PRACTICE PRIVACY POLICY

The website privacy policy is found in the website terms and conditions.

Introduction, why your consent is necessary & why/how we collect information

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.

The term ‘our practice’ refers to South East Skin Clinic, 145-147 Queen St, Cleveland 4163,

ABN 41167335873

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our doctors 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.

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.

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

  • medical information, including medical history, allergies medication, adverse events, family history, and risk factors relevant to skin cancer medicine such as leisure or occupational activities.
  • names, date of birth, address, email and phone numbers; Medicare number for identification & claiming.

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 authorized by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

  1. When you Book online – your name, email and phone number are collected.
  2. Further details are subsequently collected via a link to the separate secure online form. We will, if you prefer, ring you to collect your personal and demographic information.
  3. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
  4. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment.
  5. 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 Veterans Affairs (as necessary).

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We 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 3rd parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
  • with other healthcare providers – for example, a referral to a plastic surgeon, dermatologist or to the public hospital.
  • when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas); to assist in locating a missing person
  • 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 establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
  • for the purpose of the confidential dispute resolution process
  • when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
  • during the course of providing medical services through eTP, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

Only people who 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?

Online bookings are made via a HIPAA-Compliant (server-based in The USA. This portal includes your contact details (your name, email, phone number). Basic Information regarding the reason for your skin appointment may occasionally be entered, and this information is deleted after the appointment.

You have the option to register your information via an online form. The Forms are encrypted and stored electronically in HIPAA-compliant servers in The USA. This information includes your date of birth, Medicare number, contact details, and basic medical history relevant to dermatology.

We take the additional step of deleting the registration forms after we have entered the information into the separate clinical portal. This portal is a secure Australian medical online portal used by skin cancer doctors/GPs and Specialists. The Microsoft azure servers are based within Australia.

Our practice stores all personal information securely. Staff and contractors sign confidentiality agreements.

How do we communicate with you?

  • By phone
  • Email – provided that you give consent for us to contact you via email.
  • SMS – routinely, we send you an appointment reminder via SMS. Other SMS’s are only sent with your advanced permission (usually verbal) e.g. appointment reminders.

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 to the practice manager, and our practice will respond within 30 days. The practice will charge $30.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to The practice manager.

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. The contact details are The practice manager, South East Skin Clinic, 6, 145-147 Queen St, Cleveland 4163. Turnaround time is 30 days. You may also contact the OIC. Generally, the OIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information, visit oic.qld.gov.au or call the OIC on (07) 3234 7373

Privacy Policy updated 2/4/2020

DATE OF 1ST PUBLICATION: 1/11/2018
DATE LAST MODIFIED: 2/4/2020