Andrew Place Clinic - Privacy Policy
Protecting Your Privacy
To enable ongoing care and total quality improvement within the practice, this privacy policy is to provide information to you, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within the practice, and the circumstances in which it may shared with third parties.
Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient, you provide consent for the doctor 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 assist with providing healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to assist your doctor 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 (eg staff training).
What personal information is collected?
The information we will collect about you includes your:
Dealing with us anonymously
You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.
How is your personal information collected?
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.
4. 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:
When, why and with whom is your personal information shared?
Andrew Place Clinic and the doctors sometimes share your personal information:
We and the doctors will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
Our practice and doctors 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.
Our practice and doctors may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data.
The practice and doctors may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified and the information is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.
How is your information stored and protected?
Your personal information is stored electronically within our practice, with the assistance of passwords, confidentiality agreements for staff and contractors and malware.
Our practice stores all personal information securely.
How can you access and correct your personal information?
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.
The practice and doctors acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. It is required that you put this request in writing and the reception team will respond within a reasonable time. Once the request has been reviewed, a fee may apply.
The practice and doctors will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, you will be asked to verify that your personal information is correct and current. You may also correct or update your information in writing or by contacting Reception on 03 9467 1444 or 03 9466 7211.
How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled?
Andrew Place Clinic and the doctors take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously.
You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing or by contacting the Practice Manager directly on 03 94671444 or 03 94667211.
The Practice Manager will then attempt to resolve it within a reasonable time frame and in accordance with Andrew Place Clinic's resolution procedure.
The mailing address for our Practice Manager:
Attn Practice Manager
Andrew Place Clinic,
Andrew Place, Bundoora Vic 3083
PH: 9467 1444
This address applies to both our Bundoora and Mill Park rooms.
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 363 992.
Policy review statement
Our privacy policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. Keep an eye on the website for updates!
Disclaimer
The Privacy policy template for general practices is intended for use as a guide of a general nature only and may or may not be relevant to particular practices or circumstances. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has used its best endeavours to ensure the template is adapted for general practice to address current and anticipated future privacy requirements. Persons adopting or implementing its procedures or recommendations should exercise their own independent skill or judgement, or seek appropriate professional advice. While the template is directed to general practice, it does not ensure compliance with any privacy laws, and cannot of itself guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients. Accordingly, the RACGP disclaims all liability (including negligence) to any users of the information contained in this template for any loss or damage (consequential or otherwise), cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of reliance on the template in any manner.
To enable ongoing care and total quality improvement within the practice, this privacy policy is to provide information to you, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within the practice, and the circumstances in which it may shared with third parties.
Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient, you provide consent for the doctor 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 assist with providing healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to assist your doctor 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 (eg staff training).
What personal information is collected?
The information we will collect about you includes your:
- Demographic details such as names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
- Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
- Government Identifiers such as Medicare number, Pension and Healthcare Card details (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
- Details about your health care
Dealing with us anonymously
You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.
How is your personal information collected?
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.
4. 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 Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).
When, why and with whom is your personal information shared?
Andrew Place Clinic and the doctors sometimes share your personal information:
- with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
- with other healthcare providers
- when it is required or authorised by law (eg 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 (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
- during the course of providing medical services, through eTP, My Health Record (eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).
We and the doctors will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
Our practice and doctors 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.
Our practice and doctors may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data.
The practice and doctors may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified and the information is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.
How is your information stored and protected?
Your personal information is stored electronically within our practice, with the assistance of passwords, confidentiality agreements for staff and contractors and malware.
Our practice stores all personal information securely.
How can you access and correct your personal information?
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.
The practice and doctors acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. It is required that you put this request in writing and the reception team will respond within a reasonable time. Once the request has been reviewed, a fee may apply.
The practice and doctors will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, you will be asked to verify that your personal information is correct and current. You may also correct or update your information in writing or by contacting Reception on 03 9467 1444 or 03 9466 7211.
How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled?
Andrew Place Clinic and the doctors take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously.
You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing or by contacting the Practice Manager directly on 03 94671444 or 03 94667211.
The Practice Manager will then attempt to resolve it within a reasonable time frame and in accordance with Andrew Place Clinic's resolution procedure.
The mailing address for our Practice Manager:
Attn Practice Manager
Andrew Place Clinic,
Andrew Place, Bundoora Vic 3083
PH: 9467 1444
This address applies to both our Bundoora and Mill Park rooms.
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 363 992.
Policy review statement
Our privacy policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. Keep an eye on the website for updates!
Disclaimer
The Privacy policy template for general practices is intended for use as a guide of a general nature only and may or may not be relevant to particular practices or circumstances. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has used its best endeavours to ensure the template is adapted for general practice to address current and anticipated future privacy requirements. Persons adopting or implementing its procedures or recommendations should exercise their own independent skill or judgement, or seek appropriate professional advice. While the template is directed to general practice, it does not ensure compliance with any privacy laws, and cannot of itself guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients. Accordingly, the RACGP disclaims all liability (including negligence) to any users of the information contained in this template for any loss or damage (consequential or otherwise), cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of reliance on the template in any manner.
