Sign in Subscribe

POPIA (Personal Protection Of information Act) and Anaesthesia Care

Last updated on 

What is POPIA?

This is a data protection law that governs how your personal information, including medical information, must be handled. It ensures your privacy rights are protected throughout your healthcare journey. 

If you have questions on how your information is handled during anaesthesia care, you may engage your anaesthesiologist. You have the right to file a complaint with the information regulator if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

How does POPIA protect you during Anaesthesia Care: 

Your rights: 

  • You have the right to know what personal and medical information is collected about you. 
  • You can request access to your anaesthesia records and medical information
  • You may request corrections to any inaccurate information
  • You have the right to know who has access to your information

What Information we collect:

  • Medical history relevant to anaesthesia (allergies, previous surgeries, medications)
  • Vital signs and monitoring data during surgery
  • Anaesthesia records and medication administration
  • Recovery room observations

How we protect your information: 

  • Only authorised healthcare professionals involved in your care can access your information
  • Information is stored securely with appropriate safeguards
  • We only share information with other healthcare providers when necessary for your treatment
  • Your consent is required before sharing information with third parties (except in emergencies)

Consent and your control:

  • You’ll be asked to provide informed consent for data processing
  • You can withdraw consent at any time (though this may affect your care)
  • Emergency situations may require data processing without explicit consent to protect your life. 

Our responsibilities:

  • We must keep your information accurate and up to date
  • Information is only kept as long as necessary for your care and legal requirements
  • We must report any data breaches that could affect you
  • We provide clear information about how your data is used. 

Our adherence to POPIA ensures the right level of transparency whilst maintaining the highest standards of medical care and your safety.