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.
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.
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).
The information we will collect about you includes your:
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.
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. This can be using paper base format or electronically such as new patient registration form or our quality improvement activities.
2. While providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
Information can also be collected through electronic transfer of prescriptions (eTP), My Health Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary.
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.
3 . 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:
4 . your guardian or responsible person
5. other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
6. your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).
We sometimes share your personal information:
Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than while 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 us of our practice in writing.
Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data.
We may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified, and the information is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms.
We are becoming a paperless practice. We aim to store all your records in electronic format. If we receive any records in paper format, after scanning to your file in electronic format, we will securely destroy the paper- based records.
Our practice stores all personal information securely.
We have contracted a trusted IT –partner to securely manage your records onsite. Our data storage, Server and workstations are protected by anti-virus software’s and secure passwords. We have also implemented a multi-level of user access to prevent any unauthorized access to the data. Our server and database are monitored 24/7 for any data breach, and we have a process to promptly act if we are affected by a data breach.
Electronic patient records, personal information, financial information etc are securely stored using individual passwords, confidentiality agreements for any staff and or contractors entering the premises. This system is maintained both within the practice, and via our IT consultants. Encrypted Back-ups of all data are performed daily and held securely in the event of a fire etc.
Our practice maintains a patient health record system that suits the needs of our practice, and the administration of this system is such that ensures each patient has a dedicated health record that is complete, maintained, and facilitates the provision of safe and high-quality healthcare.
Our patient health records contain an accurate and comprehensive record of all interactions with our patients.
The practice team can describe how we correctly identify our patients using three (3) patient identifiers to ascertain we have selected the correct patient record before creating, entering, or actioning anything from that record.
Our active patient health records contain a record of each patient’s known allergies.
Each active patient health record has the patient’s current health summary that includes, where relevant:
Our active patient health records contain, where relevant, a record of each
patient’s:
New patients to our practice are requested to complete a New Patient Information Form that is used to gather the patient’s:
Once obtained, this information is used to create a health record for that patient.
Our practice is considered paperless and has systems in place to protect the privacy, security, quality, and integrity of personal health information held electronically. Members of the practice team have different levels of access to patient personal health information as appropriate to their roles.
We use BP templates to automate the process of including only the relevant details in printed referral letters. Providers can select relevant clinical details in the referral letters via automated prompts.
The name and contact details of the referring doctor and the practice
Include the patient’s name and date of birth, and at least one other patient identifier
Explain the purpose of the referral
contain enough information (relevant history, examination findings and current management) so that the other healthcare provider can provide appropriate care to the patient
not include sensitive patient health information that is not relevant to the referral
Include a list of known allergies, adverse drug reactions and current medicines
Identify the healthcare setting to where the referral is being made (e.g. the specialist consultancy).
Referrals could also contain:
The name of the healthcare provider to whom the referral is being made, if known - any relevant information that will help other healthcare providers deliver culturally safe. - any other special requirements such as the need for an interpreter, any other information to deliver cultural safe care.
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 contact our practices via the following methods:
Postal : Practice Manager, Shop T6/799 Richmond Rd, Colebee NSW 2761
Email : info@colebeemedical.com.au
Privacy and our website
Our websites colebeemedical.com.au is available for your convenience. You may contact us through our website via e-mail.
In business hours Ph: (02) 9131 6050
Website: colebeemedical.com.au
You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.
Privacy and our website.
Our websites colebeemedical.com.au is available for your convenience. You may contact us through our website via e-mail.
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 contact our practices via the following methods:
Postal : Practice Manager, Shop T6/799 Richmond Rd, Colebee NSW 2761
Email : info@colebeemedical.com.au
In business hours Ph: (02) 9131 6050
Website: colebeemedical.com.au
You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.
Our websites grimshawstclinic.com.au is available for your convenience. You may contact us through our website via e-mail.
Due to privacy and security regulations, communication via email is not preferred. No password or encryption creates a risk that your e-mail may be intercepted, and read, by a third party.
We will not be sending any private health information to you in this way without your express written and documented consent, within your health records. By providing us with written consent you are accepting all risks associated with communicating via email.
Please note: We do not provide medical advice via e-mail and our website is general advice only. Please see your doctor for any medical advice required. Our practice newsletter is provided for those patients who subscribe.
The Facebook page for RenewMed Health Hub is utilized as information and advertising platforms to reach our population. Instant messaging services are not utilised on these pages nor will be responded to as this mailbox is unmonitored. All contact with the surgery is to be through the website or by phoning the surgery.
Cookies and Pixels
A cookie is a small file placed in your web browser that collects information about your web browsing behaviour. Use of cookies allows a website to tailor its configuration to your needs and preferences. Cookies do not access information stored on your computer or any personal information (e.g. name, address, email address or telephone number). Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can choose to reject cookies by changing your browser settings. This may, however, prevent you from taking full advantage of our website. Our website uses cookies to analyse website traffic and help us provide a better website visitor experience. In addition, cookies and pixels may be used to serve relevant ads to website visitors through third party services such as Google AdWords and Facebook Adverts. These ads may appear on this website or other websites you visit.
Our privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. We will notify our patients via our website and a waiting room poster when we amend this policy.
The Privacy policy template for general practices is intended for use as a guide of a general nature only and may or may not be relevant to practices or circumstances. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has used its best endeavors to ensure the template is adapted for general practice to address current and anticipated future privacy requirements. Persons adopting or implementing its procedures or recommendations should exercise their own independent skill or judgement or seek appropriate professional advice. While the template is directed to general practice, it does not ensure compliance with any privacy laws, and cannot of itself guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients. Accordingly, the RACGP disclaims all liability (including negligence) to any users of the information contained in this template for any loss or damage (consequential or otherwise), cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of reliance on the template in any manner.
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