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Privacy Policy

SABA MEDICAL CENTER

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

PRIVACY POLICY

sabamedicalcenter.com

Effective Date: [21/01/2021]   |   Last Updated: [14/07/2026]

1. Introduction

Saba Medical Center (“Saba Medical Center,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a licensed healthcare facility operating in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal data and health data that we obtain through our website, sabamedicalcenter.com (the “Website”), and through your interactions with our clinic, including appointment booking, patient inquiries, and related services.

This Policy is designed to be consistent with the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (the “PDPL”), Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 Concerning the Use of Information and Communication Technology in the Health Fields, and the applicable standards and regulations issued by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (“DOH”). Saba Pharmacy, as an affiliated entity, may process data under the same principles set out in this Policy where relevant to pharmacy services.

By using the Website or our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy. Where required by law, we will obtain your explicit consent before collecting or processing sensitive personal data, including health data.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to personal data collected:

  • Through the Website, including contact forms, appointment requests, and newsletter sign-ups.
  • During in-person or telephone interactions related to registration, consultations, treatment, billing, and pharmacy services.
  • Through cookies and similar tracking technologies used on the Website.
  • From third parties such as insurance providers, referring physicians, and diagnostic laboratories, where necessary for your care.

This Policy does not apply to third-party websites that may be linked from our Website; those sites are governed by their own privacy policies.

3. Information We Collect

     3.1 Personal Data You Provide

  • Identification details: full name, Emirates ID number or passport number, date of birth, gender, and nationality.
  • Contact details: phone number, email address, residential address.
  • Insurance and billing information: insurer name, policy number, and payment details.
  • Appointment and inquiry details submitted through Website forms.

     3.2 Health Data

As a medical facility, we may collect sensitive health data necessary to provide care, including medical history, symptoms, diagnoses, treatment records, prescriptions, laboratory and diagnostic results, and other information generated during your visits. Health data is treated as a special category of personal data and is subject to heightened confidentiality and security safeguards under DOH regulations and the PDPL.

     3.3 Automatically Collected Data

  • Device and usage information, such as IP address, browser type, operating system, and pages visited.
  • Cookies and similar technologies, described further in Section 8.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use personal data and health data for the following purposes:

  • Provision of care: to schedule appointments, deliver medical and pharmacy services, and maintain accurate patient records.
  • Communication: to respond to inquiries, send appointment reminders, and provide follow-up care information.
  • Billing and insurance: to process payments and coordinate with insurance providers.
  • Legal and regulatory compliance: to meet obligations under DOH regulations, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention requirements, and other applicable laws.
  • Website functionality and improvement: to operate, secure, and improve the Website and analyze usage trends.
  • Marketing (optional): to send updates about our services where you have opted in, with the ability to unsubscribe at any time.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data on one or more of the following legal bases recognized under the PDPL:

  • Your explicit consent, particularly for the processing of health data and for optional marketing communications.
  • Performance of a contract, such as providing medical or pharmacy services you have requested.
  • Compliance with a legal obligation, including DOH clinical and record-keeping requirements.
  • Protection of vital interests, in emergency medical situations.
  • Our legitimate interests in operating and improving our facility and Website, provided these do not override your rights.

6. Confidentiality of Medical Records

Patient medical records are maintained in accordance with DOH standards on medical records and patient confidentiality. Access to medical records is restricted to authorized clinical and administrative staff on a need-to-know basis. We do not disclose health data to third parties without your consent, except where disclosure is required or permitted by law, such as:

  • Reporting notifiable diseases or events to DOH or other UAE health authorities.
  • Responding to a valid court order, subpoena, or request from a competent UAE authority.
  • Sharing with insurance providers for claims processing, with your authorization.
  • Coordinating care with other treating physicians or facilities involved in your treatment.

7. How We Share Information

We may share personal data with:

  • Healthcare providers: physicians, laboratories, and diagnostic centers involved in your care.
  • Insurance companies and third-party payers: for claims processing and pre-authorization.
  • Regulatory authorities: including DOH, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, and other competent UAE bodies, as required by law.
  • Service providers: such as IT hosting, appointment scheduling, and billing vendors, who are contractually bound to protect your data.
  • Legal and professional advisors: where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

We do not sell personal data or health data to third parties for marketing purposes.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The Website uses cookies and similar technologies to enable core functionality, remember preferences, and analyze traffic. Categories of cookies used may include:

  • Strictly necessary cookies: required for the Website to function properly.
  • Analytics cookies: used to understand how visitors interact with the Website so that we can improve it.
  • Functional cookies: used to remember your preferences, such as language settings.

You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling certain cookies may affect Website functionality.

9. Data Security

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal data and health data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include access controls, encryption where appropriate, staff confidentiality obligations, and secure storage of physical and electronic medical records, consistent with DOH information security requirements.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data and medical records for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including the minimum retention periods mandated by DOH and other applicable UAE regulations for medical records. Once the retention period expires, data is securely destroyed or anonymized, unless further retention is required by law.

11. Your Rights

Subject to the exceptions and conditions set out in the PDPL, you may have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal data we hold about you.
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Request erasure of your data, where legally permissible (note that medical records are generally subject to mandatory retention periods).
  • Withdraw consent for optional processing activities, such as marketing communications, at any time.
  • Object to or restrict certain processing activities, where applicable.
  • Lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office or the relevant competent authority.

To exercise any of these rights, please get in touch with us using the details in Section 15. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

12. International Data Transfers

Personal data is generally stored and processed within the United Arab Emirates. If data must be transferred outside the UAE (for example, to a cloud service provider), we will take appropriate measures to ensure an adequate level of protection, consistent with PDPL requirements on cross-border data transfers.

13. Children’s Privacy

We may process health data relating to minors where a parent or legal guardian has provided consent and is involved in the child’s care, in accordance with standard pediatric care practices. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors through the Website independent of a parent or guardian’s involvement.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy indicates when it was last revised. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is handled, please contact us.

Saba Medical Center

CONTACT