Privacy Policy - Hobson's Bay Medical & Skin Center

Privacy Policy

Introduction

This practice is bound by the Federal Privacy Act (1988) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and also complies with the Victorian Health Records Act (2001).

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 (eg 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 authorized by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

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 My Health Record, practice participates in my health record service.

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 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 (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 My Health Record (eg 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 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.

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.

Our practice 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.

Only relevant medical information will be shared with other healthcare providers. Our clinical software gives our general practitioners the ability to choose which information to be sent out.

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 not 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 all personal information securely, in protected information system.

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 fax to us or hand deliver, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time withing two weeks or so. If a full copy of your record is required there will be a fee associated. 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.

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. You can email us at manager@hobsonsbaymedical.com.au You must include your mailing address and contact number. Turnaround timeframe to your request will usually be 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 363 992 or Office of the Health Ombudsman 13 36 46.

Privacy and our website

You may reach us through our website via email. However, due to privacy and security regulations, email communication is not the preferred method. Without password protection or encryption, there is a risk that your email could be intercepted and accessed by third parties.

We will not send any private health information through email unless we have your explicit, written consent documented in your health records. By providing this consent, you acknowledge and accept all associated risks with email communication.

Policy reviews statement

This Privacy Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur.

Accessing your information, complaints and obtaining further information if an individual wishes to:

complain to us about a breach of privacy; or
access his or her own information held by us; or
correct any information held by us concerning his or her own information; or
find out more about how we deal with personal information, that individual can contact:
The Practice Manager
Hobsons Bay Medical and Skin Centre

51-53 Point Cook Road, Seabrook, Vic 3028