Directions to our clinicPRIVACY AND HEALTH INFORMATION POLICY
About this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Longwarry Medical Centre collects, uses, stores and protects your personal information, including your health information, and the circumstances in which we may disclose your information to other parties. We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of information held by the practice and managing it in accordance with applicable Australian privacy and health records requirements.
Consent and Your Privacy
When you register as a patient of Longwarry Medical Centre, you provide consent for our doctors and authorised practice staff to collect, access and use your personal information for the purpose of providing safe and appropriate healthcare. Access is limited to staff who require the information to perform their duties. Where we need to use or disclose your information for another purpose that is not reasonably expected as part of providing healthcare, we will seek your consent where required.
Information We Collect
We collect, use and hold your personal information primarily to provide and manage your healthcare. We may also use information for directly related practice activities, including Medicare and other healthcare claims and payments, practice administration, clinical audits, quality improvement, accreditation, compliance, staff training, referrals and communication with other healthcare providers, and maintaining accurate medical records.
Depending on the services we provide, we may collect your name, date of birth, address and contact details; medical history; medications; allergies and adverse reactions; immunisation history; family and social history; relevant lifestyle information and risk factors; Medicare number and healthcare identifiers; health fund details; and information contained in referrals, pathology, diagnostic imaging and other medical records.
Anonymity and Pseudonyms
You may request to deal with our practice anonymously or under a pseudonym where legally permitted. This may not be practical or appropriate where we need to identify you to provide safe and effective healthcare, process Medicare claims, maintain accurate medical records, or where identification is required or authorised by law.
How We Collect Your Information
We may collect information directly from you when you register, make an appointment, attend a consultation, complete a form, contact us by telephone, email or SMS, use online booking services, or communicate with us through our website or social media. We may also collect information through electronic prescriptions, My Health Record and other healthcare systems. Where necessary and permitted, information may be received from guardians or responsible persons, other healthcare providers, hospitals, pathology and diagnostic imaging providers, Medicare, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or other relevant organisations.
When We Share Your Information
We may disclose your information where necessary for your healthcare or where permitted or required by law. This may include other doctors and healthcare professionals involved in your care, specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, pathology and diagnostic imaging providers, Medicare and relevant government agencies, accreditation or auditing organisations, and service providers who assist us to operate the practice. We may also disclose information where required or authorised by law, including court orders or subpoenas, mandatory notifications, serious threats to life, health or safety, public health or safety matters, assistance in locating a missing person, legal claims or other circumstances permitted by law. We will not disclose personal information to third parties for unrelated purposes without your consent unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
How We Protect and Store Your Information
Personal information may be stored in electronic records, paper records, clinical notes, medical images, X-rays and other investigation records. We take reasonable steps to protect information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Electronic information is stored in secure systems and access is restricted to authorised users. Staff are required to maintain confidentiality and follow practice privacy, security and information management procedures.
Consent for Disclosure of Health Information
How We Obtain Informed Consent
Longwarry Medical Centre recognises that informed consent is an important part of protecting your privacy when your health information is disclosed to another person or organisation.
Where consent is required, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you understand what information is being disclosed, why it is being disclosed, who it will be disclosed to, and how it may be used.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek further information before making your decision.
- Providing reasonable options
Where appropriate, we will discuss the available options with you and explain the potential benefits and risks of consenting or declining to provide consent. You are entitled to make your own decision about whether to provide consent, subject to circumstances where disclosure is authorised or required by law.
- Allowing reasonable time to decide
You will be given a reasonable opportunity to consider the information provided, ask questions and make an informed decision.
Consent must be given voluntarily and without pressure or coercion. Where appropriate, consent may be provided verbally or in writing, depending on the circumstances and the sensitivity of the information being disclosed.
You may withdraw your consent at any time, unless the disclosure has already occurred or we are otherwise required or authorised by law to disclose the information. Longwarry Medical Centre will document consent where appropriate and will only disclose the information that is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which consent has been provided.
Accessing and Correcting Your Information
When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?
Longwarry Medical Centre may share your personal information when it is necessary to provide you with healthcare, manage our practice, or were permitted or required by law.
We may sometimes share your personal information:
with third parties who work with our practice for business and administrative purposes, such as accreditation agencies, pathology providers, software providers, information technology providers and other service providers. These third parties are required to comply with applicable privacy laws and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs);
with other healthcare providers involved in your care, where necessary to provide safe and appropriate healthcare;
when required or authorised by law, such as in response to a court subpoena, warrant or another lawful request;
when necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a person’s life, health or safety, or to public health or safety, where permitted by law;
where it is necessary to assist in locating a missing person, where permitted by law;
to establish, exercise or defend a legal or equitable claim;
for the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process;
where there is a statutory requirement to disclose certain personal information, such as mandatory notification of certain diseases or conditions;
during the provision of medical services through electronic systems and services, including electronic prescriptions (eTP) and My Health Record, such as through Shared Health Summaries, Event Summaries and other relevant clinical information; and
where otherwise permitted or required under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and applicable Australian privacy laws.
Only authorised persons who need access to your personal information for legitimate purposes will be permitted to access it.
Except where required or permitted by law, or where necessary in the course of providing healthcare or managing our practice as described in this Privacy Policy, Longwarry Medical Centre will not disclose your personal information to a third party without your consent.
Overseas Disclosure of Personal Information
Longwarry Medical Centre will not ordinarily disclose your personal information to recipients located outside Australia without your consent, unless the disclosure is permitted or required by law or is otherwise permitted under the Australian Privacy Principles.
Where appropriate, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that any overseas recipient handles your personal information in accordance with applicable privacy obligations.
Direct Marketing and Your Privacy
Longwarry Medical Centre will not use your personal information for direct marketing of our goods or services without your consent where consent is required by law.
Where you have consented to receive direct marketing communications, you may opt out at any time by contacting the practice in writing or using the unsubscribe option provided in the communication.
We will respect your request to opt out of direct marketing and will take reasonable steps to ensure that your preference is recorded.
Privacy Complaints and Concerns
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 your concern in accordance with our privacy complaint resolution procedure.
Longwarry Medical Centre can be contacted regarding privacy complaints via:
Email: feedback@longwarrymedicalcentre.com.au
Phone: 03 5629 9200
Address: 6 Flinders Road, Longwarry VIC 3816
We endeavour to respond to all complaints regarding privacy within 30 days. Your privacy complaint will be treated confidentially by the Practice Manager.
You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your privacy complaint. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give the practice an opportunity to respond to your complaint before they investigate.
For further information, visit www.oaic.gov.au or contact the OAIC on 1300 363 992.
Longwarry Medical Centre may use secure medical software and document automation technologies to assist with documents such as referrals, medical certificates and communications with other healthcare providers.
Only relevant information is included. Users have individual credentials and access is restricted according to their role. The practice maintains appropriate privacy and security controls for electronic and paper records.
Audio/visual recording consent
Longwarry Medical Centre does not routinely record or duplicate audio or visual content of consultations. If recording or duplication is proposed in the future, appropriate informed consent will be obtained before recording takes place, where required.
Website and Social Media Privacy
Personal information may be collected through our website or social media pages, for example when completing an online registration or enquiry form. Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites and encourage patients to review their privacy policies. We take reasonable steps to protect information under our control, but patients should be aware that internet transmission carries inherent risks.
Electronic Communications
Personal information may be collected through the Longwarry Medical Centre website or our social media pages in circumstances such as when you complete an online registration form, contact us online, submit an enquiry, or otherwise provide information to us electronically.
Our website or social media pages may contain links to websites operated by third parties. Longwarry Medical Centre is not responsible for the content, security or privacy practices of these external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of each external website before providing any personal information.
Longwarry Medical Centre has policies, procedures and security measures in place to protect personal information that we hold and control. However, you should be aware that there are inherent risks associated with transmitting information over the internet.
While we take reasonable steps to protect personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted to us online. Individuals who choose to provide personal information electronically do so at their own risk.
Once personal information comes into our possession, Longwarry Medical Centre takes reasonable steps to protect it from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
If you do not wish to provide or receive information electronically, alternative methods are available, including telephone, mail or in-person communication. In some circumstances, our security procedures may also require us to provide information to you by non-electronic means.
Cookies and Website Usage
Our website may use cookies to make your experience of the website easier and more efficient. A cookie is a small data file that is stored on your device by a website.
Cookies may assist with website functionality and may help us understand how visitors use our website. Cookies do not normally allow a website to access other information stored on your device.
You can configure your internet browser to notify you when a cookie is being used or to accept or reject cookies. You may also be able to disable cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality or performance of some parts of our website.
Review of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy is reviewed regularly and at least annually, or when changes to legislation, privacy requirements, healthcare systems or practice procedures occur. Patients may be notified of significant changes through appropriate practice communications, including notices at reception, in the waiting room, on the practice website or by other suitable means.