Data Protection and Security Policy

Introduction

This Data Protection and Security Policy outlines the procedures and guidelines that our Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK) follows to ensure the protection and security of all patient data. The policy sets out our commitment to complying with all applicable laws and regulations related to data protection and security, including the UAE Data Protection Law.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and third-party vendors who have access to patient data in the course of their work for the Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK).

Definitions

In this policy, the following terms have the meanings given below:

• Patient data: any information that identifies or could be used to identify a patient, including but not limited to medical records, test results, diagnoses, treatments, and prescriptions.
• Authorized personnel: employees, contractors, and third-party vendors who have a legitimate need to access patient data in the course of their work for the Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK).
• Third-party vendors: any external entity that provides services to the Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK), including but not limited to IT vendors, software vendors, and cloud service providers.

1. Data Protection Principles

The Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK) is committed to the following principles regarding patient data protection:

• Patient data will only be collected for legitimate purposes, and patients will be informed of the purposes for which their data is being collected. We will only collect data that is necessary for the provision of medical services and the fulfillment of legal and regulatory requirements.
• Patient data will only be used for the purposes for which it was collected unless the patient has given their explicit consent for it to be used for other purposes. We will not use patient data for marketing or research purposes without the patient's explicit consent.
• Patient data will be accurate and up to date. We will make every effort to ensure that patient data is accurate and up to date and will correct any errors as soon as they are identified.
• Patient data will be protected against unauthorized access, theft, or loss. We will implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure the security of patient data, including access controls, encryption, backups, and security training for all authorized personnel.
• Patient data will only be disclosed to authorized personnel unless the patient has given their explicit consent for it to be disclosed to others. We will not disclose patient data to third parties unless it is necessary for the provision of medical services or required by law.
• Patient data will be retained only for as long as necessary and will be securely destroyed when no longer needed. We will establish retention periods for patient data based on legal and regulatory requirements and will securely destroy data when the retention period has expired.

2. Data Access and Security

• Access to patient data will be restricted to authorized personnel only. All authorized personnel must sign a confidentiality agreement, which will include an acknowledgment of the Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK)'s data protection and security policy.
• We will implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure the security of patient data, including:
• Access controls, such as passwords and role-based access control, to ensure that patient data is only accessed by authorized personnel.
• Encryption of sensitive data, such as medical records and test results, to ensure that it cannot be read or accessed by unauthorized personnel.
• Regular backups of data, to ensure that patient data is not lost in the event of a system failure or other unforeseen event.
• Security training for all authorized personnel, to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities for data protection and security and understand how to comply with the Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK)'s policies and procedures.

3. Data Breach Notification

• In the event of a data breach that affects patient data, the Farnek General Clinic (MEDTEK) will take the following steps:
• Immediately notify all affected patients of the breach. We will provide a clear and concise explanation of the