Privacy policy.

 PRIVACY POLICY – THE PRACTICE OF NIKA BESTER INC 

1. INTRODUCTION 

We strive to protect your privacy by ensuring compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements, as well as applicable legislation. 

This policy extends to all entities and divisions that form part of our operations. 

The aim of this policy is to notify our existing and future patients/clients how we handle personal information given to and collected by us. 

Any reference to “we”, “us”, “health care provider” or “our” in this policy shall be to the practice of Nika Bester Inc Physiotherapy, situated at Pain, 2nd Floor, Panorama Health Centre, 60 Hennie Winterbach Street, Panorama, Western Cape Province. 

Any reference to “user”, “you”, “your”, “yourself”, “client” or “patient” in this policy shall be to any current or future patient and/or client of the health care/service provider, being yourself or any person in your legal care. 

2. OBJECTIVE 

The objective of this policy is to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and legislation, as well as to inform you of the manner in which your personal information is collected and dealt with. 

3. CONSENT 

By making use of our services, you agree that you acknowledge that you accept the terms and conditions outlined in this policy, and explicitly consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in the manner described herein, or any manner necessary for us to provide you with the selected and/or treatment. 

4. INFORMATION COLLECTED BY US – WHAT AND HOW 

In order for us to properly provide our treatment, we are required to collect certain personal information from and about you. 

Personal data or personal information means any information relating to you which identifies you or enables the identification of yourself, as well as any information relating to your medical condition or history. 

The personal information collected by us includes, but is not limited to your identity number, biometric information, contact details, employment details, residential address, postal address, family details, medical aid details, as well as any information relating to your medical condition or medical history. 

We collect personal information about you by way of direct interactions when you voluntarily provide us with such details by way of completing information forms, by way of electronic correspondence (such as e-mail), postal correspondence and/or provided by you during consultations. 

We may also request and receive personal information about you from previous health care service providers with whom you have consulted, as well as third party service providers.

5. WHAT DO WE USE THE DATA COLLECTED FOR 

Personal information collected by us are used for only legitimate purposes in line with providing the requested and required treatment to you. 

Purposes for which we use your personal information include, but is not limited, to the following: 

  1. a) To communicate with you in accordance with your selected preference; 

  2. b) To manage our relationship with you; 

  3. c) To render requested and ancillary treatment to you; and 

  4. d) To improve our services, treatment, marketing, relationships and experiences. 

6. STORING OF COLLECTED PERSONAL INFORMATION 

All personal information collected are stored on our internal computer network, and/or electronically on our external server, and/or by way of hard copy form in your patient file, which is stored in safely kept filing cabinets. 

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is protected. We protect and manage personal information by using electronic and computer safeguards, as well as physical access control to our file storage. We only authorise access to personal information to those employees who require it to fulfil their designated duties. 

7. DISCLOSURE OF DATA TO THIRD PARTIES 

We may share your personal information with third parties, including but not limited to other health care practitioners, health care institutions, medical aid institutions, insurance providers, as well as any other third party required to provide you with the treatment you may request or require.

Personal information will be shared with any attorney or law firm instructed to collect any outstanding amounts due by you to us. 

Personal information will be shared to third parties to whom we may choose to sell, transfer, or merge parts of our practice or assets. 

We reserve the right to retain personal information collected by us or provided by you and to process such personal information to comply with accounting, tax rules, regulations and any specific record retention laws. 

All service providers are however bound to maintain the confidentiality and security of your personal data and are restricted in their use thereof as per prescribed legislation and regulations. 

In accordance with applicable legislation, we will disclose your personal information without your consent if, we are required to do so by law or a court order, or alternatively if it is in the public interest to do so. 

8. RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION 

We will only retain your personal information for as long as required to enable us to fulfil the purposes for which we collected such personal information, or as permitted by law. 

9. CHANGES TO POLICY 

We reserve the right, in our sole and absolute discretion, to update, modify or amend this policy from time to time with or without notice or justification. 

You agree to review the policy whenever you are informed of any such change. 

The amended version of the policy shall supersede and replace all previous versions thereof.  

10. USER RIGHTS 

You have several rights under the data privacy legislation, which under certain circumstances includes the right to: 

10.1 Request access to your personal data; 

10.2 Request correction of your personal data; 

10.3 Request erasure of your personal data; 

10.4 Request restriction of processing of your personal data; 

10.5 Request the transfer of your personal data; 

10.6 Object to processing of your personal data; 

10.7 Withdraw any consents given; and 

10.8 Request human intervention for automated decision making. 

Should you have any request regarding your personal information, kindly contact our information officer, Nika Bester at 062 298 6278 alternatively at info@nbphysiotherapy.co.za 

11. INDEMNIFICATION 

We do not make any warranties or representations that your personal information shall be entirely safe or secure, even after compliance with the relevant legislation and regulations. You therefore, by making use of our services/treatment, indemnify us of any loss, whatsoever, that may arise out of using or sharing your personal information.