Terms and Conditions

INSTACARE PLATFORM — TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PATIENTS

Jurisdiction: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Effective Date: Upon Platform Launch
Version: 1.0
Last Updated: April 9, 2026

1. ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION

1.1 Patient Requirements

• Age Requirement: Must be 18+ years or have legal guardian consent
• Valid Identification: Government-issued photo ID mandatory for verification
• Contact Information: Active mobile number and email address required
• Medical History: Basic medical information for partner safety and service customization

1.2 Account Responsibilities

• Accurate Information: Provide correct medical history, address, and contact details
• Privacy Settings: Manage data sharing preferences for healthcare providers
• Account Security: Responsible for maintaining login credentials confidentiality

2. BOOKING RULES AND REGULATIONS

2.1 General Booking Conditions

• Location-Based Availability: Bookings accepted ONLY if suitable verified healthcare professionals are available in specific pincode/area
• Minimum Lead Time: All bookings must be placed at least 30 minutes in advance
• Professional Availability Check: System automatically verifies active partners within 5–10 km radius before confirming booking
• Service Capability Matching: Only professionals qualified for requested service type will be matched
• Real-Time Confirmation: Booking confirmed only after partner acceptance (within 5 minutes)

2.2 Service Areas

• Primary Coverage: Chennai city limits with active partner network
• Exclusion Zones: Areas where no verified partners are available will not accept bookings

3. BOOKING MODIFICATION RULES

3.1 Cancellation Policy

Patient Cancellation:

• Free cancellation and full refund before partner is assigned (10 minutes after booking)
• 50% charges if cancelled after partner is assigned (30 minutes after booking)
• Full charges if cancelled after partner reaches location (more than 30 minutes)

Platform Cancellation:

• Due to unavailability — full refund within 24 hours

3.2 Rescheduling Terms

• Patient Requests: One free reschedule per month allowed up to 2 hours before service
• Emergency Rescheduling: Medical emergency documentation required for waiver

4. SERVICE TERMS

4.1 Healthcare Service Scope

• Advisory Services: Partners provide care within their licensed scope of practice
• Medical Supervision: Services complement, not replace, physician care
• Emergency Limitations: Partners instructed to refer serious conditions to nearby hospitals
• Documentation: All services documented and shared with patient's primary physician if requested

4.2 Patient Obligations

• Safe Environment: Provide clean, safe working environment for healthcare partners
• Accurate Health Information: Disclose relevant medical history and current medications
• Family Cooperation: Ensure family members cooperate with healthcare professional
• Equipment/Supplies: Arrange prescribed medical supplies as advised by partner

5. PAYMENT AND BILLING

5.1 Transparent Pricing

• Service-Based Charges: Pay only for services received, no hidden fees
• Hourly Billing: Charges calculated based on actual service time
• Material Costs: Separate charges for medical supplies used (at cost price)
• No Markup: Direct payment to platform, no agency premium charges

5.2 Payment Methods

• Digital Payments: UPI, cards, digital wallets accepted
• Cash Payments: Not accepted
• Insurance Claims: Support documentation provided for reimbursement claims

5.3 Refund Policy

• Service Quality Issues: Full refund if service standards not met
• Cancellation Refunds: As per cancellation policy timeline
• Technical Issues: Full refund for platform-related service disruptions
• Dispute Resolution: Resolved within 7 working days with interim refunds

6. PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION

6.1 Medical Information Security

• HIPAA Compliance: All medical information handled per international standards
• Data Localization: Patient data stored within India as per regulations
• Consent Management: Explicit consent for data sharing with healthcare partners
• Access Controls: Limited access to authorized personnel only

6.2 Information Sharing

• Healthcare Providers: Medical information shared only with assigned partner
• Emergency Contacts: Information shared with emergency contacts if specified
• Insurance Partners: Health records shared for claim processing if authorized
• Legal Requirements: Information disclosed only as required by law

7. PLATFORM QUALITY ASSURANCE

7.1 Service Quality

• Rating System: Mandatory rating system for all completed services
• Quality Metrics: Maintain minimum 4.5/5 average rating for service availability
• Response Times: Maximum 30 minutes response time
• Performance Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of service quality metrics

7.2 Matching Algorithm

• Qualification Matching: Automatic matching based on required service skills
• Experience Weighting: Preference to partners with relevant experience
• Performance History: High-rated partners given priority in matching
• Distance Optimization: Nearest qualified partner matched first

8. EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS

8.1 Medical Emergency Support

• Emergency Assessment: Healthcare partners trained in emergency assessment
• Hospital Referrals: Direct referral protocols to nearest healthcare facilities
• Emergency Contacts: Immediate notification systems for emergency contacts
• Incident Documentation: Complete documentation for all emergency situations

8.2 Patient Safety Measures

• Partner Screening: Comprehensive background verification of all healthcare partners
• Service Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of service delivery
• Safety Protocols: Established safety guidelines for home healthcare services
• Emergency Support: 24/7 platform support for patient safety concerns

9. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

9.1 Patient Complaints

• Resolution Process: Platform-mediated resolution within 48 hours
• Escalation Path: Clear escalation matrix for unresolved issues
• Compensation Framework: Structured compensation for service failures
• Quality Remediation: Corrective actions for service improvements

9.2 Legal Framework

• Jurisdiction: All disputes subject to Chennai jurisdiction
• Arbitration: Disputes resolved per Indian arbitration laws
• Documentation: Complete documentation required for all disputes
• Timeline: Maximum 15 days for dispute resolution