Privacy Policy

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 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.

Patients can do this via any of the usual methods of communication. A patient wishing to deal the with Practice anonymously or under a pseudonym should direct their enquiries to the Practice Manager advising that they wish to remain anonymous.

Mail to: 4, 476 Wanneroo Rd, Westminster WA 6061

Phone: 08 6186 0283

Email: [email protected]

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.
2. Whilst providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
3. 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
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)

Information backup:

Our practice uses cloud-based software to minimise the risk of data loss from on-site disaster. Our practice server is stored on an encrypted drive.

Our practice server is backed up hourly. Hourly backups are retained for 24 hours at which point a daily backup is created. Daily backups are available for 7 days at which point a weekly backup is created. Weekly backups are available for 4 weeks at which point a monthly backup is created. Monthly backups are retained for three months. Quarterly backups are retained indefinitely.

Our data can be backed-up and either archived or restored in under a minute.

Each backup is automatically imported into a virtual machine and allowed to start. Our archiving software automatically records a thirty second video to accompany each backup to confirm that the data is intact. The Business Continuity Coordinator receives notification via email if an error occurs.

Additionally, our practice management and clinical software independently creates a backup on a daily basis and is stored at a secondary site. These backups are retained for 7 days.

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 TP, 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 medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

The Practice utilises document templates embedded in the Practice Management Software, Best Practice Solutions, when creating documents, such as referral letters, in patients’ medical records. These templates are used to ensure that only information relevant to the document is included. The doctors are able to remove and/or add any information they deem necessary to the document

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.

We 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 do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. This will usually be by electronic means within your electronic health record (eHR). Medika Health will regularly receive information related to patients via mail or fax. These documents are electronically scanned into the relevant patient’s HR and then destroyed

Our practice stores all personal information securely. All electronic files are password protected and encrypted. Patient information is not routinely stored in paper form and all incoming correspondence is stored in a padlocked bin until collected for destruction. All staff at Medika Health Clinic sign confidentiality agreements prior to commencing employment.

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 a ‘Patient Information Access Form (PT02. Please ask our friendly reception staff for a hard copy or you can send a request to [email protected] and our practice will respond within a reasonable time, generally within 5 business days. It is within the rights of Medika Health Clinic to charge patients for any expenses incurred in providing access to their medical records, including but not limited to stationery and human resources.

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 [email protected]

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. Patients can expect a response within 5 business days.

Please forward any complaints to:

Practice Manager

4, 476 Wanneroo Road

Westminster WA 6061

Tel: 08 6186 0283

Email: [email protected]

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.