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1. Introduction

Dr. Ankit Anand and GastroNova Clinic (“we”, “us”, or “our”), located in Jalandhar, Punjab, India, operate the website drankitanand.com. We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of every individual who visits our website or engages with our services.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and what rights you have in relation to your data. By continuing to use our website or submitting any inquiry or appointment request, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.

Any health-related information you voluntarily share with us — such as symptoms, conditions, or treatment queries — is treated with the highest level of confidentiality and is never shared for commercial or marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

This Policy is compliant with India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, the IT (Reasonable Security Practices and Sensitive Personal Data) Rules, 2011, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act).

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in two ways: information you provide voluntarily, and information collected automatically when you use our website.

Information You Provide Voluntarily:

  • Full name and contact details (phone number, email address)
  • Appointment requests and preferred consultation times
  • Health-related queries submitted via contact forms
  • City or location details for routing to the right clinic
  • Feedback, reviews, or testimonials you choose to submit
  • Any additional information shared via WhatsApp or phone calls

Information Collected Automatically:

  • IP address and approximate geographic location
  • Browser type and operating system
  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • Referring URLs (how you arrived at our website)
  • Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
  • Cookies and local storage identifiers

We do not collect or store any financial information such as credit/debit card numbers, UPI IDs, or banking details through this website. Payments are handled separately and directly at the clinic.

3. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect is used strictly for legitimate purposes related to patient care, clinic operations, and website improvement. We do not use your personal data for unsolicited commercial advertising.

  • To schedule, confirm, or follow up on appointment requests
  • To respond to health-related inquiries submitted through the website
  • To send appointment reminders or post-consultation follow-ups (only when explicitly requested)
  • To improve the quality and usability of our website based on aggregated usage data
  • To ensure the security and integrity of our website and prevent fraudulent activity
  • To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or court orders
  • To conduct internal analytics and assess patient engagement with our digital content

We will never sell your information to third parties or add you to marketing lists without your clear, affirmative consent.

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. In limited and specific circumstances, we may share your data with trusted parties as follows:

  • Service Providers: Trusted technical partners who help operate our website such as hosting and analytics providers. They are contractually bound to keep your data confidential.
  • Legal Obligations: When required to comply with applicable laws, court orders, or lawful requests from public authorities.
  • Medical Referrals: If you are referred to another specialist with your explicit consent, relevant clinical information may be shared securely for continuity of care.
  • Business Transitions: In the event of a clinic merger or acquisition, data would be disclosed only under the same privacy protections described in this Policy.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and understand how visitors interact with our content.

  • Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function correctly. Cannot be disabled.
  • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand page performance and visitor behaviour (e.g., Google Analytics).
  • Preference Cookies: Remember your settings to improve your experience on return visits.
  • Third-Party Cookies: Set by embedded services like Google Maps. Governed by their own privacy policies.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of parts of our website. We do not use cookies for targeted advertising or behavioural profiling.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

  • Website Inquiry Data: Retained for up to 12 months from the date of submission.
  • Appointment & Clinical Records: Retained for a minimum of 7 years in compliance with Indian medical record-keeping norms under MCI guidelines.
  • Website Analytics Data: Individually identifiable analytics data is retained for up to 26 months.
  • Cookies: Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser. Persistent cookies expire as defined by their type, typically 30 days to 2 years.

Upon expiry of the applicable retention period, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

  • SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted through the website
  • Access controls limiting data access to authorised personnel only
  • Regular security reviews and updates of our website infrastructure
  • Secure storage of contact form submissions and inquiry data

While we take all reasonable measures to protect your data, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure. We are committed to promptly addressing any security incident that may arise.

8. Your Rights

Under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and applicable IT Rules, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

  • Right to Access: Request a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how it is processed.
  • Right to Correction: Request correction of any inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal data we hold.
  • Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data when it is no longer needed, subject to legal retention obligations.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time without affecting prior lawful processing.
  • Right to Grievance: Lodge a complaint with our Grievance Officer if you believe your data rights have been violated.
  • Right to Nominate: Nominate another individual to exercise your data rights on your behalf if you are incapacitated.

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us using the details in Section 12. We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors without verifiable parental or guardian consent. If a parent or guardian believes their child has submitted personal data without their consent, please contact us immediately so that we may delete such data.

In cases where a minor requires gastroenterology consultation, all communications and appointment arrangements must be made by a parent, guardian, or accompanying adult on their behalf.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, Google Maps, or health information portals. These links are provided for your convenience only.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or data-handling policies of these third-party websites. Once you leave our website, this Privacy Policy no longer applies. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or other operational considerations. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

For significant changes, we may notify you through a notice on our website homepage or via direct communication if we hold your contact information. Your continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

12. Contact & Grievance Officer

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out to us. In accordance with the DPDP Act, 2023, we have designated a Grievance Officer to handle all data-related concerns.

Grievance Officer: Dr. Ankit Anand GastroNova Clinic, Jalandhar, Punjab, India Website: drankitanand.com Phone: +91 73470 58754

We aim to acknowledge all privacy-related inquiries within 72 hours and resolve them within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may approach the Data Protection Board of India once constituted under the DPDP Act, 2023, or seek appropriate legal remedies as available under Indian law.