Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy

Rosewood General Practice Medical Centre Privacy Policy

Introduction

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary?

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for Rosewood General Practice Medical Centre to store, access, use and manage your personal information in order to provide you with the best possible health care management at our practice. Our GPs 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?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

SMS Messaging Reminder System

We send out SMS reminders for appointments. You can opt out of this service by informing reception. Recalls and Review reminders are also sent via SMS. If you do not have a device to receive SMS a letter will be sent out instead.

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect 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 us 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 do we collect your personal information?

Our practice will collect your personal information:

1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
   1. Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions
   2. My Health Records/PCEHR system
   3. Quality Improvement
3. 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.
4. 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?

We will only share your personal information if necessary, for your health care management, which may include:

• 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
• De-Identified data to our Primary Health Network for Quality Improvements.
• 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 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/PCEHR 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, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent. We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent. Our practice 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 is stored at our practice as electronic records. All paper correspondence will be scanned into your electronic file. Our practice stores all personal information securely. This is stored in electronic format with protected encrypted systems. All staff and contractors agree and sign a confidentially agreement and allocated secure passwords.

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information. Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing and address it to the Practice Manager and our practice will respond within 30 days. Our practice will takes reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. At your second visit at our practice we will print out your demographics and get yourself to check all details have been entered correctly. At each visit administration staff will ask you 3 forms of identification eg. Name,DOB and address. This is to confirm we have the correct person booked in.

How can you lodge a privacy related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

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 it in accordance with our resolution procedure. Please forward you letter to Rosewood General Practice Medical Centre, 14 John St,Rosewood QLD 4340, and address it to The Practice Manager. Or you can email to admin@rosewoodgp.com.au. We will endeavor to address your complaint within 30 days. 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.

Policy review statement

Our policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any practice changes that may occur. We will notify you of any changes to our policy at your next visit and update your consent in your electronic file.