Privacy Policy
Royal Hospital, Ekarool is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of the personal and medical information entrusted to us.
We handle patient and user information responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, medical confidentiality, and information security, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, applicable rules issued thereunder, and other data protection requirements in force from time to time.
This Privacy Policy explains how Royal Hospital collects, uses, stores, protects, and shares personal information obtained through our hospital services, website, appointment systems, and other interactions with us.
1. Information We Collect
Royal Hospital may collect personal, medical, administrative, and transactional information necessary for providing healthcare and related services.
This may include:
- Full name
- Address and contact details
- Phone number and email address
- Age and date of birth
- Gender
- Marital status
- Occupation
- Identification details, where required
- Medical history and health-related information
- Consultation and treatment details
- Laboratory and diagnostic information
- Appointment dates and timings
- Billing and payment information
- Information provided while communicating with the hospital
- Information submitted through our website or digital services
- Information provided by job applicants, employees, vendors, or other persons interacting with Royal Hospital
2. How We Collect Information
Information may be collected through:
- Hospital registration and appointment processes
- Doctor consultations and treatment
- Laboratory and diagnostic services
- Our website, online forms, or other digital platforms
- Telephone, WhatsApp, email, or other communication channels
- Patient feedback forms and surveys
- Health camps, awareness programmes, or hospital events
- Billing and payment processes
- Job applications and employee records
- Information provided directly by patients, attendants, employees, doctors, vendors, or authorised representatives
3. How We Use Your Information
Information collected by Royal Hospital may be used for purposes including:
- Providing medical consultations and healthcare services
- Maintaining patient medical records
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Communicating laboratory reports, test results, follow-up instructions, and health-related information
- Processing billing and payments
- Coordinating referrals, specialist consultations, laboratory services, and other healthcare requirements
- Improving the quality, safety, and efficiency of our services
- Responding to enquiries, complaints, or feedback
- Sending information about hospital services, health camps, awareness programmes, or new facilities
- Meeting statutory, regulatory, legal, and public-health reporting requirements
- Recruitment, employment, training, and administrative purposes
Promotional communication will be undertaken in accordance with applicable consent and communication requirements.
4. Medical Confidentiality
Royal Hospital respects the confidentiality of all patient information.
Medical records, investigation results, consultation details, and other sensitive health information will be accessed only by authorised persons who require such information for legitimate healthcare, administrative, legal, or operational purposes.
Hospital staff, doctors, consultants, and authorised personnel are required to maintain confidentiality regarding patient information.
5. Data Protection and Security
Royal Hospital takes reasonable administrative, technical, and organisational measures to protect personal and medical information against unauthorised access, misuse, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
These measures may include:
- Restricted access to patient and hospital information
- Password-protected digital systems
- Appropriate storage and backup procedures
- Access controls based on job responsibilities
- Staff confidentiality requirements
- Periodic review of information-security practices
- Training and awareness regarding patient privacy and data protection
While reasonable safeguards are maintained, no physical or electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely free from security risks.
6. Sharing of Information
Royal Hospital does not sell or unnecessarily disclose personal or medical information to third parties.
Information may be shared only where reasonably necessary.
Healthcare Providers
Relevant medical information may be shared with treating doctors, specialists, referral hospitals, diagnostic centres, laboratories, pharmacies, or other healthcare providers when required for continuity of patient care.
Authorised Service Providers
Certain information may be shared with authorised service providers assisting the hospital with software, billing, communication, data storage, laboratory support, or other operational services, subject to appropriate confidentiality requirements.
Legal and Regulatory Authorities
Information may be disclosed where required by law, court order, government authority, regulatory agency, law-enforcement agency, or public-health authority.
This may include statutory reporting requirements relating to notifiable diseases or other legally mandated disclosures.
Emergency Situations
Information may be disclosed where reasonably necessary to protect the life, health, safety, or vital interests of a patient or another person.
7. Retention of Information
Personal and medical information will be retained for such period as may be necessary for patient care, hospital administration, legal compliance, medical-record requirements, dispute resolution, or other legitimate purposes.
Records will be disposed of or deleted in accordance with applicable legal requirements and hospital policies.
8. Website and Digital Services
When you use the Royal Hospital website or other digital services, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as device information, browser information, IP address, website activity, or similar information.
Such information may be used for website security, troubleshooting, performance monitoring, service improvement, and analytics.
Royal Hospital is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or external links that may be accessible through our website.
9. Children's Information
Where healthcare services are provided to children or minors, personal and medical information may be collected from or with the involvement of a parent, guardian, or legally authorised representative, as appropriate.
Such information will be handled with appropriate confidentiality and care.
10. Patient Rights and Requests
Subject to applicable law and hospital policy, patients may contact Royal Hospital regarding:
- Correction of inaccurate personal information
- Clarification regarding the use of their information
- Concerns regarding privacy or confidentiality
- Requests relating to communication preferences
- Access to medical information where legally and medically appropriate
Certain information may need to be retained even after a request for deletion or withdrawal where retention is required for medical, statutory, contractual, or legal purposes.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Royal Hospital may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in hospital services, technology, operational practices, or applicable laws and regulations.
The latest version of the Privacy Policy will be made available through the hospital website, hospital premises, or other appropriate communication channels.
12. Contact Us
For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of personal information, please contact:
Royal Hospital
Ekarool, Unnikulam, Kozhikode, Kerala
Phone: 0496 2646501
Mobile: 95266 46501 | 62356 46501
Acknowledgment
By providing your information to Royal Hospital or using our healthcare, website, appointment, or related services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Your information will be handled only for legitimate healthcare, administrative, operational, legal, and related purposes in accordance with applicable requirements.