Introduction
This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.
Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.
Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?
Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (e.g. staff training).
What personal information do we collect?
The information we will collect about you includes:
- names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
- medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
- Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
- healthcare identifiers
- health fund details.
How do we collect your personal information?
Our practice will collect your personal information:
- When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
- During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. Information can also be collected through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record/PCEHR system, e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary.
- We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.
- In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:
- your guardian or responsible person other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
- your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (as necessary).
Who do we share your personal information with?
We sometimes share your personal information:
- with other healthcare providers when it forms part of the treatment of a medical condition. Disclosure may also be necessary if referral to another medical practitioner and allied health practitioner is required
- with third parties who work with our practice purposes of improving our service provision to you, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
- when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
- when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
- to assist in locating a missing person
- to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
- for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
- when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
- during the course of providing medical services, through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record/PCEHR system (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary) De-identified health information is collected by the Central Eastern Sydney PHN, and shared with the department of health in order to assist with planning health services for the community (e.g. determining the general health population of the Central Eastern Sydney demographic). This is to help fund and plan for the healthcare needs of the population of Central Sydney, East Sydney and the Inner West, via a data extraction tool called POLAR. You are able to opt out of your de-identified health information being shared. Please advise the receptionist or practice manager if you do not wish to participate.
- Our practices uses automated technologies – such as relevant information populated in referrals, investigation requests, etc
Only people that need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
We will not send personal information overseas without your consent.
Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt-out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms.
Our practice stores information, as electronic records, which may include visual (X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos) records.
Our practice stores all personal information securely in electronic format, in protected information systems in a secured environment. We ensure that all PCs in the practice are password protected and that electronic information is backed up regularly in the unlikely instance of an adverse event.
How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.
Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing, by completing our request for personal information form, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. We endeavor to respond to these requests within 30 days. There is an administration fee for producing records. The fee will depend on the format you request the information i.e. hard copy or soft copy.
Our practice will takes reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. From time-to-time, we will ask you to verify your personal information held by our practice is correct and up-to-date. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing addressed to the practice manager.
How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.
Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing, by completing our request for personal information form, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. We endeavour to respond to these requests within 30 days. There is an administration fee for producing records. The fee will depend on the format you request the information i.e. hard copy or soft copy.
Our practice will takes reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. From time-to-time, we will ask you to verify your personal information held by our practice is correct and up-to-date. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing addressed to the practice manager.
How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?
We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.
Please address all complaints to: The practice manager 4/965 Bourke Street, Waterloo NSW 2017.
Our aim is to respond within 30 days.
You may also contact the OAIC. Generally the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond, before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 336 002.
Email and other applications
As email is not a secure form of communication, unless encrypted, we prefer not to employ the use of email for the purposes of transferring personal information or communicating with patients.
Our online bookings and SMS reminders are facilitated through Hotdoc. If you subscribe to this service it is necessary for Hotdoc to access your personal details (such as your name, address and contact number). For more information on their privacy and security policy please see their website – https://www.hotdoc.com.au/privacy-policy
Policy review statement
This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur.
Last reviewed September 2019
Next review September 2024