Terms of Use

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the practitioner directory, website, search tools, practitioner profiles, educational content, and related services provided through this website (collectively, the “Directory”).

The Directory is operated by the American Academy of Functional Health (“AAFH”) and may be supported by iCare Digital Health Solutions LLC.

For purposes of these Terms, “Protected Parties” means AAFH, iCare Digital Health Solutions LLC, and each of their respective owners, members, managers, officers, directors, administrators, employees, contractors, consultants, agents, representatives, affiliates, business partners, service providers, successors, and assigns.

References to “we,” “us,” or “our” refer, as applicable, to AAFH and/or iCare Digital Health Solutions LLC.

By accessing or using the Directory, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree with these Terms, please do not use the Directory.

1. Purpose of the Directory

The Directory is intended to help members of the public locate healthcare practitioners who have completed designated educational, training, certificate, or certification programs offered or recognized by AAFH.

The Directory is an informational referral resource only.

The Protected Parties do not provide medical care through the Directory, do not establish clinician-patient relationships through the Directory, and do not supervise, direct, control, or assume responsibility for the clinical services or business practices of listed practitioners.

2. Educational and Informational Purposes Only

Information available through this website is provided for general educational and informational purposes only.

Nothing on this website constitutes or should be interpreted as:

• medical advice;
• diagnosis;
• treatment;
• a treatment recommendation;
• an individualized care plan;
• a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional; or
• the establishment of a clinician-patient relationship with any Protected Party.

Information concerning Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine, nutrition, laboratory testing, health conditions, treatments, supplements, lifestyle strategies, or other healthcare topics is provided for educational purposes and may not be appropriate for every individual.

Always consult an appropriately licensed or qualified healthcare professional regarding questions concerning your health or medical condition.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking care because of information obtained through this website.

If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your applicable local emergency services immediately.

3. Independent Practitioners

All practitioners appearing in the Directory are independent professionals and operate independently from the Protected Parties.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, a listed practitioner is not an employee, agent, representative, partner, joint venturer, contractor, healthcare provider, or legal representative of any Protected Party.

Inclusion in the Directory does not create any employment, agency, partnership, franchise, joint venture, fiduciary, supervisory, or healthcare relationship between a practitioner and any Protected Party.

The Protected Parties do not:

• employ listed practitioners in connection with services advertised or provided through their independent practices;
• supervise or control their practices;
• control their clinical judgment;
• determine their diagnoses;
• determine their treatment recommendations;
• prescribe or approve their procedures;
• determine which laboratory tests they order;
• determine which medications, supplements, devices, therapies, or products they recommend;
• establish or approve their fees;
• determine their billing practices;
• process or guarantee refunds owed by practitioners;
• negotiate financial arrangements between practitioners and patients;
• schedule or provide their healthcare services;
• determine whether they accept insurance;
• guarantee insurance reimbursement;
• monitor every aspect of their professional practice;
• assume responsibility for their compliance with professional licensing requirements;
• assume responsibility for their compliance with federal, state, local, or international healthcare laws;
• assume responsibility for their professional negligence or malpractice; or
• assume responsibility for their acts or omissions.

Any professional, clinical, contractual, or financial relationship arising after a user contacts a practitioner is solely between the patient or prospective patient and that practitioner or the practitioner's practice.

4. Practitioner Services, Procedures, Fees and Outcomes

Each listed practitioner is solely responsible for their own professional practice and business operations.

This includes, without limitation, responsibility for:

• evaluations and consultations;
• diagnosis;
• clinical judgment;
• treatment recommendations;
• treatment plans;
• medical or healthcare procedures;
• therapies;
• laboratory testing;
• interpretation of laboratory results;
• referrals;
• medications;
• prescribing decisions;
• nutritional recommendations;
• supplements;
• botanical products;
• devices;
• lifestyle recommendations;
• telehealth services;
• communications with patients;
• informed consent;
• medical records;
• privacy practices;
• professional documentation;
• follow-up care;
• emergency instructions;
• fees;
• charges;
• deposits;
• memberships;
• subscriptions;
• payment plans;
• billing practices;
• insurance claims;
• refunds;
• cancellations;
• financial disputes;
• products or services sold or recommended by the practitioner;
• compliance with applicable professional standards;
• compliance with licensing requirements;
• compliance with scope-of-practice restrictions; and
• patient results and clinical outcomes.

The Protected Parties do not review, approve, direct, control, guarantee, warrant, or assume responsibility for any such activity.

Any concern, complaint, dispute, refund request, billing issue, professional complaint, or claim relating to the services of a listed practitioner must be addressed directly with the practitioner, the practitioner's practice, the practitioner's professional liability insurer, or the appropriate licensing or regulatory authority, as applicable.

5. Certification and Training Designations

Certain practitioners may be identified as having completed AAFH educational, training, certificate, or certification programs.

Such a designation indicates that AAFH records reflect completion of the applicable educational requirements associated with the identified program as of the relevant verification date.

An AAFH certification, training designation, certificate, badge, or listing:

• is not a medical license;
• does not expand a practitioner's legally authorized scope of practice;
• does not replace state or professional licensing requirements;
• does not constitute board certification unless expressly identified as such;
• does not guarantee professional competence in every area;
• does not guarantee clinical judgment;
• does not guarantee patient safety;
• does not guarantee any particular patient outcome;
• does not guarantee the accuracy of statements made by a practitioner; and
• does not constitute approval or endorsement of every treatment, procedure, product, service, recommendation, fee, or business practice used by that practitioner.

Practitioners remain solely responsible for practicing within their authorized professional scope of practice and complying with all applicable licensing, professional, ethical, advertising, privacy, telehealth, prescribing, healthcare, and consumer-protection laws.

6. No Endorsement, Recommendation or Guarantee

Inclusion of a practitioner in the Directory does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, recommendation, referral for medical treatment, or endorsement by any Protected Party regarding that practitioner's:

• professional services;
• clinical services;
• professional judgment;
• diagnostic decisions;
• treatment recommendations;
• treatment methods;
• procedures;
• prescribing practices;
• products;
• laboratory testing;
• competence;
• experience;
• availability;
• pricing;
• fees;
• billing practices;
• refund practices;
• insurance participation;
• licensure status;
• disciplinary history;
• professional conduct;
• communication;
• suitability for a particular patient;
• quality of care; or
• clinical outcomes.

Statements appearing in practitioner profiles may have been supplied directly by the practitioner.

Users are solely responsible for independently evaluating whether a practitioner is appropriate for their individual needs.

7. User Due Diligence

Before obtaining healthcare or other professional services from a practitioner identified through the Directory, users should conduct their own appropriate due diligence.

Depending upon the services being sought, this may include independently verifying:

• current professional licensure;
• license status and disciplinary history;
• education and credentials;
• scope of practice;
• certification status;
• professional liability insurance;
• professional experience;
• telehealth eligibility;
• authority to provide services in the patient's jurisdiction;
• insurance participation;
• fees;
• cancellation policies;
• refund policies;
• payment policies;
• treatment philosophy; and
• whether the practitioner's experience is appropriate for the user's particular needs.

Professional licensing and healthcare requirements vary by profession, state, country, and jurisdiction.

The Protected Parties make no representation or warranty that a practitioner may legally provide every service displayed in a profile to every user or in every jurisdiction.

8. Practitioner Profiles and Directory Information

Practitioner profiles may include information such as a practitioner's name, professional credentials, training, certifications, areas of focus, clinic name, practice location, website, telephone number, email address, telehealth availability, professional biography, photograph, and other practice-related information.

Practitioners are responsible for ensuring that information supplied for their Directory listing is accurate, lawful, current, and not misleading.

AAFH may review, verify, edit, correct, decline, suspend, deactivate, or remove any listing at any time.

AAFH is not required to independently verify every statement contained in every practitioner profile.

The appearance of a credential, specialty, area of focus, treatment, service, procedure, or other statement in a profile does not mean that AAFH or any other Protected Party has independently verified that statement unless specifically stated otherwise.

Directory information may occasionally be incomplete, outdated, inaccurate, temporarily unavailable, or affected by technical errors.

Users should independently confirm important information directly with the practitioner and, where appropriate, with the relevant licensing authority.

9. Practitioner Ranking, Search Results and Location Matching

Search results may be generated based upon factors such as geographic proximity, location information, selected areas of interest, telehealth availability, practitioner information, certification or training status, technical search parameters, or other Directory criteria.

The order in which practitioners appear does not indicate that one practitioner is more qualified, safer, more experienced, more effective, or more appropriate than another.

When location functionality is enabled, the Directory may use approximate location information derived from an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, browser or device location functionality, or location information entered by the user to identify nearby practitioners.

Location information may be approximate and may not reflect the user's precise physical location.

The Directory may also use third-party analytics, advertising measurement, audience creation, and retargeting technologies as described in the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

The Protected Parties do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of location-based results.

10. No Guarantee of Availability

The Protected Parties do not guarantee that:

• any listed practitioner is accepting new patients;
• a practitioner will respond to an inquiry;
• appointments will be available;
• the practitioner will provide the services described;
• services will be available in the user's jurisdiction;
• telehealth services will be legally or practically available;
• insurance will cover services;
• a practitioner will accept insurance;
• a particular treatment or procedure will be offered;
• advertised pricing will remain unchanged; or
• a practitioner will agree to establish a clinician-patient relationship.

Users should contact practitioners directly to confirm availability, scope of services, pricing, policies, and applicable terms.

11. Contacting Practitioners

When the Directory provides links, telephone numbers, email addresses, websites, scheduling links, or other methods for contacting practitioners, those communications occur between the user and the practitioner or the practitioner's chosen service provider.

The Protected Parties are not responsible for communications, appointments, scheduling, cancellations, transactions, consultations, treatment arrangements, payment arrangements, refunds, services, or other interactions occurring between users and practitioners.

Users should review the privacy practices and terms of any practitioner or third-party platform before submitting information.

12. Do Not Submit Medical or Sensitive Health Information

The Directory is not intended for communicating personal medical information, medical records, laboratory results, diagnoses, treatment information, insurance information, or other sensitive health information to AAFH.

Do not submit protected health information or sensitive medical information through general website functionality.

If you need to communicate health information to a practitioner, use the secure communication method specified by that practitioner's practice.

Use of the Directory does not create a clinician-patient relationship and should not be used for urgent or emergency medical communications.

13. Privacy, Cookies and Location Technology

The Directory may use limited technical information necessary to operate website functionality, including IP-address-derived approximate location information, device or browser information, cookies, pixels, advertising identifiers, and similar technologies.

Where location information is used to help identify nearby practitioners, such information may be processed automatically for the purpose of providing location-relevant search results.

The Directory may also use analytics, advertising measurement, audience creation, and retargeting technologies provided by third parties, including Google and Meta/Facebook, as described in the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

AAFH does not sell visitor names, email addresses, telephone numbers, medical records, or directly identifying patient profiles derived from ordinary Directory searches.

Additional information concerning processing, retention, cookies, advertising technologies, privacy choices, and service providers is described in the website's Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, which are incorporated into these Terms by reference.

14. Third-Party Services and Links

The Directory may contain links to websites, scheduling systems, maps, telephone systems, social media pages, electronic health platforms, practitioner websites, payment services, or other resources operated by practitioners or third parties.

The Protected Parties do not control these external services and are not responsible for their:

• availability;
• security;
• privacy practices;
• terms;
• accuracy;
• billing;
• products;
• services;
• representations;
• medical information; or
• content.

A link to a practitioner or third-party resource does not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, or assumption of responsibility for that resource.

Users access external services at their own discretion and subject to the applicable practitioner's or third party's terms and privacy policies.

15. Healthcare Outcomes

Healthcare results vary among individuals.

Nothing appearing in the Directory constitutes a promise, warranty, representation, or guarantee regarding any particular health or treatment outcome.

The Protected Parties make no representation or warranty that consulting with a listed practitioner will:

• improve a health condition;
• resolve symptoms;
• prevent disease;
• produce a particular laboratory result;
• reduce medication use;
• eliminate the need for conventional medical care;
• result in a specific clinical outcome; or
• produce any other particular health benefit.

Testimonials, practitioner statements, educational examples, or descriptions of Functional or Integrative Medicine approaches should not be interpreted as guarantees that similar results will occur for any particular person.

16. User Conduct

You agree not to use the Directory for unlawful, abusive, fraudulent, deceptive, disruptive, or unauthorized purposes.

Without limitation, you may not:

• scrape, crawl, harvest, copy, download, or systematically extract practitioner information except through ordinary personal use of the Directory;
• compile or sell practitioner information;
• use Directory information for unsolicited commercial marketing or spam;
• impersonate another person or organization;
• submit false, defamatory, deceptive, unlawful, or misleading information;
• attempt to access administrative systems or restricted areas without authorization;
• interfere with website functionality or security;
• introduce malware or malicious code;
• attempt to circumvent technical restrictions;
• use automated systems to place excessive requests on the Directory;
• use practitioner information for harassment, discrimination, fraud, or unlawful solicitation;
• submit sensitive health information through general website functionality; or
• use the Directory in violation of applicable law.

AAFH may restrict or terminate access to the Directory if it believes these Terms have been violated.

17. Intellectual Property

The Directory, including its website design, branding, text, graphics, logos, certification marks, badges, software, search functionality, educational materials, and other content, is owned by or licensed to AAFH, iCare Digital Health Solutions LLC, or applicable licensors and is protected by intellectual-property laws.

AAFH names, logos, certification marks, badges, and program names may not be reproduced or used in a manner suggesting affiliation, certification, sponsorship, or endorsement without authorization.

Users may access the Directory for ordinary personal and informational purposes only.

No ownership rights are transferred by use of the Directory.

18. Practitioner Use of AAFH Marks

AAFH-certified or trained practitioners may only use AAFH certification badges, logos, training designations, or other AAFH intellectual property in accordance with authorization and applicable AAFH policies.

AAFH may revoke permission to use a certification designation or badge where certification expires, is withdrawn, was obtained through misrepresentation, or is otherwise no longer valid.

Practitioners may not alter certification badges or represent themselves as possessing credentials they have not earned.

19. Changes, Suspension and Availability of the Directory

AAFH may modify, update, suspend, restrict, discontinue, or change any portion of the Directory at any time.

The Protected Parties do not guarantee uninterrupted availability of the website or Directory.

The Directory may occasionally become unavailable because of maintenance, security issues, Internet disruptions, hosting failures, technical problems, third-party services, or events outside reasonable control.

20. Disclaimer of Warranties

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DIRECTORY AND ALL INFORMATION, CONTENT, SEARCH RESULTS, PRACTITIONER LISTINGS, LINKS, AND RELATED SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS.

THE PROTECTED PARTIES DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY, AVAILABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE, SAFETY, AND ANY WARRANTY ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.

THE PROTECTED PARTIES DO NOT WARRANT THAT:

• THE DIRECTORY WILL BE ERROR-FREE, UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR FREE FROM HARMFUL COMPONENTS;
• PRACTITIONER INFORMATION WILL ALWAYS BE COMPLETE OR CURRENT;
• A PRACTITIONER WILL PROVIDE SAFE OR EFFECTIVE CARE;
• A PRACTITIONER WILL COMPLY WITH ALL PROFESSIONAL OR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS; OR
• A USER WILL EXPERIENCE ANY PARTICULAR HEALTH OR FINANCIAL OUTCOME.

21. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PROTECTED PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CLAIM, LOSS, INJURY, DAMAGE, LIABILITY, COST, EXPENSE, OR DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO A LISTED PRACTITIONER OR A USER'S INTERACTION WITH A LISTED PRACTITIONER.

THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO:

• a practitioner's professional practice;
• professional negligence;
• alleged malpractice;
• diagnosis or failure to diagnose;
• treatment recommendations;
• treatments;
• medical or healthcare procedures;
• medications;
• prescribing decisions;
• supplements;
• botanical products;
• laboratory testing;
• interpretation of laboratory results;
• devices;
• products;
• referrals;
• failure to refer;
• informed consent;
• communications;
• failure to communicate;
• delays in treatment;
• telehealth services;
• privacy practices;
• medical-record practices;
• fees;
• charges;
• deposits;
• billing;
• payment plans;
• insurance claims;
• insurance reimbursement;
• cancellation policies;
• refund disputes;
• products sold by practitioners;
• services provided by practitioners;
• representations or statements made by practitioners;
• professional licensing;
• scope-of-practice compliance;
• regulatory compliance;
• professional misconduct;
• acts or omissions of a practitioner;
• personal injury;
• adverse reactions;
• worsening of a medical condition;
• death;
• financial loss; or
• any particular clinical or patient outcome.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE PROTECTED PARTIES SHALL ALSO NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO:

• use of or inability to use the Directory;
• reliance upon information appearing in the Directory;
• inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated practitioner information;
• selection of a practitioner;
• communication with a practitioner;
• third-party websites or services;
• unauthorized access;
• cybersecurity incidents;
• Internet failures;
• hosting failures;
• technical interruptions; or
• any other interaction arising through use of the Directory.

THE PROTECTED PARTIES DO NOT PRACTICE MEDICINE THROUGH THE DIRECTORY AND ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL, CLINICAL, FINANCIAL, BUSINESS, OR LEGAL ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS.

A USER'S DECISION TO CONTACT, CONSULT, HIRE, PAY, OR RECEIVE SERVICES FROM A LISTED PRACTITIONER IS MADE AT THE USER'S OWN DISCRETION.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited under applicable law.

22. No Vicarious Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Protected Party shall be responsible or vicariously liable for any act, omission, statement, treatment, recommendation, procedure, service, fee, charge, billing practice, business practice, negligence, misconduct, or professional decision of any independent practitioner listed in the Directory.

A practitioner's listing, certification, training designation, badge, profile, participation in an AAFH program, or appearance in Directory search results does not establish that the practitioner is acting on behalf of, under the direction of, or as an agent of any Protected Party.

23. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by applicable law, users who misuse the Directory, and practitioners who submit, publish, advertise, or provide information or services in connection with a Directory listing, agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Protected Parties from claims, liabilities, demands, causes of action, judgments, losses, damages, settlements, penalties, fines, costs, and reasonable attorneys' fees arising from or relating to:

• violation of these Terms;
• unlawful use of the Directory;
• information submitted by that user or practitioner;
• claims relating to a practitioner's independent professional services;
• claims relating to a practitioner's fees, billing, refunds, or business practices;
• professional negligence or alleged malpractice by a practitioner;
• a practitioner's violation of licensing or scope-of-practice requirements;
• a practitioner's violation of law;
• infringement of another person's rights; or
• representations or statements made by a practitioner.

This provision does not require an ordinary patient or consumer to indemnify a Protected Party for liability that applicable law prohibits that party from disclaiming or shifting.

24. Listing Removal and Certification Status

AAFH reserves the right to remove, suspend, modify, or decline a practitioner listing at any time, including where:

• certification or training status changes;
• credentials cannot be verified;
• information is inaccurate or misleading;
• required listing criteria are no longer satisfied;
• professional licensure becomes restricted, suspended, or revoked;
• AAFH becomes aware of information raising legitimate concerns regarding the integrity of the Directory;
• the practitioner misuses AAFH intellectual property; or
• continued inclusion may violate law or AAFH policies.

Removal from the Directory does not necessarily constitute a determination concerning professional competence or misconduct.

25. Reports and Corrections

If you believe a practitioner profile contains inaccurate information, an improper credential, outdated information, or unauthorized content, you may contact AAFH through the contact information provided on the website.

AAFH may review such reports but is not obligated to investigate, adjudicate, mediate, or resolve disputes between practitioners and patients.

Clinical complaints, malpractice allegations, licensing complaints, billing disputes, refund requests, and professional disciplinary matters should generally be directed to the practitioner, the practitioner's practice, the applicable professional licensing authority, regulatory agency, insurer, or other appropriate authority.

26. Children

The Directory is intended for use by adults seeking healthcare information or practitioners.

The website is not directed toward children under 13, and children under 13 should not submit personal information through the website.

Parents or legal guardians seeking practitioners for children should conduct searches and communicate with practitioners on the child's behalf.

27. Geographic Availability

The Directory may display practitioners located throughout the United States, Canada, and other countries or jurisdictions.

Healthcare licensing laws vary significantly by jurisdiction.

The appearance of a practitioner in search results does not represent that the practitioner is legally authorized to treat a user located in a particular state, province, territory, country, or jurisdiction.

Users and practitioners are independently responsible for determining whether a proposed professional relationship complies with applicable laws, including telehealth, prescribing, licensure, and scope-of-practice requirements.

28. Changes to These Terms

AAFH may update these Terms periodically to reflect changes in the Directory, technology, legal requirements, or business practices.

The “Last Updated” date will indicate when the Terms were most recently revised.

Continued use of the Directory after updated Terms become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms to the extent permitted by law.

29. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.

30. No Waiver

Failure by any Protected Party to enforce any provision of these Terms does not waive the right to enforce that provision in the future.

31. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and any other policies expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the agreement governing use of the Directory.

32. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the State of [INSERT STATE OF LEGAL ENTITY], without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where applicable consumer law requires otherwise.

Any dispute relating to these Terms or the Directory shall be brought in an appropriate court having jurisdiction in [INSERT COUNTY AND STATE], except where applicable law provides otherwise.

33. Contact Information

Questions concerning these Terms or the Directory may be directed to:

American Academy of Functional Health

Email: Operations@TheAAFH.org

For questions involving an individual practitioner's healthcare services, procedures, appointments, medical records, treatment, fees, billing, refunds, products, or other professional services, please contact that practitioner or practice directly.