Privacy Policy

Current as of April 2019

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 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).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

  • 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.

The Privacy Act however also provides patients with the option of not identifying themselves, or of using a pseudonym, when dealing with our Clinic.(APP 2) unless it is impracticable for you to do so.

Further information on this can be obtained from the Clinic Manager and is contained in our new patient registration form and in our online website.

How do we collect your personal information?

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

  1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration. Our practice has a collection statement attached to/within the patient registration form.
  2. During the course of providing medical services, Budja may collect further personal information.

Information can also be collected through various eHealth services including the electronic transfer of prescriptions (eTP), My Health Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary.

Budja 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 (when the latter is activated).

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?

Budja sometimes shares your personal information in the following situations:

  • 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 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 eTP, My Health Record (eg 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.

Budja 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 electronically at our practice.

Our practice stores all personal information securely, with levels of access available depending on healthcare service provided to you and all password protected. All staff, contractors and others provided with access have to sign a legally binding confidentiality agreement. All data is regularly and securely backed up on icloud.

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 Clinic Manager and our practice will respond within a reasonable time of no more than 30 days. Generally there will be no fee charged by Budja for collation of this information.  

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 medical.reception@budjabudjacoop.org.au 

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 to the Clinic Manager. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.

Contact Details

Dianne Martin, Clinic Manager

PO Box 66
Halls Gap VIC 3381 

dianne@budjabudjacoop.org.au

03 5356 4751

You can expect a response within 30 days of the practice receiving your complaint.

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 363 992.

You may also contact the Health Complaints Commissioner, Victoria on 1300 582 113 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday or https://hcc.vic.gov.au/contact.

Privacy and our website and Social Media

You also have the option to contact Budja via our website or by the email addresses indicated. All personal and other information will be handled with complete confidentiality.

Budja does not currently use any website analytics or cookies or social media.

Policy review statement

This privacy policy is reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes in government legislation or introduction of new social media. When this occurs, patients will be notified and have a privacy statement available on our website for viewing.

Full copies of this privacy policy can be obtained from our Clinic Manager.