1. Introduction

CareQ ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our healthcare appointment booking and patient management system. Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

Register for an account
Book an appointment
Contact us for support
Subscribe to our newsletter or marketing communications

This information may include:

Name and contact information (email address, phone number)
Demographic information (age, gender, location)
Healthcare provider information (for medical professionals)
Patient information (for booking appointments)
Payment and billing information

2.2 Health Information

As a healthcare appointment booking system, we may process health-related information including appointment details, medical history (if provided), and communication between patients and healthcare providers. This information is handled with the utmost care and in compliance with applicable healthcare privacy laws in India.

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our Service, we may automatically collect:

Device information (IP address, browser type, operating system)
Usage data (pages visited, time spent, features used)
Cookies and similar tracking technologies
Log files and analytics data

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To provide, operate, and maintain our Service
To facilitate appointment booking and patient management
To send appointment reminders and notifications via WhatsApp, SMS, or email
To process payments and manage subscriptions
To communicate with you about your account or appointments
To improve and personalize your experience
To analyze usage patterns and optimize our Service
To detect and prevent fraud or security issues
To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms
To send marketing communications (with your consent)

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Healthcare Providers

Patient information is shared with the relevant healthcare providers to facilitate appointments and medical services.

4.2 With Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, and customer service.

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given us explicit consent to do so.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information, including:

Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Regular security assessments and audits
Access controls and authentication mechanisms
Employee training on data protection
Secure data centers and infrastructure

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding your personal information:

Access: You can request access to your personal information
Correction: You can request correction of inaccurate information
Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
Opt-out: You can opt-out of marketing communications
Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a portable format
Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw consent for data processing where applicable

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact section.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service and hold certain information. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Service.

9. Third-Party Services

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you visit.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where data protection laws may differ. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

13. Compliance with Indian Laws

We comply with applicable Indian data protection and privacy laws, including but not limited to the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us through our Contact Page.