Current as of: 15/05/18 

Most recent update: 01/08/23 

 

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 health practitioners 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 your: 

• 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 

  

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. If you would like to deal with us anonymously, please notify us in person or in writing. 

  

How do we collect your personal information? 

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. 

1. During the course of providing health services, we may collect further personal information. This includes acquiring information via My Health Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary. 

1. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website (such as via google analytics, cookies, from sending an enquiry & making an online booking), send us an email or SMS, telephone us or communicate with us using social media. 

1. 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, TAC, WorkCover or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary). 

  

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information? 

We 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 (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 eTP, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary). 

  

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing health 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. 

  

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, including paper records, electronic records and visual records (X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos). 

Our practice stores all personal information securely: in electronic format it is stored in password protected computer systems or in a cloud-based format. We try to ensure that that all information stored in a cloud-based format is stored securely within Australia, according to Australia’s best-practice guidelines on data-security. We also store personal information in hard copy format (temporarily before shredding) locked securely filing cabinets within the practice environment. 

We also protect your personal information by using password software 

  

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 that the patient (or their parent or guardian) must put this request in writing, including their signature & the current date. Our practice will respond within 30 days. At the discretion of our practice we may charge a fee of $50 for providing personal information as a result of complying with the request. 

  

Our practice will take 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 that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to our email hello@promhealth.au  

  

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. If you have any concerns, please first contact us in person or over the phone so that a straightforward resolution can be made. If we cannot resolve your complaint in this manner, then you should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure. We will endeavour to respond to complaints within 30 days of receiving the complaint. Please send your complaints via email to hello@promhealth.au 

 

Privacy and our website 

From our website & other forms of electronic social media such as Facebook, we collect your Personal Information for the primary purpose of providing our services to you and marketing. This includes contact details as inputted when making an online booking, details regarding website analytics & cookies. We may also use your Personal Information for secondary purposes closely related to the primary purpose, in circumstances where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure. You may unsubscribe from our mailing/marketing lists at any time by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ option at the bottom of a marketing email or via email. 

Policy review statement 

This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. Patients will be notified of amendments via email &/or displayed within the clinic.