Privacy Policy
- My New Life Health Centre Privacy Policy Current as of 2020 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.
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Why and when your consent is necessary ?
When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practise 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 practise 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, practise 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.
How do we collect your personal information?
Our practise may collect your personal information in several different ways. When you make your first appointment our practise staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration. During providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. This information may also be collected through My Health Record. 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:
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. This information may also be collected through My Health Record.
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.
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).
- Mental health is an important aspect of overall health and wellbeing, and General Practice is well-placed to provide mental health care services. Our GPs are trained to identify and treat common mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Our GPs can refer you to mental health specialists when necessary, and can also provide counseling and support if you are experiencing mental health issues.
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 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.
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 may be stored at our practice in various forms, this may include electronic records and visual records (X-rays, CT Scans, videos and photos). Although unlikely, we may also retain paper records for a brief intermittent time for our practice professionals to review – however this will shortly be transferred to electronic form and shredded for disposal.
Our practice stores all personal information securely. Information in electronic format is stored in protected information systems. Each computer is configured with a unique password, and staff members are supplied a unique identifier with selective permissions – this ensures your information cannot be accessed by unauthorized personnel. Additionally, staff and contractors are bound by confidentiality agreements to ensure our patients are well protected in containment of personal information.
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 via completion of a request of information form, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. Generally, this reasonable timeframe may take approximately 30 days, with consideration to the urgency of your request – note that release of information will be at the discretion of your personal GP and their schedule.
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 Marcos Castellano, the Practice Manager via admin@mynewlifehc.com.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. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.
A complaint form can be sent to reception@mynewlifehc.com.au and you may contact us for update on its processing on 07 5594 4118. The turnaround timeframe is approximately 30 days and we may contact you during this timeframe for further details to appropriately respond to your complaint and take the necessary procedures.
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.
Policy review statement
This privacy policy will be reviewed quarterly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur – note actioned privacy-related complaints will also be reviewed quarterly as these may impose changes to our policy. Should this privacy policy be amended, patients will be notified through a disclaimer present in the reception. At all times our policy will be available to patients through the reception.