Health104 Medical Privacy Policy Current as of: 07/06/2024

Introduction This privacy policy provides 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, including Magu due to our shared BP and till payment portal.

Why and when your consent is necessary When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our 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 needs 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). Additionally, we share your information with Magu due to our shared BP and till payment portal.

What personal information do we collect? The information we collect about you includes:

• Names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunizations, 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 collects your personal information in several ways:

1. When you make your first appointment, our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information over the phone and via our ‘Confidential Client History Form’ during your initial visit.
2. During the course of treatment by our practice clinicians, 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 general practitioners, 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 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
• With Magu due to our shared BP and till payment portal
• When it is required or authorized 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 a 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 complementary health services, through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record/PCEHR system (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 treatment 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. This will mostly be in electronic form in practice management software that complies with the medical governing bodies’ code of ethics and compliance. This may include software such as “Best Practice,” “Xero,” “Cliniko,” and booking system software. Every attempt will be made to ensure all patient information is stored only online. If possible, any paper or visual records (X-rays, CT scans, videos, and photos) will be scanned and/or stored electronically.

Our practice stores all personal information securely in electronic format, with protected information systems in internationally certified cloud systems. We use strong complex passwords, have secure vaults (that used to be part of the previous bank building), and include confidentiality agreements for staff and contractors.

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 treatment records. We require you to put this request in writing, and our practice will respond within 30 days or as appropriate for the particular 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 whether 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 to reception@health104.com.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. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve them in accordance with our resolution procedure.

Our contact details: Email: reception@health104.com.au
Address: 104 Canterbury Road, Middle Park, VIC 3206
Telephone: 1300 003 082

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.

Privacy and our website This practice utilizes an online booking system which collects patient information such as name, date of birth, phone number, and email. All information gathered through the online booking system, practice website, social media, or other platforms will only be held in accordance with all privacy and confidential regulations as outlined in the rest of this document. No marketing or advertising will be done with cookies that are gathered as part of website and social media platform use without express, informed, and written consent.

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 by email or in writing of any such changes.