Seminar 1: POPIA, PAIA & Cybersecurity Compliance for Medical Practice Administrators

Seminar Topics

1. Introduction to POPIA, PAIA, and Cybersecurity in Healthcare
   • Overview of key legislation and their interplay in medical practices.
   • Key terms, definitions, and concepts (e.g., personal information, special personal information, responsible party, operator).
   • Key roles (Information Officer, Deputy Information Officer, staff responsibilities).
   • Business activities in medical practices most impacted by POPIA compliance requirements.
2. Patient Scheduling and Registration Procedures
   • Lawful collection of personal information directly from the data subject (patient) — exemptions and exceptions.
   • Determining the practice’s legal basis for collecting and processing personal information (e.g., consent, necessity for treatment, legal obligation).
   • Developing and maintaining a Section 17 Record of Processing Activities (register) tailored to healthcare operations.
   • When and how to provide Section 18 privacy notifications to patients.
   • Drafting POPIA-compliant patient information sheets, terms and conditions, and payment policies.
   • Consent requirements: When is it needed? When can it be relied upon? Practical implementation and documentation.
   • Practical examples of non-compliant practices and common pitfalls.
   • Actionable advice, checklists, and supporting documentation templates.
3. Information Security and POPIA Compliance
   • Core POPIA security safeguards (Section 19) and accountability requirements.
   • Implementing POPIA-compliant information security measures in a medical practice environment.
   • Guideline Cybersecurity Practices for Healthcare Practices — including access controls, email security, supplier relationships, insider threats, and human error prevention.
   • Practical examples of security failures and risks specific to healthcare.
   • Actionable advice, checklists, and related documentation.
   • Introduction to the POPIA Compliance Office Handbook — comprehensive information security policies, procedures, and templates (delegates must sign acknowledgment).
4. Sharing and Disclosure of Personal Information
   • POPIA rules on further processing, sharing, and disclosure of personal information.
   • Special rules for sharing special personal information (health data) under Sections 27 and 32 — including exemptions for healthcare providers.
   • Maintaining the Section 17 Record of Processing Activities for disclosures and third-party sharing.
   • Developing and implementing a Section 51 PAIA Manual — requirements, content, and practical steps for medical practices.
   • Practical examples of improper sharing and common errors.
   • Actionable advice, checklists, and related documentation templates.
5. POPIA-Compliant Records Management
   • Application of POPIA conditions (e.g., purpose specification, retention limitation, security) to health record management.
   • Retention periods for medical records and secure disposal practices.
   • Integration with National Health Act and HPCSA guidelines.
   • Practical examples of non-compliant record handling.
   • Actionable advice, checklists, and related documentation.
6. Patient Rights under POPIA and PAIA
   • Overview of general patient rights (e.g., under National Health Act).
   • Specific data subject rights under POPIA (access, correction, objection, restriction, erasure, portability).
   • Developing a Practice Procedure Handbook for handling data subject access requests (DSARs) and other rights exercises.
   • Practical examples of mishandled requests.
   • Actionable advice, checklists, and related documentation.
7. Data Breaches and Security Compromises
   • Identifying what constitutes a reportable data breach/security compromise under POPIA (Section 22).
   • Mandatory breach notification procedures (to Information Regulator and affected data subjects).
   • Incident response planning and documentation.
   • Practical examples of breach scenarios in healthcare settings.
   • Actionable advice, checklists, breach register templates, and response protocols.

Additional Seminar Features

• Real-world case studies and scenarios drawn from South African healthcare contexts.
• Emphasis on practical implementation to reduce risk of fines, complaints, or reputational damage.
• Q&A sessions and interactive discussions.
• Take-home resources: Updated templates, policies, checklists, and the signed POPIA Compliance Office Handbook.

This seminar ensures medical practice administrators are equipped to lead compliance efforts, protect patient confidentiality, and demonstrate accountability in an increasingly regulated environment. Ideal for those responsible for operational compliance, risk management, and staff training in POPIA, PAIA, and cybersecurity.