PRIVACY POLICY
Keeping your personal information private in our practice
This policy explains how personal information about you and your health is recorded and managed in our practice.
We also have a written privacy policy describing how we manage personal information.
You can receive a copy of our policy free of charge upon request.
Personal information
The ‘personal information’ we collect includes your name, date of birth, address/es, contact details, Medicare number, healthcare identifiers and health fund details. Medical information may include medical history and any care you may need.
Our practice – Advanced Plastic Surgery Centre, follows the terms and conditions of privacy and confidentiality in accordance to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as per schedule 1 of the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth), forming part of the Privacy Act 1988 ( ‘the Act’).
Your medical records
This practice takes steps to ensure that your medical records:
- are accurate, complete, well-organised and legible
- are up to date
- contain enough information to allow another GP or specialist to care for you
- contain a summary of your care
- can be used to remind you, with your permission, to return for follow up, check-ups and reviews.
If you are uncertain why information is being requested, please ask your Doctor or the practice staff.
If you wish to remain anonymous while accessing healthcare services, please talk to the practice staff.
Providing your information to other Doctors
In this practice, it is normal for your referring GP to have access to your medical records. Any treating doctors involved in your care that you have advised the practice of, either verbally or on your registration form, will also have access. By nominating these doctors, you consent to them receiving reports and/or results relevant to your care. If you have any concerns about this, please discuss them with your Doctor or practice staff.
It is important that other people involved in your care, such as medical specialists and other healthcare professionals, are informed of the relevant parts of your medical history, so they can provide the best care for you. Your Doctor will let you know when this is necessary.
Providing your information to others
This practice respects your right to decide how your personal information is used or shared. For example, this may be sharing your health information with other specialist doctors. Personal information that identifies you will only be sent to other people with your consent unless there are exceptional circumstances. Gaining your consent is the guiding principle used by this practice in using and sharing your information.
Our practice will not share your personal health information with anyone else or another organisation unless:
- you have consented to this sharing, or
- we are legally obliged to disclose the information, in which case your Doctor will first discuss with you the information that she or he is legally obliged to disclose, or
- the information is necessary for you to obtain Medicare payments or other health insurance rebates, or
- there is an overriding public health and safety
- interest in the release of the information.
In these cases, only information necessary to meet the requirements will be provided. Your health information will not ordinarily be sent overseas unless:
- you are informed and have provided consent for this to occur, and
- the overseas country receiving the information has privacy laws that are very similar to the Australian Privacy Principles.
Using health information for quality improvement and research
This practice may use patient health information to assist in improving the quality of care we give to all our patients, by reviewing the treatments used in the practice.
Your information held by the practice may be used in research projects to improve healthcare in the community; however, this information will not include data that can identify you.
The information used for research, including the publication of research results, will not be in a form that would allow you to be identified, unless the research serves an important public interest. In such cases, identifiable medical records can be used for medical research without your consent under guidelines issued by the Australian Government. Before providing such identified information, your Doctor will discuss with you the information that she or he is obliged to disclose.
Security of information in the practice
Australian privacy legislation applies to all personal health information recorded in electronic and paper records. All records must be kept secure to protect against unauthorized access. This practice complies with these requirements to protect your information.
Access to your health information
You may ask practice staff about any aspect of your healthcare, including information contained in your record. You can request access to your medical record and any other information the practice records about you.
If you request access to your medical record, your Doctor will need to consider if there may be a risk of physical or mental harm to you or any other person that may result from disclosure of your health information. Your Doctor may need to remove any information that will affect the privacy of other individuals.
Sharing information is important for good communication between you and practice staff. Your Doctor can provide a full explanation of the health summary or medical record you are provided access to.
Depending on what is involved, you may be asked to contribute to the cost of providing your records.
Direct marketing
This practice does not engage in direct marketing.
Resolving concerns regarding the privacy of your health information
If you have any concerns regarding the privacy of your personal health information or the accuracy of the information held by the practice, you should discuss these with practice staff. Inaccurate information can be corrected, or your concerns noted in your record. For legal reasons, the original notes will be retained.
Contacts
If you have questions or a complaint about the privacy of your personal information, please ask to speak to our Practice Manager.
Further information on privacy legislation is available from:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
1300 363 992
Office of the Information Commissioner
Queensland – 07 3234 7373
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
02 9437 9200
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
03 9249 1200