1. Introduction
Rahlogo Physiotherapy ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This policy explains what personal information we collect through our website, telephone, WhatsApp and in-clinic interactions, why we collect it, and the rights you have over it, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").
This policy applies to visitors of rahlogophysiotherapy.co.za and to patients of our physiotherapy clinic at 47 Rissik Street, Polokwane Central, Limpopo.
2. Our Information Officer
In terms of POPIA, every organisation that processes personal information must designate an Information Officer responsible for compliance.
Email: info@rahlogophysiotherapy.co.za
Telephone: +27 (64) 544 5116
Address: 47 Rissik Street, Polokwane Central, Limpopo, 0700, South Africa
3. Personal information we collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
- Contact details: name, surname, phone number, email address, physical address.
- Booking and enquiry details: information you submit through our contact form, WhatsApp, phone or email, including the service you're enquiring about and your message.
- Patient and medical information: if you become a patient, your medical history, diagnosis, treatment notes, referral letters and billing information, collected directly from you or your referring practitioner.
- Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information and pages visited, collected automatically via cookies and similar technologies (see Section 8).
4. Special personal information (health data)
Health information is classified as "special personal information" under POPIA and receives a higher level of protection. We only process your health information:
- for the purposes of providing physiotherapy assessment, treatment and rehabilitation;
- to prepare medico-legal or referral reports at your request or your legal representative's request;
- with your explicit consent, given when you become a patient or request our services; and
- where processing is necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim, or for the proper treatment and care of patients in the public interest, as permitted under POPIA section 32.
5. How we use your information
- To respond to enquiries and book, confirm or manage appointments (including via WhatsApp and phone).
- To provide physiotherapy assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and related clinical care.
- To prepare medico-legal, insurance or medical aid reports and claims where instructed.
- To send appointment reminders and, where you have consented, relevant updates about our services.
- To maintain accurate clinical and billing records as required by our professional and legal obligations.
- To improve our website and services, and to understand how visitors use our site (see Section 8).
- To comply with legal, regulatory and professional body requirements (e.g. the Health Professions Council of South Africa).
6. Our lawful basis for processing
We only process personal information where at least one of the following applies: you have consented; processing is necessary to perform a contract with you (e.g. providing treatment you've requested); processing is required to comply with a legal obligation; or processing is necessary to protect a legitimate interest of yours or ours, in a way that does not unreasonably intrude on your privacy.
7. Sharing and disclosure
We do not sell your personal information. We may share it, only where necessary, with:
- Medical aid schemes and administrators, for billing and claims purposes;
- Referring or co-treating healthcare practitioners involved in your care;
- Legal representatives, insurers or courts, where you have requested a medico-legal report or where required by law;
- Service providers who support our operations (e.g. website hosting, appointment/WhatsApp messaging, email), who are contractually required to protect your information; and
- Regulators or authorities, where required by law.
8. Cookies and website analytics
Our website uses cookies to operate correctly, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use the site. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie settings banner on our site, or through your browser settings. See the cookie banner for a breakdown of Necessary, Analytics, Marketing and Preference cookies we use.
9. Security safeguards
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, interference, modification or disclosure, including restricted access to patient records, secure storage of clinical files, and security controls on our website (including HTTPS encryption).
10. Data retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Clinical records are generally retained in line with the record-keeping requirements of the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Website enquiry data that does not result in a patient relationship is retained only as long as reasonably needed to respond to your enquiry, unless you ask us to delete it sooner.
11. Cross-border transfers
Some third-party service providers we use (for example, cloud hosting, email or messaging tools) may process data outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient is subject to a level of data protection that is substantially similar to POPIA, or that appropriate safeguards are in place.
12. Your rights as a data subject
Under POPIA, you have the right to:
- be notified that your personal information is being collected;
- access the personal information we hold about you;
- request correction, updating or deletion of your personal information;
- object to the processing of your personal information, on reasonable grounds;
- withdraw consent, where processing is based on consent (this does not affect processing already carried out);
- not be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing that significantly affects you; and
- lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (see Section 14).
To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer using the details in Section 2. We will respond within a reasonable time and in accordance with POPIA.
13. Children's information
Where we treat a minor patient, personal information is processed with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, in accordance with POPIA's requirements for the processing of children's personal information.
14. Complaints and the Information Regulator
If you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with POPIA, please contact our Information Officer first so we can try to resolve it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint directly with South Africa's Information Regulator:
Email: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za / complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
Website: inforegulator.org.za
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised.
16. Contact us
For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, contact us at:
Rahlogo Physiotherapy
47 Rissik Street, Polokwane Central, Limpopo, 0700, South Africa
Phone: +27 (64) 544 5116
Email: info@rahlogophysiotherapy.co.za