Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY – Managing patient Health information

1. POLICY

Doctors are committed to protecting the privacy of their patients

Any doctor requires you to provide your personal details and a full medical history, so that they may properly assess, diagnose, treat and be proactive in your health care needs.

The doctor aims to protect the privacy and secure storage of your health information. You can request a copy of this privacy policy, which includes information about the collection, use and disclosure of your health information.

Information collected is kept strictly confidential in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

1. PURPOSE

This policy informs patients how their personal information is collected, used and disclosed.

3. SCOPE

This policy applies to all the independent medical professionals, employees and the doctors patients

1. DOCTORS PROCEDURE

They will:

• Provide a copy of this policy upon request
• Ensure compliance with the APPs and deal appropriately with inquiries or concerns
• Take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to implement practices, procedures and systems to ensure compliance with the APPs and deal with inquiries or complaints

1. COLLECTION,

The information collected is often of a highly sensitive nature doctors have adopted the privacy compliance standards relevant to ensure personal information is protected. Drs  use Hotdoc booking website and Automed for online appts and Pencat (de-identified info only) for analysis of data for quality improvement and providing many services to you and Cubiko as a management program. Please ensure you read their policies. If you wish to opt out please advise the doctor

Collected personal information will include patient’s

• Names, addresses, email addresses phone numbers and all self, emergency and NOK contacts details
• Medicare number, DVA number for identification and claiming purposes
• Healthcare identifiers
• Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors, complaints.

A patient’s personal information may be held in various forms

• As paper records
• As electronic records
• As visuals ie xrays, ct scans, videos & photos

Procedures for collecting personal information is set out below:

• Patient give personal and demographic information via registration, via online or in person registration. Patients are encouraged to pay attention to the collection statement that they complete as a new patient.
• During the course of providing medical services the healthcare practitioners will consequently collect further personal information.
• Personal information may also be collected from the patient’s guardian or responsible person (where practicable and necessary) or from other involved healthcare specialists.
• From third parties where the Privacy Act or other law allows it - this may include, but is not limited to:  other members of your treating team, diagnostic centres, specialists, hospitals, the My Health Record system[1], electronic prescription services, Medicare, your health insurer, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

6. SECURITY

All personal information is held securely, whether in electronic format, in protected information systems held on servers on the premises which are secured by multilayered security and backup information held offsite in the cloud in secure servers by third parties

All employees are required to observe the obligations of confidentiality in the course of their employment and are required to sign Confidentiality Agreements.

1. USE AND DISCLOSURE

Personal information collected is primarily used to provide healthcare services.:

For administrative and billing purposes and to ensure quality and continuity of patient care a patient’s health information is shared between the independent medical practitioners on site

Personal information may also be used or disclosed:

• For accounts and practice administrative purposes
• For medical defence purposes;
• As required by law in instances of mandatory reporting of communicable diseases;
• Necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impracticable to obtain patient’s consent
• To assist in locating a missing person
• For the purpose the patient was advised during consult or email or other communications with the treating Doctor ;
• To send electronic referrals to other health providers ,scripts, pathology and radiology referrals
• For the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process
• For quality assurance and quality improvement processes
• For complaint investigation
• Some disclosure may occur to third parties engaged for business purposes such as accreditation, management or for the provision of information technology. These third parties are required to comply with this policy.

• Including compliance with Medicare and Health Insurance Commission requirements.
• Disclosure to others involved in your healthcare including allied health and treating doctors and specialists. This may occur though referral to other doctors, or for medical tests and in the reports or results returned to us following referrals.
• Sharing of the medical record with other doctors you see or request transfer to
• Disclosure to other doctors for the purpose of patient care and teaching.
• For recalls and reminder letters phone calls, emails, Sms which may be sent to you regarding your health care and management.
• For health promotion
• For quality audits , accreditation and for PIP requirements
• Uploading visits and results to my health record which Drs and you may access
• Uploading scripts to Active script list which chemist can access with your permission
• Uploading vaccines to the Australian Immunisation register
• Accessing q script the Govt Dr shopper website

Only give contacts to use to contact you on and regularly update with me each visit

You can decline to have your health information used in all or some of the ways outlined above but it may influence  my ability to manage your health care to provide the best outcome for you.

Your personal information to any third party other than as listed above or in the course of providing medical services, will need full consent from the patient.

 Personal information will not be disclosed knowingly to anyone outside Australia without need and without patient consent. Be aware Gmail or other email clients and hosting services may keep information overseas

The practice evaluates all unsolicited information it receives to decide if it should be kept, acted upon or destroyed.

1. DATA QUALITY

Doctors endeavour to keep all patient information complete, accurate, and up to date at the time of collection.

1. ACCESS TO PATIENT INFORMATION AND CORRECTION

The following will apply with regard to accessing personal and private medical information by an individual:

• An individual has the right to request access to their own personal information and request a copy or part of the whole record;
• Individuals have the right to obtain their personal information in accordance with the Federal Privacy Act from 20 December 2001 onwards. Requests must be made in writing and an acknowledgement letter will be sent to the patient within 14 days confirming the request and detailing whether the request can be complied with and an indication of any costs associated with providing the information. Time spent and photocopying costs when processing a request can be passed on to the requesting patient. Information can be expected to be provided within 30 days.
• Requests for information prior to 20 December 2001 will be considered by the doctor
• Whilst the individual is not required to give a reason for obtaining the information, a patient may be asked to clarify the scope of the request;
• In some instances the request to obtain information may be denied, in these instances the patient will be advised;
• Doctors will take reasonable steps to correct personal information where it is satisfied they are not accurate or up to date. From time to time they will ask patients to verify the personal information is correct and up to date. Patients may also request a correction or updates to their information and patients should make such requests in writing
• Upon request by the patient, the information held by the doctors will be made available, as law permits, to another health provider or other third party.

1. COMPLAINTS

The doctors and others involved in your health care understand the importance of confidentiality and discretion with the way they manage and maintain the personal information of their patients. Complaints and concerns about the privacy of patient’s personal information are taken very seriously. If you are concerned about the privacy of your information, please discuss it with your doctor, or put your concerns in writing. Then attempts to resolve it in accordance with their complaint resolution process.

If the complaint has not been resolved to your level of satisfaction all complaints should be directed to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

Phone: 1300 363 992

Email: [email protected]

Fax: +61 2 9284 9666

Post: GPO Box 5218 
Sydney NSW 2001

1. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Australian Privacy Principles - https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles

1. NEXT REVIEW DATE 26.1.24

Reviewed  MM V2 , 12.2.22, 26.1.23

[1] See: https://myhealthrecord.gov.au/internet/mhr/publishing.nsf/content/home

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If you have any questions about Doctors privacy policy or  use of information gathered, please contact the Doctor.