Patient Privacy

What happens when we collect your information?

• We will only collect information necessary for providing you with a health service
• Where practical we will only collect information directly from you
• We seek your assistance to ensure that information we hold about you is accurate and up-to-date

Access to your information

• You can access your personal health information held by the practice
• If you need access to your records, practice staff can advise you of the process and any costs that may be involved

To whom do we disclose information?

• To provide you with a quality health service we may disclose selected personal health information to others involved in your treatment and care such as:
  • Treating hospital
  • Specialist
  • Pathology provider
  • Medical imaging services (eg. x-ray)
  • Pharmacist
  • Dietician, physiotherapist or other allied health professionals
• We only disclose those details necessary for you to recieve appropriate care from the health service concerned
• Limited information (for billing or public health registers) must be disclosed by law to government bodies overseeing the provision of public health services (eg. for billing purposes we are required to provide to Medicare Australia a Medicare number in connection with the type of medical service we provide to you)

Respecting Your Privacy

• Our "Privacy Policy" underpins our handling of privacy issues
• Our staff and doctors are trained in good privacy practice
• Patient privacy information is available from the practice
• Our informed and caring staff and doctors can advise you on any of your privacy concerns

Your Concerns

• If you have any concerns about the way staff or dotors are handling your privacy or you need to access your information, please speak to one of our staff or to your doctor as appropriate
• If you are unable to resolve the issue with the practice you can contact the Privacy Commissioner on 1300 363 992 or visit www.privacy.gov.au 

Consent

We consider that patients attending this practice expect that information provided will be used only to assist in managing their health care.

We also consider that patients would reasonably expect that selected personal health details will be disclosed to other health services directly involved in providing a health service to the individual.

For example if a blood sample is taken we anticipate that the patient would reasonably expect that the pathology service provider will receive details clearly identifiying who the sample was taken from (patient name, contact details, date of birth) and what tests the doctor is requesting to be conducted on the sample.

If you are concerned about any related secondary use or disclosure of your personal health information you should speak to your doctor (or practice staff if appropriate) about your concerns.

Should I Sign A Consent Form?

By signing consent to the use and disclosure of your personal information, you can assist the practice to ensure that necessary information is available to those involved in your health care when it is needed.

Definitions

Health information means:

1. Information or an opinion about:
   1. the health or a disability (at any time) of an individual; or
   2. an individual's expressed wishes about the future provision of health services to him/her; or
   3. a health service provided or to be provided to an individual that is also personal information; or
2. Other personal information collected to provide, or in providing, a health service; or
3. Other personal information about an individual collected in connection with the donation, or intended donation, by the individual of his/her body parts, organs or body substances.

Health service means:

1. An activity performed in relation to an individual that is intended or claimed (expressly or otherwise) by the individual or the person performing it:
   1. to assess, record, maintain or improve the individual's health; or
   2. to diagnose the individual's illness or disability; or
   3. to treat the individual's illness or disability or suspected illness or disability; or
2. The dispensing on prescription of a drug or medicinal preperation by a pharmacist.