Privacy Policy

SaludMedica collects different types of information depending on how you interact with our healthcare directory. Below, we detail the categories of data we may collect.

Personal information you provide

When you register for an account, claim a provider profile, or communicate with us, we may collect the following personal information:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Business or medical practice name (for providers)
• Physical establishment address (for providers)
• Professional title and credentials (for healthcare professionals)
• Identity verification information when claiming a business profile

Automatically collected usage data

When you browse SaludMedica, we automatically collect certain technical and usage information, including:

• Pages visited and time spent on each
• Search queries performed within the directory
• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Web browser type and version
• Operating system and device type (mobile, desktop, tablet)
• Referral pages and links that brought you to our site
• Date and time of each visit

Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activity. For more details, please refer to Section 4 of this policy.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Service provision and improvement

• Operate, maintain, and improve our healthcare directory
• Process provider profile claim requests
• Facilitate the search and discovery of healthcare providers in Puerto Rico
• Verify the identity of healthcare professionals and providers
• Provide relevant and personalized search results

Experience personalization

• Remember your language preferences (Spanish or English)
• Display relevant content based on your location in Puerto Rico
• Tailor search results based on your browsing history

Communications

• Send notifications related to your account or profile claims
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send updates about changes to our service or policies
• Provide information about memberships and provider services (only if you request it)

Analytics and legal compliance

• Analyze usage trends to improve site functionality
• Detect, prevent, and investigate fraudulent or unauthorized activities
• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations
• Protect the rights, property, and safety of SaludMedica and its users

SaludMedica does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers

We share information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the specific services they provide to us. These include:

• Web hosting and database services (Vercel, Supabase)
• File and image storage services
• Web analytics tools (Google Analytics)
• Transactional email services
• Map and geolocation services (Mapbox)

Legal requirements

We may disclose your personal information when required by law, court order, subpoena, or other legal process. We may also disclose information when we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation
• Protect and defend the rights or property of SaludMedica
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the service
• Protect the personal safety of users or the public

Business transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your personal information may be transferred as part of such transaction. In such a case, we will notify you before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Public provider information

Healthcare provider listings in our directory constitute public business information. Data such as business name, address, operating hours, published phone numbers, and offered services are public knowledge and may be indexed by search engines.

SaludMedica uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and understand where our visitors come from.

Essential cookies

These cookies are necessary for the basic functionality of the website. Without them, certain site features would not be available. They include session cookies to maintain your authentication state, language preferences, and accessibility settings. These cookies do not require your consent as they are strictly necessary.

Analytics cookies

We use analytics tools, including Google Analytics, to understand how visitors interact with our site. These cookies collect information anonymously and in aggregate, including the number of visitors, the most popular pages, and how users navigate the site. This information helps us improve user experience and content relevance.

Preference cookies

These cookies enable the website to remember choices you have made, such as your preferred language (Spanish or English), your visual theme (light or dark), and the region of Puerto Rico that interests you most. These cookies enhance your personalized experience on the site.

How to manage cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can configure your browser to reject all cookies, accept only first-party cookies, or delete cookies when you close the browser. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect site functionality. For specific instructions, refer to your browser's help section.

The security of your personal information is a priority for SaludMedica. We implement technical, administrative, and physical security measures designed to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Implemented protection measures

• Data encryption in transit using TLS/SSL protocol (HTTPS)
• Secure storage on servers with restricted access
• Password encryption using one-way hashing algorithms
• Role-based access controls for authorized personnel
• Continuous monitoring of our systems to detect vulnerabilities
• Regular security updates to our infrastructure

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. We recommend you take additional precautions, such as using strong and unique passwords for your account.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

Retention periods

• Account data: Retained while your account remains active. You may request account deletion at any time.
• Provider data: Provider profiles are maintained as public directory information. Providers may request modification or removal of their information.
• Claim records: Profile claim requests are retained for a minimum of three (3) years for verification and dispute resolution purposes.
• Usage and analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized analytics data may be retained indefinitely for statistical purposes.
• Legal obligations: Some data may be retained for longer periods when required by applicable law, including tax and financial records.

When you request deletion of your information, we will proceed to delete or anonymize it within a reasonable timeframe, except where we are legally required to retain it.

You have specific rights regarding your personal information. Below, we detail these rights and how you can exercise them.

Your rights

• Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: You may request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to erasure: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Right to opt out of marketing: You may opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in our emails, or by contacting us directly.
• Right to data portability: You may request that we provide your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where processing of your data is based on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

How to exercise your rights

To exercise any of these rights, send an email to privacy@saludmedica.com with the subject line “Privacy Request.” Include your full name and the email address associated with your account. We will respond to your request within thirty (30) calendar days. We may request additional identity verification before processing your request.

SaludMedica operates exclusively as a directory to help users find healthcare providers, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and medical cannabis dispensaries in Puerto Rico. It is important that you understand the following points:

• We do not handle protected health information (PHI): We do not collect, store, or process medical records, diagnoses, treatments, prescriptions, or any other protected health information of patients.
• Public directory information: Provider listings on our site consist of publicly accessible business information, such as business name, address, hours, phone numbers, and services offered.
• We do not provide healthcare: SaludMedica does not provide medical consultations, diagnoses, treatments, or prescriptions. Any health-related decisions should be made in direct consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.
• Informational content: Articles and content published on our site are exclusively for informational and educational purposes and do not constitute professional medical advice.

SaludMedica is not directed at individuals under the age of thirteen (13). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or legal guardian and are aware that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers as promptly as possible.

Our compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) extends to all features of our website, including account registration, profile creation, and form submissions.

SaludMedica is a service primarily designed for users in Puerto Rico and the United States. Our servers and data processing operations are located in the United States.

If you access our website from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction. By using our service and providing us with information, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and its processing in accordance with this privacy policy.

If you reside in the European Economic Area (EEA) or another jurisdiction with similar data protection laws, we inform you that the legal basis for processing your information includes:

• Performance of a contract with you (e.g., when you use our services)
• Our legitimate interests (e.g., improving our service and ensuring its security)
• Your consent (e.g., for sending marketing communications)
• Compliance with legal obligations

SaludMedica reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make substantial changes, we will notify you in the following ways:

• Posting the updated policy on this page with a new “last updated” date
• Displaying a visible notice on our website for a reasonable period
• Sending an email notification to users with registered accounts, when changes are significant

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of SaludMedica after the posting of changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

If you do not agree with the changes made, we recommend that you discontinue use of our service and, if you have an account, request its deletion.