat visitor and offer the visitor a set of services or information requested in a previous visit. We use session cookies to track a visitor's path through our site during a visit and help us understand how people use our site.
  • We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service that Google, Inc. provides on our Websites. Google Analytics uses cookies or other tracking technologies to help us analyze how users interact with and use the Websites, compile reports on the Website’s activity, and provide other services related to the Website's activity and usage. The technologies used by Google may collect information such as your IP address, time of visit, whether you are a return visitor and any referring website. This Site does not use Google Analytics to gather the information that personally identifies you. The information generated by Google Analytics will be transmitted to and stored by Google and will be subject to Google’s privacy policies. To learn more about Google’s partner services and how to opt out of tracking analytics by Google, click here.
  • Your browser or device may include “Do Not Track” functionality. We do not respond to browser “Do Not Track” signals.

2. How We May Share the Information You Provide

  • Suppose you use DMU CME Services to access services provided by DMU CME or any affiliated entities. In that case, we may share the information we collect with the entity providing their services to verify your identity and eligibility to access the services and provide the affiliates’ services.
  • We may also share your personally identifiable information with a third party if we believe that disclosure is necessary to conform to legal requirements or to respond to a subpoena, search warrant, or other legal process received by us; to enforce the Terms of Use or to protect our legal rights; or to protect the safety of members of the public.
  • We may also share the information you provide to us, which we collect about you, with those with whom we have engaged in a joint partnership agreement or accreditation/licensure to deliver DMU CME Services. 
  • We may share your personal information with third parties whom we have engaged in helping us provide the services. In each case, we will ensure that these third parties have agreed to safeguard your data.

3. Protecting Children's Privacy

We are committed to protecting children’s privacy on the Internet. This site is intended for adults aged 16 and older.  We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are under 16, please have a parent/guardian contact us at cme@dmu.edu.

4. Data Retention 

We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

5. Data Processed and Stored in the United States

You understand and agree that the information you provide is transmitted to, processed in, and stored in the United States.

6. Protecting Your Privacy Rights

We do not share your personal information with unaffiliated third parties for their direct marketing purposes.  We may, however, share your data with any Des Moines University entity or affiliate. 

7. Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland

If you are a resident of the EEA or Switzerland, the following information applies concerning personal data collected through your use of our site.

  • Purposes of processing and legal basis for processing: As explained above, we process personal data in various ways depending upon your use of the services. We process personal data on the following legal bases: (1) with your consent; (2) as necessary to provide the services; and (3) as necessary for our legitimate interests in providing the services where those interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedom related to data privacy.
  • Transfers: Personal data we collect may be transferred to, and stored and processed in, the United States or any other country where our affiliates or processors maintain facilities. We will ensure that transfers of personal data to a country or an international organization outside the EEA or Switzerland are subject to appropriate safeguards.
  • Your Rights: You are entitled to the rights under Chapter III of the EU General Data Protection Regulation or Section 2 of the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection concerning the processing of your data, which include the right to access and rectify and to request the erasure of personal data. To verify your identity, we may require you to provide us with personal information before accessing any records containing information about you.

8. Complaint Process

If you have a complaint or problem or believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may email us by clicking the "Contact Us" link. Please indicate the following reason for contacting us: General Question. A member of the DMU CME team will respond within two (2) business days. You may write to the Des Moines University Chief Compliance Officer if you don't receive adequate resolution of a privacy-related problem.

9. Update Process

Changes to our Privacy policy will occasionally update this Privacy policy. You will see the word "updated" followed by the date after the Privacy policy link near the bottom of all pages on the site. If the "updated" date has changed since you last visited, you're encouraged to review the policy to know how this site protects your information.

SECURITY

The security of any data you submit via this site is very important to us. This site uses encryption technology, and we constantly review our security practices to help ensure that your data is maintained securely. However, no system can perfectly guard against risks of intentional intrusion or inadvertent disclosure of information sent to us. Moreover, when you transmit information via the Internet, your information will be transmitted over a medium beyond our control. Therefore, the security of the transmission may be compromised before it reaches us. Accordingly, Des Moines University makes no guarantee as to confidentiality or security. In addition, you hereby expressly and solely assume the risk of any unauthorized disclosure or intentional intrusion or any delay, failure, interruption, or corruption of data or other information transmitted in connection with your use of the online services. Your username and password should be kept confidential. Failure to do so may also compromise the confidentiality of your information.

NO WARRANTIES

You understand and agree that the DMU CME Services are provided on an “as in” basis. Des Moines University does not make any express or implied warranties, representations, or endorsements whatsoever (including without limitation warranties of title or non-infringement, or the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose) concerning the service or any merchandise, information, or service provided in connection with the DMU CME services account. In addition, Des Moines University does not guarantee that the use of the DMU CME Services will be free from technological difficulties including, but not limited to, unavailability of information, downtime, service disruptions, viruses or worms, and you understand that you are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for accuracy of data input and output. 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The use of the DMU CME Services is entirely at your own risk, and in no event shall Des Moines University be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, punitive, or any other monetary or other damages, fees, fines, penalties, or liability arising out of or relating in any way to the DMU CME Services, or sites accessed through the DMU CME Services, and/or content or information provided herein. Your sole and exclusive remedy for dissatisfaction with the service is to stop using the service. 

USER AGREEMENTS

You agree:

  • The information you provide in connection with DMU CME Services is true and accurate and pertains to yourself;
  • You will not use the DMU CME Services for any illegal purpose or in a manner that violates local, state, national, or international laws;
  • You will not use the DMU CME Services to post or transmit material that may infringe or violate any rights of any party or is unlawful, obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, abusive, slanderous, hateful, or embarrassing to any other person or entity;
  • You will not use the DMU CME Services to attempt to disable, "hack," or otherwise interfere with the proper functioning of this website.

DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE

Des Moines University is providing DMU CME Services as a courtesy to you. Des Moines University reserves the right to terminate, modify, or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the DMU CME Services at any time, with or without notice. In addition, Des Moines University may terminate, modify, or limit any or all of the DMU CME Services if you violate the terms of this Agreement or any other agreement with Des Moines University, you violate any law, or if we determine, for any other reason, that it is no longer appropriate for you to use those DMU CME Services.

COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK INFORMATION

The marks "Des Moines University," "DMU," and the Des Moines University logo are trademarks and/or service marks of Des Moines University. The content and design of websites operated by Des Moines University and its affiliates are protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. You may not copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, display, transmit, or frame any of these materials without prior written consent from Des Moines University, except that you may view, download, display, and print a single copy of these materials on a single computer for personal, noncommercial use only, so long as (1) you do not alter or modify the materials in any way; (2) you include all applicable notices and disclaimers (including copyright notices); and (3) you do not use the materials in a way that suggests an association with Des Moines University or an affiliated Des Moines University entity. You understand and agree that these materials' titles shall not be passed to you or any other user.

View the Des Moines University Copyright Compliance Policy.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

You agree that any dispute or claim (including personal injury claims) related to your use of DMU CME Services is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state of Iowa and that the laws of the state of Iowa shall govern any such dispute. This agreement also applies to anyone claiming on your behalf.

Original: September 7, 2021
Updated: April 3, 2024