If you are a patient at Amsterdam UMC, participate in research, attend courses with us or visit any of our websites, your personal data will be saved in our systems. It is only natural to want assurance that your data will be in safe hands. At Amsterdam UMC, we consider your privacy extremely important. In this privacy statement, we will explain which of your data we process at Amsterdam UMC and how we handle these data.

1. Information for (adult) patientsWhich of your data we process

We process data about all patients at our hospital. By ‘process’, we mean, for example, that we will save or add to your data, or that we will share them with your health care providers, and delete them at a later date. If you receive treatment at our hospital, we will process your medical data in your patient record. Examples of medical data include information about your health status, examination/test results, diagnosis and treatment plans. In addition to your medical data, we will also need to receive personal data from you. This includes your name, address and date of birth. We need these data to be able to identify you and to ensure we do not confuse you with another patient. Under no circumstances will we process more data than needed to provide you with the appropriate care.

How we handle your data Amsterdam UMC takes the appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against loss or unlawful use. Parties who are permitted to access your personal data on behalf of Amsterdam UMC are obliged to treat your data confidentially. Only employees who are involved in your treatment or care or who play a supporting role in either or both of these have access to your personal data. All of these employees have a statutory duty of confidentiality. They will not share your data with anyone unless there is a legal necessity or there are medical grounds for doing so. If we feel it is important to share your data with others, then we will request your permission first. You can decide whether or not we will share your data with others. If you do not grant your permission, that will in no way affect your treatment at Amsterdam UMC.

In certain cases, we are required by law to share particular personal data of yours with another party. For example, when sending an invoice to your health care provider. As a hospital, we are also required by law to monitor the quality of the care we provide and to contribute to the quality of health care in the Netherlands. For this purpose, we are sometimes required to share data for the purpose of national registration. If necessary in the interest of your treatment or health, we will inform the doctor you were referred by, for example your GP, of the key findings. We only share data if it is necessary to do so. In cases of urgency or emergency situations, we may need to take a decision on your behalf. When taking a decision, your health is always our number one consideration.

Where we store your data We save your medical data in Amsterdam UMC’s electronic patient record (EPR). The care providers who treat you can access your record at both Amsterdam UMC locations (AMC and VUmc). This is necessary in order to ensure your safety and to be able to provide you with good care. In order to be permitted to merge your data into a single Amsterdam UMC record, AMC and VUmc have entered into a privacy agreement stipulating that the two organisations hold joint responsibility for the processing of personal data, including the data about their patients. You can view (a portion of) these data via the digital environment Mijn Dossier (My Record).

How you can inspect your own dataYou are permitted to inspect your own personal data and patient record at Amsterdam UMC. You can ask your doctor for permission to do this. Your doctor is obliged to grant you permission to inspect your data. However, the doctor may block certain portions of your record if they contain information about someone else, such as a family member. The doctor is also not required to allow you to read his or her own notes. You can request a copy of your patient record. You can find out how this works on our website under the section Rights and obligations.

How long we store your data We store your data for at least 20 years after your treatment has ended. Because Amsterdam UMC is a university hospital, we are required by law to keep certain data from your medical record, known as the ‘core documents’, for a period of 115 years after your date of birth. The core documents include the discharge letter, operation report, anaesthesia record, results of pathological examinations and first aid report.

2. Patient Experience Monitor (PEM)

Since 2013, the Dutch Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU) has been assessing patient experiences with the outpatient clinics, hospitals and the accident and emergency departments of university medical centres (UMCs) in the Netherlands. We also send the Patient Experience Monitor (PEM) to children treated in our hospital or their parents/caregivers. Children 8 and over can also fill in part of the assessment themselves. Since 1 September 2022, the questionnaire following a video consultation or telephone appointment has also been sent to adult patients and children.

By using the PEM at the UMC level, Amsterdam UMC can compare its own results with those of other UMCs. By learning from the good examples of patient experiences at our own and other UMCs, Amsterdam UMC is able to improve the quality of its patient care.

3. Additional information for children

If you come to Amsterdam UMC because you are ill, we will do everything in our power to help you get better. To make sure this is done correctly, we will note down information such as your name, address and age. That way, we will know who you are and we can avoid getting you mixed up with someone else. We also take notes about how you are feeling and what we have learned about your illness from the examinations and tests that have been done. All data will go into your record. We look after all your data carefully and only share them with the people who take care of you, such as your doctor and nurse.

Are you under 12 years of age? Then your parents* are allowed to read what we have written down in your record about you and your condition. If there is anything in your record which is incorrect, such as your address, they can ask us to change it. We keep your record for at least 20 years, starting from your 18th birthday. We are required to keep certain data for 115 years, starting from your date of birth. Your parents can, however, request to have your record deleted sooner than that. The doctor will find out first whether that is allowed. In some cases, it is important for your health to keep your record. In that case, we will not delete your record.

* ‘Parents’should in each case be taken to mean one or more of your parents or caregivers.

Are you between the ages of 12 and 16? If so, you may ask the doctor for permission to look at your own record. Your parents are also allowed to request this. You can tell the doctor if you do not want your parents to see your record or have your data changed. We will keep your record for at least 20 years, starting from your 18th birthday. We are required to keep certain data for 115 years, starting from your date of birth.

Are you over 16 years of age? Then you are allowed to look at your own record. Your parents are not allowed to do this. You may also request to have your own data changed, for instance if the address in your record is incorrect. You can also ask to have your record deleted. Your parents are not allowed to request this. The doctor will check first whether it is possible to have your record deleted. In some cases, it is important for your health to keep your record. In that case, we will not delete your record. The doctor does, however, have to explain to you why it is important for us to keep your record. We keep your record for at least 20 years, starting from your 18th birthday. We are required to keep certain data for 115 years, starting from your date of birth. As a university hospital, we are required by law to do this. Do you want your parents to be able to look at your record or be allowed to have something changed in it or to request to have it deleted? If so, please go to the central counter of the outpatient clinic with your parents. You can tell one of the employees there that you want your parents to have access to your record. You and your parents should bring your ID card or passport with you.

4. Information for participants in medical research

Medical research enables us to improve the quality of our care and add to the knowledge of our doctors and nurses. At Amsterdam UMC, we do medical research. The research is aimed at discovering better treatments for illnesses, learning more about a particular illness or finding ways to detect an illness (or detect it more easily). Amsterdam UMC takes care to ensure that all of the medical research carried out at the hospital takes place in an ethical manner and according to the law. We inform you fully about your rights during the consent process carried out during the scientific study.

Medical research involving humans (human subjects)

You may be asked to participate in a scientific study. You are of course allowed to say ‘no’. If you decide not to participate, that will in no way affect your treatment. You are also allowed to change your mind and stop participating after the research has started. All data collected by the researcher during the research will be kept confidential.

Medical research involving medical data and/or tissue samples

In addition to medical research involving human subjects, research is also done on records at Amsterdam UMC. In this research, the researcher looks at medical data and/or tissue samples. This research is also subject to strict conditions. For this type of research, the researcher is not always obliged to request the consent of each participant separately, for instance if the research data cannot be traced back to a specific person. Our medical ethics review committee (METC) evaluates whether the researcher is required to request your consent. You can ask your attending doctor or the researcher for more information about the research and what will be done with your data or tissue sample during the research. However, under no circumstances will your data be shared with others without your permission.

If you do not want any of your medical data and/or tissue samples to be used for scientific research, you can indicate this to your attending doctor or to the department where you are being treated. In that case, your data will not be used.

5. Information for course participants and students

If you are participating in training at Amsterdam UMC, we will collect personal data about you, such as your name, address and date of birth. We need these data in order to be able to identify you and to ensure we do not confuse you with another student or course participant. We also keep track of your study results. These data are properly protected and secured and can only be accessed by authorised persons. As soon as the data are no longer needed, they are deleted.

6. Information for website visitors

Collection and use of your personal data

Amsterdam UMC only collects personal data via this website if those data are needed in order to enable you to make (better) use of this website and the services provided through it. Your personal data will in principle only be used for the purposes for which they have been shared with us.

We use your personal data for other purposes in the following cases:

  1. If we receive your express permission to use your personal data;
  2. If we are required by law to use your personal data;
  3. If we need your personal data for the protection of the legitimate interests of Amsterdam UMC. Legitimate interests of Amsterdam UMC include: improving the quality of our services, informing you about Amsterdam UMC's other services or defending Amsterdam UMC or one of its employees in the event of a complaint or a legal action.

A few examples:

    • If you send us an email asking for information about Amsterdam UMC, then we will use your email address and other information you have shared with us to reply to your email.
    • If you send us a curriculum vitae (CV) for an online application, then we will use the information you have shared with us to consider whether there is an appropriate vacancy for you at Amsterdam UMC.

    Cookies

    A "cookie" is a small fragment of data that a website places in the internet browser of the device you use to visit the website (e.g. computer or smart phone).These cookies enable us to recognise your device and are used for various purposes.

    Functional cookies Certain cookies are needed in order for the website to function correctly. These are referred to as functional cookies. These cookies are permitted under the current legislation and are not blocked by a cookie banner. Most internet browsers automatically accept cookies. If desired, you can configure your browser so that you will receive a warning whenever you receive a cookie or so that all cookies are rejected. Keep in mind, however, that you may no longer be able to use some of the website’s functionalities. Amsterdam UMC treats the data collected by functional cookies confidentially.

    Analytics cookies Analytics cookies are another type of cookie that is used. These cookies are used for collecting and analysing data relating to visits to the website. This can include data on the date and time you visited the website, how often you visit the website or the pages on which you clicked. Amsterdam UMC uses Google Analytics for this and applies the instructions published by the Dutch Data Protection Authority on how to use Google Analytics in a manner that is privacy friendly on all of its websites. As such, Amsterdam UMC complies with the Telecommunications Act and does not need to request permission from the website visitor for the placement of these cookies. Amsterdam UMC uses this anonymised data for the improvement and modification of its websites. You can disable these cookies in your browser settings.

    The Amsterdam UMC websites contain embedded video clips from YouTube and Vimeo. YouTube and Vimeo have their own conditions for the placement of cookies. If you have disabled cookies on our websites you will only be able to watch these clips on the websites of YouTube and Vimeo.

    Privacy policy of third parties

    This privacy statement does not apply to websites of third parties that our websites links to. Amsterdam UMC is not liable for the content of these other websites. Nor is Amsterdam UMC liable for the processing of personal data, cookies and other data by the managers of these websites. We always advise you to consult the privacy statements and disclaimers of these websites prior to using them. If you have any questions about these third-party websites, please contact the managers of those websites directly.

    Contact

    The employees of Amsterdam UMC do their utmost to provide you, the patient, with the best possible treatment, care and support. However, it is still possible that you will have a negative experience. Or perhaps the treatment or organisation does not meet your expectations when it comes to the protection of your privacy.

    If you have any questions, complaints or comments, there are various ways to communicate these:

    1. If you have any questions or comments about the protection of your privacy, please contact the data protection officer of Amsterdam UMC by sending an email to privacy@amsterdamumc.nl.
    2. If you want to submit a complaint to Amsterdam UMC, you can do so via this link.
    3. You can also file a complaint with regard to privacy with the Dutch Data Protection Authority.