Website Usage and Privacy Information
Privacy Policy
Medshield Medical Scheme respects
the privacy of the user and is committed to protect such information as may be
subject to the protection under law (“Protected Information”) that may be
shared with us through this website. By using this website and transmitting
information through the website, you (being the user) understand that while the
Scheme shall take every reasonable precaution to ensure that Protected
Information remains protected, that there are inherent risks associated with
the transmission of such information, and that you do so subject to the terms
and conditions contained on this website, and fully aware of such risks. Without derogating from the generality thereof,
information may be accessed without the necessary authority in the event that
systems are compromised through the use of viruses, hacking incursions, and
other illicit means of obtaining such data, which may be beyond the control of
the Scheme, the contracted service administrator, the website administrator,
its officers, directors, employees, consultants, agents and contractors. You hereby agree that where such information
is accessed or disclosed through such unauthorised means, the Scheme, shall not
be held liable for any such unauthorised disclosure of any such information,
including the Protected Information.
The Scheme also created a mobile
app which is downloadable from various app stores. The use of the app shall be subject to these
and any other applicable terms and conditions as advised by the Scheme from
time to time.
The use of the Scheme’s website
and other digital platforms, and the provisions specifically pertaining to the
sharing of Protected Information, and information in general, shall be subject
to the terms and conditions.
Access to certain web pages, or
the usage of certain apps, requires a login name and password. The personal
information which is gathered pursuant to your use of the Medshield Medical
Scheme website or mobile apps or other
digital platforms, may be retained by the Scheme to verify compliance with the
agreement, log software licenses granted to track software downloads from those
pages, or track the usage of other application available on those pages, or for
any other purpose to enable access or share such Protected Information as may
be necessary and for the Scheme or its authorised service providers to be able
to render the services, subject to such rights that an individual may have
under law to request the deletion of such information.
By using this website, you
consent thereto that personal information may be collected where necessary,
provided that Medshield will not transfer personal information to a third party
without the user’s explicit consent. By sharing your Protected Information on
this website, you consent that the Protected Information may be shared where
such sharing is lawful and under those lawful provisions.
Cookies and tracking
A cookie is a small data file
that allows certain websites to write to the user’s hard drive when visited. A
cookie file can contain information such as a user IP that the site uses to
track the pages visited, but the only personal information a cookie can contain
is information supplied by the user. A cookie cannot read data off your hard
disk or read cookie files created by the other sites. In order to determine the
usefulness of our website information to our users and see how effective our
navigational structure is in helping users reach that information some parts of
the website uses cookies to track user traffic patterns.
Insofar as Protected Information
is concerned, such information shall only be shared with authorised service
providers insofar as required to render services to the user, and if these
comprise of health records, then only between those healthcare professionals as
may be authorised by the user from time to time.
Protection of your personal information
Your account information is
password-protected for your privacy and security. Medshield safeguards the
security of the data received, whether it is by physical, electronic and
managerial procedures.
In certain areas of the website, the
Scheme uses industry standard encryption to enhance the security of data
transmission. Similar precautions are taken in respect of mobile apps and other
digital platforms where appropriate.
While striving to protect Protected Information, Medshield cannot
guarantee the security of the information transmitted and users are urged to
take every precaution to protect all data transmitted to or accessed from the
website.
Medshield Medical Scheme will
accept no liability for any unauthorised interception of any information,
including without limitation, where the user’s IT infrastructure or device has
been compromised in any way, or where the user provides sensitive login information
or passwords to third parties, or otherwise where the unauthorised interception
has occurred due to the fault or negligence of the user.
Sharing of information
Protected Information of users
that is collected on the website may be shared with companies and/or person
affiliated, associated and in business with Medshield, irrespective of their
location in the world, except for personal information which is protected under
the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI), which may only be shared or
disclosed as may be permitted under POPI.
All data is stored within
controlled servers where access is limited. Personal information may be stored
and processed in South Africa or any other country where Medshield, its
partners, affiliates or agents are located, provided that those other countries
have legislation protecting the personal information at least the same level as
contemplated by POPI.
Medshield may send personal
information to other companies or people under any of the following
circumstances:
- when consent has been obtained to share the
information;
- when the Scheme is required to provide
information to the user in respect of products or service requested by the
user;
- when Medshield is required to send the
information to service providers to provide a product or service to the user
(we will only provide the information if the service provider needs to deliver
the service and the information shall only be shared for such particular
purpose and on the strict understanding that they are prohibited from using the
information for any other purpose);
- when Medshield is requested to keep the user up
to date on the latest announcements, updates, special offers or other
information we think you would like to hear about either from us or our
business partners (unless you have opted out of these types of communication);
- personal information will be disclosed if it is
required by law to do so;
- to enable us to enforce our Terms and Conditions
of Use;
- in urgent circumstances in order to protect
personal safety, public safety or where the integrity of our website may be
compromised.
Children and privacy
The Medshield Medical Scheme digital
platforms are not intended for use by children under the age of 13 years. The Scheme
does not knowingly solicit personal information from children under the age of
13 years or knowingly send requests for personal information.
Where a child dependent uses the
website, the mobile app or any other digital channel, and it is not apparent
that the child is under the age of 13, the Scheme will in good faith process,
utilize, store and share the information unless otherwise notified, or it
subsequently becomes apparent that the child is under the age of 13. Medshield shall not have the obligation to
verify the veracity of any information submitted to it.
Third party websites
Medshield’s website contains web
links to other websites, does not share personal information with those
websites, and is not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage all
users to learn about the privacy policy of third party companies prior to
following such links.
Should the user leave the Medshield
Medical Scheme website, whether through the utilization of such a link or
otherwise, the Scheme shall not be held responsible for any harm, which the
user may suffer by accessing any information outside of the specific website.
The Scheme website may contain
links to websites operated by other companies. Some of these third party sites
may be co-branded with the Medshield logo, even though they are not operated or
maintained by the Scheme. Although business partners are carefully selected, Medshield
is not responsible for the privacy practices of websites operated by third
parties that are linked to the Scheme’s website. Once the user has left our
website, or any other digital channel maintained by Medshield, the user should
be aware of the applicable privacy policy of the third party website to
determine how they handle the information they collect from the user.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Medshield reserves the right to
amend this policy and the terms and conditions from time to time. Any material
change in the way we use or protect the Protected Information will be noted on
the website, or otherwise communicated to the user as may be reasonably
expedient, and the user will have the option of reviewing such amendment prior
to proceeding to use this website, the mobile app or any other affected digital
platform.