Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Dr Langa Medical Services ("the Practice", "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website, book an appointment, or receive medical services from our practice at 30 Nelson Mandela Road, Era Medical Centre, Room 102, Mahikeng, North West.

This policy is drafted in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA), the National Health Act, 2003, and the ethical rules of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

2. Information Officer

The designated Information Officer responsible for ensuring compliance with POPIA is:

• Name: Dr Omphemetse Langa
• Practice: Dr Langa Medical Services
• Address: 30 Nelson Mandela Road, Era Medical Centre, Room 102, Mahikeng, 2745
• Telephone: +27 66 273 0747
• Email: info@drlangamedicalservices.co.za

3. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

3.1 Personal Identification Information

• Full name, date of birth, gender, and South African ID number or passport number
• Residential and postal addresses
• Contact numbers (telephone, mobile) and email address
• Medical aid membership details (scheme, plan, member number, dependant code)
• Emergency contact information

3.2 Health Information (Special Personal Information)

• Medical history, current symptoms, and clinical observations
• Diagnosis, treatment plans, prescriptions, and referral letters
• Laboratory results, X-ray findings, and other diagnostic data
• Vaccination records and allergy information
• Chronic condition management records

3.3 Website Data

• IP address, browser type, operating system, and device information
• Pages visited, time spent on the website, and referring URLs
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 10)

4. Purpose of Processing

We collect and process your personal information for the following lawful purposes:

• Healthcare delivery: To provide medical consultations, diagnose conditions, prescribe treatment, and manage your ongoing care.
• Appointment management: To schedule, confirm, and manage appointments via telephone, WhatsApp, or other channels.
• Billing and accounts: To process payments, submit medical aid claims, and manage outstanding accounts.
• Legal obligations: To comply with statutory reporting requirements under the National Health Act, Medicines and Related Substances Act, and other applicable legislation.
• Quality improvement: To monitor and improve the quality of our medical services and patient experience.
• Communication: To send appointment reminders, health information, and practice updates where you have consented to receive such communications.
• Referrals: To share relevant medical information with specialists, pathology laboratories, radiology services, or hospitals when referral is clinically necessary.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information on the following legal grounds as defined by POPIA Section 11:

• Consent: Where you have given voluntary, specific, and informed consent.
• Contract: Processing is necessary to perform the medical service you have requested.
• Legal obligation: Processing is required to comply with applicable South African legislation.
• Legitimate interest: Processing is necessary for the legitimate interests of the Practice, provided your rights are not overridden.
• Vital interest: Processing is necessary to protect your life or physical integrity in emergency situations.

6. Sharing of Personal Information

We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients, only to the extent necessary:

• Medical aid schemes: For the purpose of processing claims and obtaining authorisations.
• Specialist practitioners and hospitals: When a referral is clinically required.
• Pathology and radiology laboratories: To process diagnostic tests ordered during your consultation.
• Government health authorities: Where legally mandated (e.g., notifiable disease reporting).
• Professional billing services: For account management and collections, subject to strict confidentiality agreements.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

7. Data Retention

Patient medical records are retained in accordance with the Health Professions Act, 1974 and HPCSA guidelines:

• Adult patient records: Minimum of 6 years from the date of the last entry or consultation.
• Minor patient records: Until the patient reaches the age of 21, or for 6 years from the last consultation, whichever is longer.
• Financial records: Retained for 5 years as required by the Tax Administration Act, 2011.
• Website data: Aggregated analytics data may be retained indefinitely; personally identifiable website data is deleted after 12 months.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure, locked storage for physical patient records
• Password-protected and encrypted electronic health record systems
• Access controls limiting patient data to authorised healthcare personnel only
• Secure backup procedures for electronic records
• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmitted via our website
• Regular review of security practices and incident response procedures

9. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the following rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act:

• Right of access: You may request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you and request access to that information.
• Right to correction: You may request that inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out-of-date, incomplete, misleading, or unlawfully obtained information be corrected or deleted.
• Right to deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information where it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
• Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to submit a complaint to the Information Regulator if you believe your rights have been infringed.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer using the details provided in Section 2.

10. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us understand how visitors interact with our website.

We may use:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function correctly (e.g., session management).
• Analytics cookies: To understand website traffic patterns and improve content (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Embedded content: Third-party content such as Google Maps may set their own cookies.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect your experience of certain website features.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites including Google Maps, WhatsApp, and medical aid provider portals. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

12. Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18 without the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Medical consultations for minor patients require the presence or consent of a parent or guardian as required by South African law.

13. Information Regulator

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

• The Information Regulator (South Africa)
• JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
• P.O. Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017
• Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

15. Contact Us

For any privacy-related enquiries, requests, or concerns, please contact us:

• Dr Langa Medical Services
• Address: 30 Nelson Mandela Road, Era Medical Centre, Room 102, Mahikeng, 2745
• Telephone: +27 66 273 0747
• Email: info@drlangamedicalservices.co.za