Terms of Use

1. Authorized Use

askCHARGE is available exclusively to authorized personnel of the Eskenazi Health Emergency Department, including physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, technicians, and administrative staff. Access requires authentication via SMS one-time passcode, email one-time passcode, or institutional Single Sign-On (SSO/CAS). Sharing your authentication credentials or OTP codes with others is prohibited.

2. Acceptable Use

You agree to use askCHARGE only for its intended purpose: accessing and contributing to ED operational resources, reporting operational issues, and communicating through approved platform channels. You agree not to:

• Enter any protected health information (PHI), patient names, medical record numbers, or other patient-identifying data into any field on the platform.
• Use the platform for personal, commercial, or non-work-related purposes.
• Attempt to access data or functionality beyond your assigned role.
• Upload malicious files, spam, or inappropriate content.
• Circumvent rate limits, access controls, or security measures.
• Share platform content with unauthorized external parties.

3. Prohibited Content — Patient Information

CHARGE is an operational communication and knowledge management tool for authorized Eskenazi Health Emergency Department staff. It is not a clinical documentation system and is not designed, authorized, or approved for the storage or transmission of protected health information (PHI) as defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 45 CFR §160.103.

By using CHARGE, you agree that you will not enter, upload, or transmit any of the following in any field, comment, attachment, or communication within the application:

• Patient names, initials, or any information that could identify a specific patient
• Medical record numbers (MRNs) or any patient account numbers
• Dates of birth, admission dates, discharge dates, or dates of death
• Geographic data smaller than a state (including room numbers associated with a patient)
• Telephone numbers, fax numbers, or email addresses of patients
• Social security numbers or other government-issued identification numbers
• Health plan beneficiary numbers or device identifiers
• Any photographs, images, or other data that could identify a patient

When reporting equipment issues, facility problems, or workflow concerns, refer to equipment by asset ID or location descriptor only. Do not reference specific patient encounters.

Violations of this policy may be subject to review under applicable hospital privacy policies and HIPAA regulations. If you accidentally submit patient information, contact your department administrator immediately to request deletion.

4. User Contributions

Content you submit to askCHARGE — including issue reports, comments, votes, knowledge base articles, and article feedback — becomes part of the platform's shared operational resources. You retain no exclusive rights to contributed content. The Eskenazi Health Emergency Department reserves the right to edit, move, merge, or remove any content to maintain quality and relevance.

5. Knowledge Base Content

Knowledge base articles are maintained by designated editors and subject matter experts. While we strive for accuracy, articles are provided as supplemental reference material and do not replace official institutional policies, clinical judgment, or direct consultation with supervising physicians. Always verify critical clinical information through established institutional channels.

6. Issue Reporting

The issue tracker is designed for reporting operational issues — equipment problems, workflow inefficiencies, supply shortages, and similar concerns. It is not a channel for patient safety events, incident reports, or clinical complaints. Those must be reported through the appropriate institutional reporting systems.

7. Roles and Access Levels

askCHARGE uses a role-based access control system. Your access level (staff, editor, dept lead, or admin) is assigned by department administration and determines which features and data you can access. Attempting to escalate privileges or access restricted areas is a violation of these terms and Eskenazi Health policy.

8. Availability and Modifications

We aim to keep askCHARGE available and reliable but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. The platform may be temporarily unavailable for maintenance, updates, or unforeseen technical issues. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature of the platform at any time without prior notice.

9. Intellectual Property

The askCHARGE platform, including its design, code, branding, and original content, is the property of the Eskenazi Health Emergency Department. Reproduction, redistribution, or derivative use of the platform or its content without authorization is prohibited.

10. Limitation of Liability

askCHARGE is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. The Eskenazi Health Emergency Department and its staff are not liable for any damages arising from your use of, inability to use, or reliance on content within the platform. Clinical decisions must always be based on established medical protocols and direct clinical assessment.

11. Enforcement

Violations of these Terms of Use may result in suspension or revocation of platform access and may be subject to disciplinary action under applicable Eskenazi Health policies. We reserve the right to investigate suspected violations and cooperate with institutional compliance processes.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms of Use from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through the platform. Continued use of askCHARGE after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

13. Contact

Questions about these Terms of Use should be directed to the Eskenazi Health Emergency Department Administration at daniel.seitz@eskenazihealth.edu.