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Singapore · Data ProtectionSeptember 23, 20264 min read

Singapore's PDPA and Patient Phone Data: What Clinics Need to Know

A plain-English guide to the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 for Singapore clinics that record or summarise patient phone calls.

Secure clinic call records dashboard on a laptop

Introduction

Patient calls carry personal data: names, NRIC or phone numbers, and often health details. In Singapore, the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) sets the rules for how clinics collect, use and protect it.

Here is what the PDPA means for clinics that record or summarise calls.

This article is general information for clinic owners, not legal advice. For decisions about your own practice, speak to a qualified adviser.

Key takeaways

  • Tell callers why their data is collected and get consent where needed.
  • Protect recordings with reasonable security and limited access.
  • Do not keep call data longer than you need it.
  • Since February 2021, certain data breaches must be reported to the PDPC and affected individuals.

1. The obligations that apply to calls

Several PDPA obligations are directly relevant:

  1. <strong>Consent and notification:</strong> tell callers the purpose, such as booking and service quality.
  2. <strong>Purpose limitation:</strong> use call data only for those purposes.
  3. <strong>Protection:</strong> make reasonable security arrangements.
  4. <strong>Retention limitation:</strong> delete data once it is no longer needed.
  5. <strong>Access and correction:</strong> respond to patient requests.

2. Mandatory breach notification

Amendments that took effect on 1 February 2021 require organisations to notify the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) of notifiable data breaches, and to tell affected individuals in some cases. Know who in your clinic handles this.

3. NRIC numbers

The PDPC's advisory guidelines limit when organisations may collect NRIC numbers. Ask only for what you need to book the appointment, and avoid collecting NRIC numbers over the phone unless necessary.

4. A short checklist

  1. Add a recording notice to your phone greeting
  2. Update your clinic privacy policy to mention call recording and AI call handling
  3. Set a retention period and delete old recordings
  4. Check how your phone and AI vendors protect data

5. How Clinic24 fits in

You control Clinic24's greeting and what it asks callers. Read how Clinic24 protects patient data and see Clinic24 for Singapore clinics.

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