PRIVACY POLICY
This privacy policy applies to all practitioners and administrative staff at Monash Obstetrics Kids.
Consistent with our commitment to quality care, this practice has developed a policy to protect patient privacy and the management of personal information in compliance with The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Act), incorporating the National Privacy Principles (NPP’s).
Our policy is to inform you of:
- Personal information being collected
- Who is collecting their personal information
- How personal information is being used and to whom it is being disclosed
- How personal information is being stored
- Access to your personal information
- Privacy concerns or complaints
What information do we collect?
We require personal information on the child as well as the parent/guardian/or person responsible for the account. The type of information we may collect and hold, includes:
- Name, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number, Medicare number, healthcare identifier of both the child and the parent/guardian/account holder.
- Appointment and billing details.
Information about you or your child’s medical and family history is needed to provide accurate diagnosis, treatment and to ensure quality healthcare. Health information we may collect includes:
- Clinical notes collected by the practitioner – history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment.
- Specialist reports, GP referrals, allied health reports, diagnostic investigations, correspondence from schools
- Prescriptions
- Any court orders or legal documents
Collecting personal information
We consider patient health information as confidential and will only collect this information with your consent.
We collect personal information from the parent/guardian/account holder when you provide patient details to us via a telephone conversation, email, face to face discussion. Primarily we collect information via our patient registration form.
We also collect information from third parties where the Privacy Act allows it. This may include correspondence from a GP or specialist, other practitioners involved in the patients’ healthcare, diagnostic centres, hospitals, electronic prescription services, Medicare and any other governmental agencies involved.
Use and disclosure of your information
We use and disclose patient information for the following purposes:
- To provide health services to the patient
- To communicate with the patient and their parents/guardians
- For administrative purposes, including accounts, Medicare and health insurance claiming, and unpaid account recovery
- For communicating with other health professionals involved in the patient’s healthcare
- Obtaining, analysing, and discussing any results from diagnostic and pathology laboratories
- To comply with legal obligations including any mandatory reporting under child protection legislation and communicable diseases
How we store your information
Our staff are trained to protect and respect patient privacy from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. The following procedures include:
- Strong IT systems in place including strong passwords, various access levels on the database to protect electronic information from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure, well maintained IT security
- Document retention and destruction procedures
- Secured premises
It is necessary for us to keep patients’ information after their last attendance at this practice for as long as it required by law.
Access to your information
You have the right to access your health information. You may wish to view the information or ask for a copy of part or whole of the record. A small fee may be charged for the provision of medical records and a request for medical records must be submitted in writing.
There may be times when we are unable to provide access, for example, if the disclosure may cause a serious threat to the patient’s health or safety, if the privacy of others is affected or in certain circumstances permitted by law. You will be advised if this is the case.
The right of children to privacy of their health information, based on the professional judgement of the doctor and consistent with the law, might at times restrict access to this information by parents or guardians.
If you find the information held is not accurate or complete, you are entitled to have that information corrected. We encourage you to update personal information such as a change of address or contact details to ensure we can make contact if required.
Privacy concerns and complaints
Please do not hesitate to discuss any concerns regarding your child’s care, or any issues relating to the privacy of personal information. You can discuss this directly with your doctor or our practice manager.
If you believe there has been a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or the handling of personal information, a complaint should be submitted in writing to the practice manager via letter or email: manager@monashobstetrics.com.au. We will respond to the request within 14 days.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may refer the matter to the Australian Government Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
Tel: 1300 363 992
Monash Obstetrics Kids – Privacy Policy Version 1 (22.08.2023)