Patient data is some of the most private information a clinic holds. India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 sets the rules for handling it. This is not legal advice — just a simple summary of the ideas to build around.
The main ideas, in plain words
- Consent: you use personal data with the person's consent, for a clear reason.
- Clear purpose: data taken for care is used for care — not quietly for something else.
- Use less: collect what a visit needs, not everything you can.
- Access and correction: patients can see and fix their data.
- Do not keep forever: data is not stored forever, and can be deleted on request.
What this means day to day
You do not need to become a lawyer. A few habits are enough:
- 1Take consent for messages. Sending WhatsApp follow-ups? Make sure the patient agreed.
- 2Limit who sees what. Not every staff member needs full access — role-based access is a good default.
- 3Keep a log. Being able to show who saw what, and when, protects you.
- 4Know where your data is. India-hosted storage keeps clinical data in the country.
Choose software that helps
Your software should make this the default, not a checklist you keep by hand. Look for:
- Consent built into patient messages.
- Role-based access and a log out of the box.
- Encryption in transit and at rest, with each clinic's data kept separate.
- Honest claims — a company that overstates its certificates is itself a risk.
See how Clyno handles data protection: India-hosted, encrypted, role-based access, logs, and built around these DPDP ideas.
The takeaway
The DPDP Act is really just what patients already expect: handle their data with care, use it for their care, and let them see and correct it. Software built around these ideas turns a rule into a default.