Current as of April 2024
Introduction
This privacy policy is to provide information to you, the patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within by your independent GP and Medeco Medical Centre, and the circumstances in which it maybe shared with third parties with the approval of your doctor.
Why and when your consent is necessary?
When you register as a patient with your doctor, you provide consent for your doctor and 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?
Your doctor and Medeco will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. The main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. Your independent doctor and Medeco may also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).
What personal information is collected?
The information that may be collected about you includes:
- names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
- medical information, including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, 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 your doctor and Medeco anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.
How is your personal information collected?
Your doctor and Medeco will collect your personal information:
- When you make your first appointment; our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration on behalf of your chosen doctor.
- During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
- Information can also be collected through the Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record, eg via Shared Health Summary and an Event Summary subject to your consent after speaking with your doctor.
- 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.
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 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?
Your doctor and Medeco 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
- when it is required or authorised by law (eg 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 (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
- during the course of providing medical services through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record system (eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).
Only people that need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, your doctor or Medeco will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
Your personal information will not be shared with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
Your doctor or Medeco 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 Medeco in various forms. These forms may be electronic records, paper records, visual X-rays and video recordings for training purposes.
Your doctor and Medeco store all personal information securely.
All data, both electronic and paper, are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Computer and Information Security Standards (CISS) and the requirements of Medeco that all doctors, employees and third parties have confidentiality agreements in place.
How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?
You have the right to access and correct your personal information.
Your doctor and Medeco acknowledge patients may request access to their medical records. Your doctor will require you to put this request in writing on the application form available from Medeco. Medeco will respond on behalf of your doctor within a reasonable time after your doctor has been consulted. The response will be within 14 days for electronic records and 30 days if your medical records are in a manual form. This request will be approved by your doctor. There is a fee applicable. This fee is detailed on the application and your doctor will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. Medeco will ask you to verify your personal information held by the facility to ensure it 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:
The Practice Manager
Medeco Medical Centre
535 High Street
PENRITH NSW 2750
How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?
Your doctor takes complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing to your doctor. They will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with their resolution procedure.
Your doctor and Medeco take the privacy of your information seriously and it is important that you understand how your doctor will manage your personal information. If you have any questions or comments in relation to this Privacy Policy, if you wish to access or correct your personal information, or if you wish to make a complaint about a privacy matter, please contact us by mail addressed to:
Privacy Officer
Medeco Medical Centre
535 High Street
Penrith NSW 2750
and it will be dealt with within 30 days of lodgement by your doctor.
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
Medeco Medical Centre website provides links to websites outside of facility services. These linked sites are not under our control, and your doctor and Medeco are not responsible for the conduct of companies linked to our website. Before disclosing your personal information on any other website, it is advised you examine the privacy policy and terms and conditions of that website.
Policy review statement
Your doctor and Medeco reserve the right to change its privacy policy at any time. Your doctor and Medeco will notify any changes by posting an updated version of the policy on its website.