Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information and health information entrusted to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital , located in Al Umm Qwuain , United Arab Emirates, may collect, use, store, disclose and protect information relating to patients, prospective patients, website visitors and other individuals who interact with us.

This policy applies to information collected through:

• Our website, www.alliedmedicalcenter.net
• Online appointment and enquiry forms
• Email, telephone, SMS and approved messaging channels
• In-person visits to Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital
• Medical consultations, diagnostic services and treatment
• Patient registration, billing and insurance processes
• Other services or communication channels operated by Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital

This policy should be read together with any additional privacy notices, consent forms or patient-information documents provided in connection with a particular service.

2. Information We May Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital and the services you request.

2.1 Personal and contact information

We may collect information such as:

• Full name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Residential or mailing address
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Gender
• Preferred language
• Emergency-contact information
• Communication preferences

2.2 Identification and registration information

Where necessary for patient identification, registration, insurance, billing or legal compliance, we may collect:

• Emirates ID details
• Passport or other identification details
• Visa or residency information, where relevant
• Insurance-card and membership details
• Patient or medical-record numbers
• Copies of identification documents, where required

2.3 Health and medical information

When you receive healthcare services from Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital , we may collect and maintain information relevant to your care, including:

• Medical and family history
• Current and previous medical conditions
• Symptoms and clinical observations
• Allergies and medication information
• Consultation and examination notes
• Diagnoses and treatment plans
• Prescriptions
• Referrals and specialist reports
• Laboratory and pathology results
• Diagnostic images and reports, including MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-ray records
• Procedure and treatment records
• Follow-up and progress information
• Other information necessary for the safe and appropriate delivery of healthcare

Certain categories of medical information may require additional confidentiality or access controls under applicable laws, professional obligations or regulatory requirements.

2.4 Appointment and communication information

We may collect:

• Appointment requests and scheduling details
• Information included in enquiry forms
• Email and messaging correspondence
• Telephone-call details and notes
• Complaints, feedback and service requests
• Appointment reminder preferences

Please avoid sending detailed or highly sensitive medical information through ordinary email, public social-media channels or other communication methods that have not been designated for secure clinical communication.

2.5 Billing and insurance information

We may collect and process information required to administer accounts, payments and insurance claims, including:

• Billing information
• Insurance-provider and policy details
• Claim and pre-authorisation information
• Payment status
• Transaction references
• Information required to verify coverage or process claims

Payment-card information may be processed by an authorised payment-service provider. Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital does not necessarily store complete payment-card details on its own systems.

2.6 Website and technical information

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

• Internet Protocol address
• Browser and device type
• Operating system
• Date and time of access
• Pages viewed
• Referring and exit pages
• General website-interaction information
• Approximate location derived from an Internet Protocol address
• Cookie and similar technology information

This information may be used for website operation, security, diagnostics, performance measurement and service improvement.

2.7 Information provided by other parties

Where permitted, we may receive information from:

• Referring doctors and other healthcare providers
• Hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies or diagnostic providers
• Insurance companies and claims administrators
• A parent, guardian, family member or authorised representative
• Government or health authorities
• Employers or corporate-screening coordinators, where appropriate and authorised
• Service providers supporting our operations

3. How We Use Information

We may use personal and health information for purposes connected with the operation of Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital and the provision of healthcare.

3.1 Healthcare services

This may include:

• Registering and identifying patients
• Assessing a patient’s health needs
• Providing consultations, examinations, diagnoses and treatments
• Performing diagnostic tests and procedures
• Preparing medical and diagnostic reports
• Coordinating care between authorised healthcare professionals
• Communicating clinically relevant information
• Managing referrals
• Maintaining medical records
• Supporting continuity and safety of care

3.2 Appointments and patient communication

This may include:

• Scheduling and confirming appointments
• Sending appointment reminders
• Responding to enquiries
• Providing service-related updates
• Communicating results or follow-up instructions through appropriate channels
• Managing patient-service requests

3.3 Billing and insurance administration

This may include:

• Preparing invoices
• Processing payments
• Verifying insurance eligibility
• Requesting pre-authorisation
• Submitting and administering insurance claims
• Responding to billing or claims enquiries
• Preventing or investigating suspected fraud or misuse

3.4 Safety, quality and administration

This may include:

• Supporting clinical governance and patient safety
• Monitoring and improving the quality of services
• Conducting internal reviews and audits
• Training authorised personnel
• Maintaining and securing our systems
• Managing complaints and incidents
• Planning and administering medical-center operations

Where practicable and appropriate, information used for analysis, training or quality improvement may be aggregated, de-identified or otherwise protected.

3.5 Legal and regulatory purposes

We may process or disclose information where reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with applicable UAE laws and regulations
• Meet requirements of the Dubai Health Authority or another competent authority
• Fulfil professional and clinical-record obligations
• Respond to lawful requests, legal proceedings or court orders
• Report information where reporting is legally required
• Investigate complaints, incidents or legal claims
• Protect the rights, health or safety of patients, staff or others
• Prevent or investigate unlawful activity

3.6 Marketing communications

With your consent where required, we may send information about:

• Health-awareness material
• Preventive-health campaigns
• New or updated services
• Events or educational content
• Newsletters and general wellness information

You may withdraw your marketing consent or unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe method provided in the communication or by contacting us.

Withdrawing from marketing communications will not prevent us from sending necessary appointment, clinical, billing, safety or service-related messages.

4. Basis for Processing Information

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital may process information because:

• Processing is necessary to provide requested healthcare or related services
• Processing is necessary to take steps requested before providing a service
• Processing is required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations
• Processing is necessary to protect an individual’s vital interests or address an emergency
• Processing is necessary for legitimate healthcare, administrative, security or operational purposes, where permitted
• You have provided consent for a specific purpose
• Another lawful basis or exception applies under applicable law

Consent is not necessarily the only basis on which medical or administrative information may be processed. Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent, subject to legal, medical, regulatory and record-retention requirements.

5. Medical Confidentiality

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital treats health information as confidential.

Access to medical information is intended to be limited to authorised persons who require it for patient care, administration, regulatory compliance, security or another legitimate and permitted purpose.

Healthcare professionals and relevant members of staff are subject to confidentiality duties arising from professional standards, employment obligations, internal policies and applicable law.

We may disclose health information without separate consent where the disclosure is authorised or required by law, necessary for treatment or healthcare coordination, required for insurance or payment administration, necessary in an emergency, or otherwise permitted by applicable healthcare regulations.

6. Information Sharing

We do not sell personal or medical information.

We may share information only where reasonably necessary, permitted or required, including with the following categories of recipients.

6.1 Healthcare professionals and providers

Information may be shared with authorised healthcare providers involved in a patient’s care, such as:

• Treating doctors and clinical staff
• Referring doctors
• Specialists
• Hospitals
• Laboratories
• Pharmacies
• Diagnostic or treatment providers
• Emergency-care providers

Only information reasonably relevant to the purpose should be shared.

6.2 Insurance companies and payers

Information may be shared with insurers, claims administrators or other payers for purposes such as:

• Verifying eligibility and coverage
• Seeking pre-authorisation
• Submitting or reviewing claims
• Responding to payment enquiries
• Preventing or investigating suspected fraud

6.3 Regulators and public authorities

Information may be disclosed to the Dubai Health Authority, other health authorities, courts, law-enforcement bodies or government entities where the disclosure is legally required, authorised or necessary for public-health or regulatory purposes.

6.4 Service providers

We may use service providers that support functions such as:

• Medical-record and clinical systems
• Website and data hosting
• Information-technology support
• Cybersecurity
• Appointment administration
• Communications
• Payment processing
• Document storage
• Auditing and professional advice

Service providers are expected to handle information only for authorised purposes and in accordance with applicable contractual, confidentiality and security obligations.

6.5 Representatives and family members

We may communicate with a parent, legal guardian, authorised representative, caregiver or family member where:

• The patient has authorised the communication
• The person has lawful authority to act for the patient
• The disclosure is appropriate in an emergency
• The disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law

We may ask for identification or evidence of authority before releasing information.

6.6 Business changes

If Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital undergoes a restructuring, merger, acquisition, transfer of ownership or sale of relevant business assets, information may be transferred as part of that process where permitted by law and subject to appropriate confidentiality and data-protection measures.

7. Security of Information

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital uses reasonable and appropriate administrative, physical and technical measures intended to protect personal and health information against:

• Unauthorised access
• Unauthorised use or disclosure
• Accidental loss
• Improper alteration
• Destruction
• Misuse
• Other security threats

Depending on the system and circumstances, these measures may include:

No website, electronic communication or information-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital therefore does not make an absolute guarantee against every possible security incident.

Patients and website users should also take reasonable precautions, including protecting passwords, avoiding the use of shared accounts and using appropriate care when sending personal or medical information electronically.

8. Data Incidents

If Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital becomes aware of a personal-data or health-information incident, it will assess and manage the incident in accordance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements and internal procedures.

Where notification to an affected individual, the Dubai Health Authority, another regulator or another authority is legally required, notification will be made in the manner and within the period required by the applicable rule.

9. Retention of Information

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital retains information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and in accordance with applicable:

• Healthcare-record requirements
• Dubai Health Authority requirements
• Legal and regulatory obligations
• Insurance and billing requirements
• Limitation and dispute periods
• Clinical, safety and continuity-of-care needs
• Internal retention policies

Different types of records may be retained for different periods.

Medical records cannot always be deleted immediately upon request because healthcare providers may be legally or professionally required to retain them.

When information is no longer required, it may be securely deleted, destroyed, anonymised or archived in accordance with applicable requirements and operational procedures.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable law, identity verification and any relevant exceptions, you may have rights concerning your personal information.

10.1 Access

You may request information about the personal data held about you and, where permitted, request access to or copies of relevant records.

Access to medical records may be managed through applicable patient-record procedures and may be subject to legal, clinical or third-party confidentiality restrictions.

10.2 Correction

You may request the correction of personal information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.

Certain parts of a medical record, including professional opinions or historical entries, may need to be preserved as originally recorded. Where appropriate, a correction, clarification or supplementary note may be added instead of deleting the original entry.

10.3 Deletion

You may request deletion of certain personal information where the law permits.

Deletion may not be possible where information must be retained for healthcare, legal, regulatory, insurance, safety, dispute-resolution or other permitted purposes.

10.4 Restriction or objection

Where provided by applicable law, you may request that certain processing be restricted or may object to particular processing activities.

These rights may be limited where processing is necessary for medical care, legal compliance, public health, patient safety, claims administration or another lawful purpose.

10.5 Withdrawal of consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent.

Withdrawal will not affect processing that occurred lawfully before the withdrawal and may not affect processing that is required or permitted on another legal basis.

10.6 Marketing preferences

You may object to or opt out of direct marketing communications at any time.

10.7 Data transfer or copies

Where applicable and reasonably available, you may request that relevant information be provided to you or transferred to another authorised healthcare provider, subject to identity verification, technical feasibility, legal requirements and patient-safety considerations.

11. Requests Concerning Your Information

To submit a privacy request, please contact Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital using the contact information at the end of this policy.

We may need to verify your identity before processing a request. Where a request is made by another person, we may require evidence that the person is legally authorised to act on your behalf.

We will consider and respond to requests in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. A request may be refused or limited where an exception applies, including where fulfilling it could:

• Breach another person’s privacy
• Conflict with a legal or regulatory obligation
• Compromise patient safety
• Affect the integrity of a medical record
• Prejudice legal proceedings or claims
• Require disclosure of protected or confidential information

Where appropriate, we will explain the reason for any limitation or refusal.

12. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, security, preferences and performance analysis.

A cookie is a small data file placed on a browser or device when a website is visited.

12.1 Types of cookies

Depending on the website’s configuration, cookies may include:

• Essential cookies: These support core website functions, security, navigation and forms. Some website functions may not operate properly without them.
• Preference cookies: These remember choices such as language or display preferences.
• Analytics cookies: These help us understand how visitors use the website and identify opportunities to improve its performance.
• Advertising or campaign cookies: Where used and permitted, these may help measure campaigns or present relevant communications. Non-essential cookies should be used in accordance with applicable consent requirements.

12.2 Third-party content

Our website may contain third-party features such as maps, videos, analytics tools or links to external websites. Those third parties may process information in accordance with their own privacy and cookie notices.

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital is not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third-party websites. You should review their policies before providing information.

12.3 Managing cookies

You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Where a cookie-management tool is available on our website, you may also use that tool to manage non-essential cookies.

Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

The cookie categories and providers described on the website should reflect the technologies actually in use. Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital may update its cookie information when website tools or providers change.

13. International Processing and Transfers

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital operates in the United Arab Emirates.

Some information may be stored, accessed or processed outside the UAE where an authorised service provider, technology platform or recipient operates internationally.

Where personal or health information is transferred internationally, Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital will take steps intended to ensure that the transfer is permitted and appropriately protected in accordance with applicable UAE laws and health-data requirements.

The safeguards used will depend on the destination, recipient, type of information and applicable legal requirements.

14. Individuals Outside the UAE

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital primarily provides services in Al Umm Qwuain , United Arab Emirates.

Privacy laws in another country or region may apply in limited circumstances. Where Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital is legally required to comply with an additional privacy regime, it will handle relevant information and requests in accordance with the applicable requirements.

Nothing in this policy is intended to state that every foreign privacy law, including the General Data Protection Regulation, applies to all Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital activities or to every website visitor.

15. Children and Patients Requiring Representation

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital may provide healthcare services to children and other patients who require the involvement of a parent, guardian or legally authorised representative.

Where required, we may request appropriate consent or authorisation from a parent, guardian or representative before collecting information, providing non-emergency treatment or releasing records.

Information concerning children is handled with appropriate confidentiality and in accordance with applicable healthcare and legal requirements.

A parent’s or guardian’s ability to access a child’s information may be subject to:

• Verification of identity and legal authority
• The child’s age and circumstances
• Patient-safety considerations
• The confidentiality rights of other persons
• Applicable UAE laws and professional requirements

Our website is intended for use by adults or by minors under appropriate parental or guardian supervision. Children should not independently submit personal or medical information through the website without appropriate permission.

16. Research, Education and Quality Improvement

Where permitted, Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital may use information for approved quality-improvement, audit, education or research-related purposes.

Appropriate measures may include:

• Limiting access to authorised persons
• Removing or reducing identifying information
• Using aggregated or anonymised information
• Obtaining consent or approval where required
• Applying relevant ethical, legal and regulatory controls

We will not describe information as anonymous unless individuals can no longer reasonably be identified from it.

17. Automated Processing

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital does not intend to make decisions concerning patient care solely through automated processing without appropriate professional involvement, except where such processing is lawfully permitted and suitable safeguards are applied.

Digital systems may support administrative, diagnostic, scheduling, security or clinical processes, but healthcare decisions should be subject to appropriate professional review where required.

18. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Raheem Al Umm Qwuain Central Hospital may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in:

• Our services or operations
• Technology or security practices
• Legal or regulatory requirements
• Website functions
• Data-processing activities

The updated version will be published on our website with a revised “Last updated” date.

Where appropriate or legally required, we may provide additional notice of a material change.

Your information will be handled in accordance with the policy and legal requirements applicable to the relevant processing activity.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

19. Contact Us

For questions, concerns or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact:

Website: www.alliedmedicalcenter.net

Please include sufficient information for us to understand your enquiry. Do not include unnecessary medical details in an ordinary email.

If you have a concern about the handling of your information, we will review it and respond in accordance with applicable procedures and legal requirements. You may also have the right to raise a concern with the relevant UAE or Dubai regulatory authority.