Privacy Policy

SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (SWU MC) cares about you and your safety. We are committed to provide you with quality healthcare services, and part of our commitment is to uphold your right to privacy and protect your personal information in accordance with the Republic Act 10173
also known as Data Privacy Act of 2012.

It is your right to be informed how SWU Medical Center collects and uses your health information. This privacy notice describes how we process and protect your personal information. This notice applies to all your health information — whether written or electronic, made by the hospital, your attending physician, and any member of your healthcare team. 

What personal data do we collect from you? 

Our doctors, nurses, medical allied professionals, and other members of healthcare team who are taking care of you will collect, document, use and store your personal information and health information to ensure that you will be given the highest possible quality of patient care that you deserve. These personal information and health information may include the following:

• Basic personal information, such as but not limited to your name, address, date of birth, sex, religious
  affiliation, contact information, occupation, marital status, citizenship
• Relevant contact information of relatives, guardian, or next of kin
• Chief Complaint
• Attending physician or family physician
• Medical history (such as, but not limited to, date of previous admission, existing illness, medication
  intake)
• Vital signs (Blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate)
• Copy of result of x-rays, scans and laboratory tests
• Other information as necessary

It is important that we collect accurate, and timely information about you in both electronic and paper-based records. If you feel that some of the information we collect is not necessary, please feel free to ask any of our healthcare team or your interviewer so that they can explain to you why the information is important. Our hospital is also equipped with CCTV camera to help us ensure safety and security of the patients, its employees and the establishment. 

Why do we collect personal data about you?

1. For Medical Treatment. When providing patient care and medical treatment we collect your personal data to help us understand your current health status and to assist us in maintaining a record of the care and other services that you have received from this hospital and the healthcare team. The medical record is important for better coordination between members of the healthcare team involved in your management. This will also allow continuity of care in case you follow up in our institution. For this purpose, Republic Act 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, allows us to maintain these records. We have also been authorized under existing laws to collect, use, disclose and store your health information even without your consent in cases of emergency, where necessary to protect your life and health, or to protect the life and health of another person.
2. For Reporting Requirements. Information about diseases and other conditions may be reported to the Department of Health or other agencies, as authorized by laws and regulations. Your health information will also be disclosed to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as provided by law.
3. For Processing of Admission, Billing and Claims. Your information may be used and disclosed to process your hospital bill, and if applicable, we will be providing to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, social welfare agency, and/or your insurance company the necessary information to facilitate reimbursement of the hospital bill.
4. For Historical, Statistical, or Scientific Purpose. Your information may be used to generate data that would help this hospital to enhance our
   services.

We will be obtaining an informed consent from you or your authorized representative whenever we use your personal data for other purposes not stated above, such as trainings, researches, and direct marketing.

Do we share your personal data to other institution or organization?

Yes, there are instances that we share your personal data to government agencies which lawfully collects information. For instance, the Department of Health requires to submit relevant personal information of our patients with specific non-communicable and/or communicable disease, injuries, etc., for disease surveillance and monitoring. We will also share your personal information when ordered to do so by a court and other lawful public authority, and other similar process.

What are your RIGHTS as the data subject?
As our valued client, you are entitled to the following rights as mandated by the Data Privacy Act of 2012:

A. You have the right to be informed. You have the right to be informed on how we process the personal data that we collect and store about you. If you have concerns on how we collect, share, store, secure your personal data, please feel free to ask our data protection officer.
B. You have the right to reasonable access to your personal data, upon demand. You may ask our Medical Records Section for contents of your medical records, sources of how we obtain your personal data, name and address of the recipients of personal data, reason for the disclosure of the personal data, date when your personal data was last accessed and/or modified, and identity of those who have controls over the processing of your
personal data. If you want to access your health information, you may request our Medical Records Department by providing the following:

1. Your written request
2. Government Issued Identification Cards
3. Authorization letter and/or Special Power of Attorney, for representatives
4. Receipt of payment/s

The medical records personnel will inform you when you may pick up your medical abstract. You have the right to dispute the inaccuracy or error on the medical record. If you feel that there is inaccuracy or error on how we interpret, record, or modify your personal data, you may request for correction to our Medical Records Section. Provided, that sufficient evidences are presented to support the claim.
C. You have the right to object, suspend, withdraw, or order blocking, removal or destruction of your personal data from the filing system. You have the right to retract the consent that we have obtain from you that would allow us to include your personal data in our trainings, researchers, and other
processing system not covered by the medical treatment process or any law.
D. You have the right to be indemnified for any damages. If you feel that you have sustained any damages due to our negligence in handling your personal data, you may file a complaint to the National Privacy Commission.
E. Transmissibility of your Rights upon death or incapacity, your Rights may be transferred to your lawful heirs.

How do we secure your personal data?
We store your personal data in our Medical Records Section equipped with 24-hour surveillance camera in both paper base and electronic format, where information about you is accessible to authorized personnel only. We store your personal data in accordance with period provided by the Department of Health for retention of medical records.

How can you contact us?
If you have any question, concerns or clarification about this notice or privacy policy, you may contact the
customer care official email address: swumedcustomerservice.swu@phinmaed.com