We are committed to handling your personal data with care, transparency, and respect. This policy explains what we collect, why, how we use it, and your rights.
Last updated: January 2026 · Effective immediatelyWorld Best Hospitals operates this website and is the data controller responsible for any personal data collected through your use of this platform. As data controller, we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable, and equivalent national privacy laws.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to your personal data or this privacy policy, please contact our data team at privacy@hospitalrankings.com. We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 30 days.
Our commitment: We collect only the minimum data necessary to operate this platform, we never sell your personal information to third parties, and we are transparent about every category of data we process and why.
We collect two broad categories of data: information you provide to us directly, and information collected automatically when you visit our website. The following table summarises each category.
| Category | Examples | Source | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact Information | Name, email address, organisation name | Contact form submission | Only if you contact us |
| Usage Data | Pages visited, time on site, scroll depth, clicks | Automatically via analytics | Collected by default |
| Device & Browser Data | Browser type, OS, screen resolution, language | Automatically via browser | Collected by default |
| IP Address | Approximate geographic location (country/city level) | Automatically via server logs | Collected by default |
| Cookie Data | Session IDs, preference settings, ad interaction data | Automatically via cookies | Depends on consent |
| Newsletter Subscription | Email address, subscription date | Newsletter signup form | Only if you subscribe |
We do not collect sensitive personal data such as health information, financial data, government ID numbers, or biometric data at any point during normal use of this website. If you contact us about a medical matter, we ask that you avoid including sensitive health details in your message as our contact system is not designed or certified for processing sensitive personal data.
Data is collected through the following mechanisms when you use this website:
When you submit a message via our Contact page, we collect the information you choose to provide — such as your name, email address, and message content. This data is used solely to respond to your enquiry and is not used for marketing without your separate consent.
When you visit our site, certain cookies are placed on your device. These may be set by us directly or by third-party services we use, such as Google Analytics and Google AdSense. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool.
We use analytics software that automatically records information about how visitors interact with our pages. This data is aggregated and anonymised where possible and is used to understand which content is most useful to our readers.
If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and the date of your subscription. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link included in every email we send. We do not share newsletter subscriber lists with third parties.
Our web hosting infrastructure automatically logs server requests, including IP addresses, request timestamps, and pages accessed. These logs are retained for a limited period for security and diagnostic purposes and are not used to personally identify visitors.
We use the data we collect for the following specific purposes, each of which is supported by a lawful basis under applicable data protection law:
| Purpose | Data Used | Lawful Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to your enquiries | Name, email, message content | Contractual necessity / Legitimate interest |
| Operating and improving the website | Usage data, device data, IP address | Legitimate interest |
| Serving relevant advertisements | Cookie data, usage data, device data | Consent (via cookie preferences) |
| Analysing site performance | Aggregated, anonymised usage data | Legitimate interest |
| Sending newsletter communications | Email address, subscription date | Consent |
| Security and fraud prevention | IP address, server log data | Legitimate interest / Legal obligation |
| Complying with legal obligations | Any data required by applicable law | Legal obligation |
We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making or profiling in any way that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you. We do not use contact information collected through our forms for unsolicited marketing. We will never sell, rent, or license your personal data to any third party.
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies to enable core site functionality, analyse traffic, and serve relevant advertising. The table below describes each category of cookie used on this platform.
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Examples | Consent Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enable core website functions — security, session management, form handling | Session cookies, CSRF tokens | No — technically necessary | |
| Collect anonymised data on how visitors use the site to improve content and usability | Google Analytics (_ga, _gid) | Yes — requires consent | |
| Enable relevant ad delivery, frequency capping, and conversion measurement | Google AdSense (NID, IDE, DSID) | Yes — requires consent | |
| Remember user preferences such as language, cookie consent choices | Preference cookies | No — functional necessity |
You can manage, restrict, or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies entirely, accept only first-party cookies, or delete cookies already stored on your device. Please note that restricting or disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on this website.
How to manage cookies: In Chrome, visit Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies. In Firefox, visit Settings → Privacy & Security. In Safari, visit Preferences → Privacy. In Edge, visit Settings → Privacy, Search, and Services. For mobile browsers, consult your device's browser settings menu.
This website uses Google AdSense, an advertising service provided by Google LLC, to display contextual advertisements. Google AdSense allows us to generate revenue that funds the operation of this free, independent platform.
When Google AdSense is active on a page, Google and its advertising partners may use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect data about your browser, device, and browsing behaviour. This data is used to serve advertisements that are relevant to your interests, to measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns, and to limit how often you see the same advertisement.
By default, Google AdSense may serve personalised ads based on your browsing history and interests. This personalisation relies on cookies and data collected across other websites you have visited where Google advertising is active.
You can opt out of personalised advertising from Google at any time by visiting adssettings.google.com. You may also opt out through the Network Advertising Initiative at optout.networkadvertising.org. Even after opting out, you will continue to see advertisements — they will simply no longer be personalised.
Google's collection and use of data through AdSense is governed by Google's own Privacy Policy, available at policies.google.com/privacy. We encourage you to review Google's policy to understand how your data is handled when you interact with Google-served advertisements on this site.
Our Google AdSense publisher account is registered under the ID ca-pub-2819296105796988. This ID identifies our account in the Google advertising network and is publicly associated with ads served on this domain.
Editorial independence: The presence of advertising on this platform does not influence our hospital rankings, editorial content, or any assessment of any healthcare institution. Advertisers have no access to, or influence over, our editorial processes. See our About page for full details of our editorial independence policy.
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects anonymised, aggregated data including which pages are viewed, how long visitors spend on each page, which geographic regions our visitors come from, what devices and browsers are used, and how visitors navigate between pages.
We have configured Google Analytics with IP anonymisation enabled, meaning the last portion of your IP address is masked before any data is stored. This prevents Google Analytics from identifying you personally based on your IP address. We do not use Google Analytics to build individual user profiles or to track identified individuals across sessions.
You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on, available free of charge from Google. This add-on works across all major desktop browsers.
Analytics data is retained in an aggregated, anonymised form for up to 26 months from the date of collection, after which it is automatically deleted from our analytics account. We do not export raw analytics data to any third party other than Google LLC as part of the Google Analytics service agreement.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data with any third party. We share data only in the limited circumstances described below, and only to the extent necessary for the stated purpose.
We share data with a small number of trusted third-party service providers who process data on our behalf — including our web hosting provider, analytics service (Google Analytics), and advertising service (Google AdSense). All service providers are bound by data processing agreements and are prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than providing services to us.
We may disclose personal data if required to do so by law, court order, or lawful request from a government authority. We will notify affected users of any such disclosure to the extent permitted by law.
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our assets, user data may be transferred to the successor entity. We will notify users of any such transfer and ensure equivalent privacy protections remain in place.
We may share data where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of World Best Hospitals, our users, or the public — for example, in cases of fraud, security incidents, or threats to personal safety.
We will never: sell your personal data to data brokers or marketing companies, share your contact information with the hospitals we rank or review, share your data with third-party advertisers beyond what is described in the AdSense section above, or use your data for any purpose not disclosed in this policy.
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law. The table below summarises our retention periods by data category.
| Data Category | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Contact form submissions | 12 months from date of submission | To allow follow-up on open enquiries and for audit purposes |
| Newsletter subscriptions | Until unsubscription + 6 months | Deliverability maintenance and unsubscription record |
| Analytics data (aggregated) | 26 months | Trend analysis and content improvement |
| Server log data | 90 days | Security monitoring and incident response |
| Cookie data | As per individual cookie expiry dates | Functional and advertising purposes per cookie type |
When data has exceeded its retention period or is no longer required, we delete or anonymise it securely. You may request early deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting us — see the Your Rights section below for more details.
You have the right to request a copy of all personal data we hold about you, along with information about how it is used.
If any personal data we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request that we correct or complete it.
You may request deletion of your personal data where it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or where you withdraw consent.
You can request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances — for example while a dispute about its accuracy is resolved.
Where data is processed by automated means based on your consent, you may request a copy in a structured, machine-readable format.
You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests, including for direct marketing purposes, at any time.
Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of prior processing.
If you believe we have not handled your data lawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, or disclosure. These measures include HTTPS encryption for all data in transit, restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis, regular security reviews of our hosting infrastructure, and secure deletion of data that has exceeded its retention period.
While we take data security seriously and maintain industry-standard safeguards, no transmission of data over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted to our website, and any such transmission is at your own risk. If you believe your data has been involved in a security incident, please contact us immediately at privacy@hospitalrankings.com.
This website is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are under 13 years of age, please do not submit any personal information through our contact forms or newsletter signup. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child under 13, we will take immediate steps to delete it.
Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal data to us are invited to contact us at privacy@hospitalrankings.com and we will promptly delete the relevant information.
Some of the third-party services we use — including Google Analytics and Google AdSense — involve the transfer of data to servers located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including to the United States. These transfers are made subject to appropriate safeguards, including Google's compliance with the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and Standard Contractual Clauses as approved by the European Commission.
If you are located in the EU, UK, or another jurisdiction with specific data transfer requirements, these safeguards are designed to ensure your data receives a level of protection equivalent to that required under your local law. For more information on Google's data transfer mechanisms, please refer to Google's privacy frameworks page.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our data practices, applicable law, or the services we use. When material changes are made, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Where changes are significant, we may also publish a notice on our homepage for a period following the update.
Your continued use of this website after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. We recommend reviewing this page periodically — particularly if you have an active newsletter subscription or have recently submitted a contact form. For any questions about changes to this policy, contact us at privacy@hospitalrankings.com.
This Privacy Policy should be read alongside our Terms of Use, Disclaimer, and Editorial Policy, which together govern your use of this platform.
Our privacy team responds to all data-related enquiries within 30 days. Reach out directly — we're here to help.
Contact Us → View Rankings