UFS Medical Privacy Policy
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:
- 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 will collect your personal information:
- When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
- During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
For example if you wish to have your medical records uploaded to the electronic 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:
– 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 Veteran’s Affairs (as necessary).
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms (for example on computer, in paper form, x-ray films and/or disc.
Our practice stores all personal information securely. All computer systems are password and firewall protected and comply with the IT security requirements of the RACGP standards. All of our clinical and administration staff are under strict confidentiality agreements.
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 using our ‘Request for Transfer of Medical Records’ forms, and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. A small fee may be charged for transferring your medical records, this fee covers photocopying, discs and/or postage where applicable.
Our practice will takes 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 your personal information held by our practice is correct and up-to-date. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to our Practice Manager on info@ufsmedical.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.
Please submit all feedback and complaints to our Practice Manager, contact details are below;
Phone: (03) 5364 9133
Email: info@ufsmedical.com.au
Postal Address: UFS Medical, 202 Doveton Street North, Ballarat VIC 3350
All feedback and complaints will be processed within 7 business days following our complaints handling policy.
If you remain dissatisfied with our response, you may wish to contact the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC). The HCC responds to complaints about health services and the handling of health information in Victoria. Their service is free, confidential and impartial.
To lodge a complaint with the HCC: fill out a complaint form online at www.hcc.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 582 113 during business hours.
Privacy and our website
Patients may wish to use our online appointment booking system (HotDoc). The online booking system will collect information such as name, date of birth and the GP you wish to see. This information is stored in our clinical software and only accessed by authorised staff. Any information collected through our website or through our online booking system is protected by website analytics, cookies and/or encryption.
Policy review statement
Our privacy policy is reviewed annually at the end of each calendar year and/or when there is a change in relevant privacy legislation.