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 (e.g., 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 practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
- When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
- During providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
- 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).
- While providing medical services, further personal information may be collected via electronic prescribing, My Health Record, online appointments.
- Various types of images may be collected and used including CCTV Footage for security and safety purposes, photos and medical images for medical purposes using HSMC devices.
What Is Patient Health Record?
Ensuring the quality of patient health records at Hill Street Medical Centre is a crucial aspect of providing safe and effective healthcare to our patients. The primary purpose of our clinical health records is to hold all the necessary information about each patient, supporting our healthcare professionals in making appropriate clinical decisions. As we embrace changes in primary care delivery, such as shared care models and the implementation of the national eHealth record (My Health Record), the significance of maintaining high-quality patient information becomes more critical than ever before.
How do we use document automation technologies?
We use secure medical software Best Practice and Health Link to create and share documents like referrals with healthcare providers, including only relevant medical information. Access to this software is restricted to authorized team members based on their roles. Your data is protected under Australian privacy laws and managed according to RACGP guidelines for health information.
How are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes used?
Some doctors in our practice use an AI scribe tool called Heidi to assist in taking notes during consultations. Heidi utilizes an audio recording of your consultation to create a clinical note for your health record. This service ensure that no information is shared outside the country. Once the transcription is complete, Heidi retains the text in memory only temporarily and removes sensitive, personally identifiable information during the transcription process.
Heidi prioritizes compliance and has achieved certifications such as ISO27001 and SOC2 Type 2, while also adhering to regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP).
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 My Health Record (Eg, 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.
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 organizations 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.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms including paper records, electronic records, visual records (X-rays, CT scans, Videos and Photos).
Our practice stores all personal information securely in electronic format, in protected information systems and only sometimes in hard copy format in secured environments.
Our practice strictly adheres to a policy that prohibits the recording, storage, or duplication of any automation technologies for telehealth or video conferencing sessions. However, if there arises a situation where we must record a consultation, we will first seek your verbal consent, and this consent will be documented in your file by the practitioner.
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, you can email us, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time.
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 an email to admin@hillstreetmedical.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.
You can either email us on admin@hillstreetmedical.com.au or contact us on 0265831272.
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.
Policy review statement
This Privacy Policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur.