Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy outlines the practices of the medical practice of Dr. Susan F. Johnson, Specialist Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, regarding the collection, processing, storage, and security of personal information collected through our website and digital intake systems.

Our practice operates under the regulations of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), No. 4 of 2013, the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), No. 2 of 2000, and the ethical rules established by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information to provide you with secure, professional medical consulting services. This data is collected when you request a consultation online, email us, or fill out paper forms in our Umhlanga office.

Categories of captured data include:

• Contact Coordinates: First name, last name, email address, and telephone numbers.
• Intake Interest: The category of clinical procedure you are inquiring about.
• Clinical Context: Any specific notes, goals, or health-related comments you choose to include in your message, which may constitute sensitive "special personal information" under POPIA.
• Technical Data: Anonymized standard server log data (such as IP address, browser type, and navigation paths) to maintain site integrity and security.

2. Purpose of Collection and Processing

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

• To respond to your booking requests and coordinate your consulting appointment.
• To allow the practice coordinator (Caroline Morgan) to communicate clinical prep guidelines, hospital details, and consult fees.
• To prepare your patient record profile within our secure clinical management systems.
• To comply with legal, statutory, and ethical record-keeping requirements mandated by the HPCSA and South African medical law.

3. Safeguarding and Storing Your Data

Our practice implements rigorous technical, organizational, and physical security measures to insulate personal information from unauthorized access, leakage, loss, or alteration:

• All digital contact information transmitted through our online portal is secured using SSL/TLS encryption.
• In-office databases and patient profiles are hosted on secure, password-protected systems accessible only to authorized staff (Dr. Johnson and her practice manager).
• Physical documents and paper files inside our KZN Day Clinic consulting suites are locked in secured medical archives.

4. Third-Party Sharing and Disclosures

We do not sell, rent, or lease patient contact details or medical profiles to third parties. We will only share personal or clinical details with third parties when:

• It is necessary to coordinate your clinical treatment pathway (e.g. sharing details with KZN Day Clinic bookings, specialist anesthesiologists, pathology labs, or surgical assistants).
• It is requested by your medical aid scheme for pre-authorization purposes (with your consent).
• We are legally obligated to disclose information under South African law, court orders, or health regulatory mandates.

5. Medical Record Retention

Under HPCSA guidelines, medical practices are legally required to retain clinical and patient records for a minimum of six (6) years from the date they become inactive. In the case of children (minors), files are retained until the patient reaches the age of 21. Personal information collected strictly for general non-patient inquiries will be deleted once the communication concludes and it is clear no clinical appointment will be scheduled.

6. Your Rights Under POPIA

You hold specific statutory rights regarding your personal information, which include:

• Access: The right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: The right to request that we update, correct, or complete inaccurate information.
• Objection: The right to object to the processing of your data under certain circumstances.
• Deletion: The right to request the destruction of personal data (subject to our statutory obligations under the HPCSA to retain medical history records).

7. Contact Information of the Practice

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights under POPIA, or need to contact our Information Officer, please coordinate with our suites:

Information Officer	Dr. Susan F. Johnson
Practice Manager	Caroline Morgan
Physical Location	KZN Day Clinic / Ingenuity House 2nd Floor, 325 Umhlanga Rocks Drive, Umhlanga, 4319
Practice Email	Drsusanjohnson@workmail.co.za
Practice Phone	+27 31 880 0470