myOptumHealth.com, by Medical Network, Inc., a subsidiary of OptumHealth, Inc. (“OptumHealth”, “myOptumHealth”, “Site”, “we”, or “us”), is very sensitive to advertising and editorial issues, and wants to assure you that it remains independent of any advertisement or promotional influence in order to bring you the best health information possible. The myOptumHealth Advertising and Editorial Policy (“Policy”), as set forth below, provides how we handle our editorial decision and advertisements.



           myOptumHealth is an e-health portal designed to provide health news and information to consumers. This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or medical services.

           myOptumHealth maintains complete editorial independence and does not permit promotional partners to change content, or to introduce biased content into the design of any myOptumHealth.com section.

           myOptumHealth's editorial staff members must disclose all financial and/or other interests that he or she may have in biotech, drug, medical device or other companies that have a vested interest and/or influence in health care. Disclosures must be made to the appropriate supervisor at hiring or when said interest develops. Supervisors will confer with company officers to decide if there is a conflict of interest. If a conflict of interest is determined, the staff member will be reassigned and/or additional steps will be taken to rectify the situation.

           myOptumHealth's editorial staff maintains independence from all other business aspects. The editorial staff's sole purpose is to produce content and is not held accountable for financial aspects such as advertising, marketing or sales. Under no circumstance will a member of the editorial team to alter or create content on myOptumHealth.com in order to benefit a sponsor or other partner with a financial incentive.

           myOptumHealth's editorial staff's responsibility is to provide evidence-based, objective, credible and actionable health information. myOptumHealth writers research and identify all primary sources and quoted, qualified health experts used to create content.

           Articles are written objectively, with the sole goal of providing consumers with unbiased health information.

I.           In-House Content

           Our in-house created articles, quizzes and tools) are reviewed for clinical accuracy and adherence to internal policies by on-staff M.D./D.O.s and/or sent to off-site medical experts before being posted. All content is subjected to formalized rolling collaborative reviews with internal and/or external medical editors/physicians and our medical advisory board.

II.         Third Party Content

           myOptumHealth provides some content on our Site from reputable and carefully screened third parties. myOptumHealth subjects vendor content to the same standards for sourcing and clinical accuracy as our own in-house content. If we determine that content does not meet our standards, the content is removed from the Site.

           Third-party content providers are expected to conform to myOptumHealth's Author Qualifications (listed below) when hiring editors and writers to develop content specifically for myOptumHealth.com.

           Content not produced in-house is produced by one of the following content partners:

o          Drug Interaction Database Licensed from: Cerner Multum, which is updated at least monthly.

o          myOptumHealth Diseases and Conditions: myOptumHealth original content is supplemented with articles, images and tools from A.D.A.M., Inc., which is updated at least quarterly.

           Licensed News Feed: myOptumHealth provides news articles to users that are licensed from a credible third party news organization whose policies do not conflict with our own. Licensed articles are archived for at least 30 days before being deleted from the Site. Due to licensing arrangements, these articles are posted “as-is” and myOptumHealth cannot guarantee that these articles meet the same editorial standards as our in-house developed articles. Our current news feed provider is Health Day, which is updated daily.

III.        Author Qualifications

           myOptumHealth.com hires only experienced writers and editors to prepare material for our Site. myOptumHealth also employs freelance writers and editors to develop content. Whether full-time or freelance, all our editors and writers have a solid background in professional health care/medical writing or editing.

IV.        Credential Disclosure

           All interactive services will identify for users when the service is being provided by health professionals. Additionally, the credentials of the health professionals will be displayed/communicated. Individuals providing such services are responsible for maintaining their credentials, including licenses (See Credentialing and Professionalism in this document for additional policies governing professional certification).

V.         Citations

           Our editors and writers obtain their stories from a variety of sources: federal health agencies, professional organizations, peer-reviewed medical journals, medical conferences and interviews with medical experts. Each article includes the source of information, including specific citations from peer-reviewed journals, if referenced.

VI.        External Links

           myOptumHealth.com may make external links available for informational use. myOptumHealth provides these links solely for convenience and not as endorsement of the content of these third party sites or any products or services offered on said sites.

           myOptumHealth is not responsible for the products or services offered or the content of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site and does not make any representations regarding the cost or quality of products or services offered, or the content or accuracy of the materials on such sites.

           myOptumHealth strives to provide an optimal user experience. To report an inactive or inappropriate link, Contact Us . Corrective action is taken to re-activate or delete links reported via the e-mail or review processes.

VII.       Linking Approval and Reporting Requirements

           Linking to third-party sites is approved on an exception basis. The Editorial Director has the discretion to approve and have such exceptions initiated. However, the Editorial Director must report any new links to the QOC at the next monthly meeting for review.

VIII.      Linking Disclaimer

           A disclaimer will be introduced announcing the movement away from the myOptumHealth.com Site each time a user opts to use an external link. Wording such as the following is to be used:

           You are now leaving myOptumHealth.com and are being linked to a Web site that is not related to or affiliated with myOptumHealth.com.

           Linking to the site you are about to enter is not an endorsement by myOptumHealth.com for anything on that site and myOptumHealth.com is not responsible for the accuracy of its information or accountable for the services it provides.

IX.        Credentialing and Professionalism

           All health professional employees and sub-contractors are expected to maintain professional certification.

           All employees are expected to maintain high ethical standards and adhere to professional ethical principles appropriate to their profession and state licensure laws.

           myOptumHealth will regularly verify information regarding health professionals or others who provide services or information.

X.         Plain Language

           All written product material to be used by customers/users will be written using consumer-friendly language. Generally, such material will be produced on a 6th to 8th grade reading level in accessible language. The reader should not need to refer to a medical dictionary; all medical terms should be clearly defined in lay terms.



           myOptumHealth permits advertising on our Site. We do not allow, however, outside advertisers to affect the quality or accuracy of information on our Site, and we maintain a stringent policy of editorial independence. OptumHealth has sole discretion with respect to all aspects of this policy and all other issues associated with its Site. OptumHealth may change this policy at any time in its sole discretion by posting a revised policy to the myOptumHealth Site. Your continued use of myOptumHealth will indicate acceptance of any such material change, or you may opt-out of continuing to use the Site.

           Under no circumstances should OptumHealth's acceptance of any advertisement be considered an endorsement of the product and/or service advertised, or for the company that manufactures, distributes or promotes such product or service. OptumHealth will clearly separate or identify all advertisements, sponsorships and sponsor-related material on the myOptumHealth Site. We separate this material from medical or health-related content and tools. If you choose to click on an advertisement, myOptumHealth is not responsible for the content on the advertiser's site.

           OptumHealth does not accept advertising that it is sole discretion is not factually accurate or in good taste. We do not knowingly accept advertising that is false, misleading, for ineffective or dangerous products or services, directed at children, hateful, discriminatory, or advertising for firearms, alcohol, tobacco or pornographic products or Web sites.

           Our Advertisements are not directed to individual users, but may be targeted to individual conditions and their relevant sections on the Site. We do not “push” advertisements to users based on stored information.

I.           Advertorials

           myOptumHealth does not accept “advertorials”. Advertorials are articles provided by sponsors with the sole purpose of promoting a product or service. Advertisements on myOptumHealth, however, may link to off-site advertorials over which myOptumHealth has no control.

II.         Advertising and Aggregate Statistical Information

           myOptumHealth occasionally shares anonymous aggregate statistical information regarding Site usage and traffic with advertisers and sponsors. This information cannot be linked to individual users and is anonymous.

III.        Contacting the Web Site

           If you have any questions about these Terms, the practices of myOptumHealth or any of its services, or your dealings with this Web Site, you can Contact Us online or by post:

myOptumHealth.com
Windsor Corporate Park
50 Millstone Road, Building 200, Suite 160
East Windsor, NJ 08520

Effective and Updated as of 4/27/2009