Terms of Use

Introduction

Welcome to www.perinatalexcellence.org (the “Site”), operated by The International [LW1] Partnership for Perinatal Excellence (IPPE) and the Star Legacy Foundation (“we,” “us,” or “our”). These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your use of our Site and the services we offer, including a certification program (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Site and Services, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site or Services.

These Terms incorporate by reference and include, without limitation, any additional guidelines, rules, disclaimers, and/or updates made available to you.

Eligibility

To use our Services, you must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering into binding contracts. By using our Services, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements.

Account Registration

To access certain features of the Site or Services, you may need to register for an account. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process.
  • Maintain the security of your account by keeping your password confidential.
  • Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

The Services are for your exclusive use only. Use or sharing of your user name and password by another user is not permitted and is cause for termination of your access.

Use of the Site and Services

You agree to use the Site and Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You shall not:

  • Use the Site or Services in any manner that could disable, overburden, or impair the Site.
  • Use any robot, spider, or other automatic device, process, or means to access the Site for any purpose.
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any parts of the Site, servers, or networks.

We grant to registered users a non-transferable, non-exclusive and revocable license to use the Services for the registration term specific to each program type as stated in the program descriptions. The Services are solely for your personal, noncommercial use; you may not use the Services in any way in exchange for monetary consideration. Except as expressly granted herein, you acquire no right, title, or license in any of the Services or content or other data or materials incorporated into the Site or Services. You may not sell, sublicense, or resell the whole or any part of the Services or content. Except as expressly permitted herein, you may not reproduce, transmit, distribute, or use any portion of the content or other data or materials incorporated into the Services, including all education and training materials, through any means including through electronic means such as email, bulletin boards, or other means without our prior consent.

Any violation of these Terms may result in the immediate termination of access and of your certification.

Payment and Refunds

All fees for the Services must be paid in full before accessing the certification programs. Fees are non-refundable.

Certification

As part of the Services for certification you will take a certification assessment (“Exam”) to demonstrate your knowledge and skill in the content area assessed by the Exam. The content of the Exam, including questions, answers, or any communication is our confidential information (“Confidential Information”). You will not disclose or transmit Confidential Information to any other person. You may use Exam content only for the purpose of taking the Exam to demonstrate your knowledge and skill in the content area assessed by the Exam. You may not use Exam content for any other purpose.

Individuals may attempt the Exam up to three times. If unsuccessful after three attempts, a new application form and fee must be submitted for additional attempts.

Upon successful completion of the certification program and meeting all requirements, including the Exam, you will receive a certificate from IPPE. We do not guarantee that the certification will meet specific state or industry requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure the certification meets the requirements of your professional licensing or regulatory bodies.

You may use the Certification to represent that you are certified by us for passing an Exam and meeting the requirements. You may use a certification only in accordance with the then-current IPPE Guidelines[LW2] [AL3] which are LOCATED HERE[LW4] …… Misrepresentation of your certification status is a violation of these Terms. If we find that you have engaged in prohibited behavior or reasonably determines that your conduct otherwise risks the integrity of the certification program, we may, in addition to any other legal remedies (i) suspend any Exam you are taking; (ii) invalidate the results of any Exam you have taken; (iii) invalidate and revoke any or all of your certifications, and (iv) suspend or permanently bar you from participating in the IPPE or Services.

The certification is valid for two years from the date of issue, unless otherwise specified.

Benefits of certification:

  • Recognition on the IPPE website and social media
  • Membership in the IPPE referral network
  • Newsletter with practice tips and research discussions
  • Access to Ask the Experts for clinical questions
  • Membership seals and tool kit
  • Complimentary Continuing Education through Star Legacy Foundation
  • Complimentary registration for the IPPE Summit
  • Patient feedback opportunities[AL5]

To renew your certification, you must successfully complete a second Exam and submit required information. Subsequent renewals will require evidence of completed continuing education and submission of required information.

To maintain the certification, you must remain in good standing with a valid health professional license (anything else?)[AL6] Additional terms and conditions may be included at the time of renewal or with adequate notice.

Use of Credentials and Marks

IPPE grants permission to use the IPPE Certification/Certificate Program Marks to IPPE certified professionals and certificate holders that have satisfied all applicable  credentialing, certification and certificate program requirements. Each IPPE certified professional and certificate holder is authorized to use only the Certification/Certificate Program Mark which represents the appropriate certification, credential and certificate program.
Each IPPE certified professional and certificate holder may use the appropriate IPPE Certification/Certificate Program Mark in professional and business materials such as business cards and email signatures.

Non-Assignability and Non-Transferability
Permission to use the Certification/Certificate Program Mark is limited to the certified person and certificate holder, and shall not be transferred to, assigned to, or otherwise used by any other individual, organization, or entity.

IPPE Certification/Certificate Program Mark Use Policy Violation Reporting
Following receipt of information that an inappropriate or unauthorized use of the Certification/Certificate Program Mark may have occurred; IPPE will determine if responsive action(s) will be taken, including the following:

  1. The alleged inappropriate or unauthorized Mark use will be reviewed.
  2. If a Policy violation may have occurred, IPPE shall communicate to the individual(s) and/or organization(s) involved, requesting that they cease the unauthorized use.
  3. If the Policy violation is not corrected, appropriate legal actions or sanctions shall be taken, including certification suspension or revocation or certificate invalidation.

Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality on the Site (including text, graphics, logos, and software) and as part of the Services, including all education, training, and testing materials, data, and information are our exclusive property and are protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.

Privacy Policy

Your use of the Site and Services is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand our practices regarding the collection and use of your information.

Disclaimer of Warranties

The Site and Services are provided “as is” and “as available,” without any warranties of any kind, either express or implied. We disclaim all warranties, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

No Medical Advice

The content and information provided on the site and through the Services is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The Services are continually under development and changes may be made to the Services or content at any time.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we and our officers, directors, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from (a) your use or inability to use the Site or Services; (b) any unauthorized access to or use of our servers and/or any personal information stored therein; and (c) any bugs, viruses, or the like that may be transmitted to or through our Site by any third party. In no event shall us or our affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, and licensors, be liable to you or to any third party for any special, incidental, indirect, consequential, or punitive damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, and on any theory of liability (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise), arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the Site, Services or the content therein.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless us and our affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms or your use of the Site or Services.

Modifications to the Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. All changes will be effective immediately upon posting on the Site. Your continued use of the Site and Services after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

Waiver

Neither failure or delay on the part of any party to exercise any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder nor course of dealing between the parties shall operate as a waiver thereof, or of the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. Any waiver or consent must be in writing and signed by the party claimed to have waived or consented.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and any disputes arising out of or related to them will be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms shall be instituted exclusively in the federal or state courts located in Minnesota.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at info@perinatalexcellence.org.

By using the Site and Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms of Use.