Our practice is committed to ensuring your privacy and the confidentiality of your records. We recommend taking some time to read through our Privacy Policy. It contains some important information relating to your medical records.
Our Privacy Policy is to do with your personal information; everything we know about you. Because this information is so important, we’ll always be honest and transparent about how we handle it.
We use the information you provide to provide relevant medical treatment and for best possible outcomes.
By providing personal information to us, you consent to us collecting, using and disclosing your personal information as described in this Policy. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.
We collect information from you when it is necessary for us to provide you with the service and treatment you require. If you provide us with incomplete or inaccurate information or withhold personal health information from us, we may not be able to provide you with the services required.
We also collect your personal information to:
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and current. To assist us, please ensure that the information you provide to us is accurate, up-to-date and complete, and inform us of any change in your personal or medical circumstances.
You may be referred for diagnostic tests such as pathology or radiology; to other health service providers, e.g., other specialists or allied health professionals for further treatment. Your personal details will usually need to be shared with these providers to ensure you receive the appropriate care. Your treatment may require the involvement of other medical professionals, such as anaesthetist’s and surgical assistants. We will need to provide them with certain information about you to enable them to assist in your treatment.
Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your expressed consent. If you do consent, you may opt-out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.
We may be required to grant access to medical records when permitted or obliged to do so under the Australian Law. In some circumstances we may be obliged to cooperate with law enforcement to disclose personal information in response to unlawful activity or if there is a serious threat to life, health, or safety. We may be required to disclose patient information, including details of phone calls and details of services provided, when we receive an access request or warrant authorised under the Australian Law.
We take the protection of your personal information very seriously. We are a paperless practice which helps limit access to, and potential loss of, your medical records; only those who really need to can view your file.
Some of the other measures we take include:
You can call our rooms or send us an email to request access to your records. We can provide you with copies of your clinic letters, results etc via secure email.
There are Australian Privacy Laws that prevent us from granting you access to your records in some circumstances. We cannot give you access if it would infringe another person’s privacy or if doing so may pose a threat to someone’s life, health, or safety.
To protect your privacy, we will need you to verify your identity prior to providing access to your information.
In the specific case of obtaining access to your pathology or radiology results, the preferred method is in consultation with your treating practitioner, so that complex clinical information can be explained to you within the context of your individual circumstances.
We recognise that your personal information is important to you. Please contact the practice manager on 02 9134 5853 or via email [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns about this policy or our practice.
