Privacy Policy

Shaista Medical Center ("DSMC", "we", "our", or "us"), located at A-23, Block-A, Indus Mehran Society, Karachi, Pakistan, is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of every patient and website visitor. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal and medical information.

By using our website (dsmc.com.pk) or our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy. Please read it carefully.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you use our website forms, contact us, or register as a patient, we may collect:

• Full name, gender, date of birth
• Contact information: phone number, email address, residential address
• Appointment details: preferred date, time, department, and doctor
• Medical information voluntarily shared in messages or forms
• Any other information you choose to provide

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information:

• IP address and geographic location (city/country level)
• Browser type, version, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent, and navigation paths
• Referring website or search query
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

1.3 Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. These include:

• Session cookies: Temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser, used for form security (spam prevention).
• Analytics cookies: Google Analytics (GA4) cookies that help us understand website traffic and user behavior anonymously. These are governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

You can disable cookies through your browser settings; however, some website features may not function correctly without them.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To schedule, confirm, and manage your appointments
• To send appointment reminders and follow-up communications
• To respond to your inquiries and provide patient support
• To improve our website, services, and patient experience
• To analyze website usage statistics via Google Analytics
• To prevent spam, fraud, and unauthorized access
• To comply with applicable laws and medical regulations in Pakistan

3. Medical Information and Patient Confidentiality

We treat all patient medical information with the strictest confidentiality. Medical records and health-related information are:

• Accessible only to authorized medical staff directly involved in your care
• Never sold, rented, or disclosed to third parties for commercial purposes
• Stored securely and protected from unauthorized access
• Shared with other healthcare providers only when necessary for your treatment and with your knowledge

Information shared in website forms (appointment requests, contact messages) is treated as private and used only for the stated purpose.

4. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Medical care: With other treating physicians, specialists, or hospitals when required for your healthcare
• Legal obligation: When required by law, court order, or government authority in Pakistan
• Service providers: With trusted technical service providers (web hosting, email services) who are contractually bound to maintain confidentiality
• Emergency: In situations involving immediate risk to life or safety

5. Google Analytics

Our website uses Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymized data about website usage. Google Analytics uses cookies to track user interactions. The data collected includes anonymized IP addresses, page views, session duration, and traffic sources. This information helps us improve our website and better serve our patients.

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission on our website
• Server-side input validation and sanitization to prevent attacks
• Session-based rate limiting to prevent abuse of our forms
• Restricted access to patient data on a need-to-know basis
• Regular review of our security practices

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our medical services and maintain patient records
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements in Pakistan
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Website form submissions (appointment requests, contact messages) may be retained for up to 12 months for administrative purposes. Medical records are retained as required by applicable healthcare regulations.

8. Children's Privacy

Our website is accessible to all ages, including parents seeking pediatric care. When information is submitted on behalf of a minor (under 18 years of age), it must be provided by a parent or legal guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without parental consent.

9. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal and medical record retention requirements)
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing or promotional communications at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 11 below.

10. External Links

Our website may contain links to external websites (such as our Facebook page or Google Maps). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any site you visit.

11. Contact Us About Privacy

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

12. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.