Edithvale Family Medical Practice
Privacy Policy
The objective of this privacy notice is to provide you, our patient, with clear information on how your personal information is collected and used within the practice. Occasionally we also need to share your personal information to involve others in your healthcare and this policy outlines when, how, and why we share your information.
Who to contact about this policy?
For enquiries concerning this policy, contact Sam Di Benedetto (Practice Manager) on 03 9773 1001.
Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient of this practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information to facilitate the delivery of healthcare. Access to your personal information is restricted to practice team members who require it for your care. If we ever use your personal information for purposes other than healthcare provision, we will obtain additional consent from you.
Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?
The practice collects, uses, stores, and shares your personal information primarily to manage your health safely and effectively. This includes providing healthcare services, managing medical records, and ensuring accurate billing and payments. Additionally, we may utilise your information for internal quality and safety improvement processes such as practice audits, accreditation purposes, and staff training to maintain high-quality service standards.
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, and adversereaction immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
- Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
- healthcare identifiers
- health fund details.
Can you deal with us anonymously?
You can 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 is personal information collected?
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways:
When you make your first appointment, the practice team will collect your personal and demographic information via your new patient registration.
In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources, including:
- 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
- Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (if relevant)
- 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:
- Outside CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purpose
- Photos and medical images: These can be taken using personal devices for medical purposes and adhere to the guide by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Using personal mobile devices for clinical photos.
We will always comply with privacy obligations when collecting personal information from third-party sources. This includes ensuring transparency with patients, obtaining necessary consents, maintaining data accuracy, securing the information, and using it only for specified purposes.
When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?
We sometimes share your personal information:
- with third parties 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 (e.g. In referral letters)
- when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. 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 it is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
- when it is provision of medical services, through electronic prescribing, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).
Only people who need to access your personal information will be able to do so. Other than providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, the practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
We do not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
We do provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes, such as the South East Melbourne Primary Health Network. There is a flyer in the practice’s waiting area explaining this. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified and the information is stored within Australia. Although the practice cab=n lawfully share de-identified patient without specific or express patient consent, you can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.
How is your information used to improve services?
The practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services offered to patients through research, analysis of patient data for quality improvement and for training activities with the practice team
We 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 reception staff know if you do not want your information included.
How are document automation technologies used?
Document automation is where systems use existing data to generate electronic documents relating to medical conditions and healthcare.
The practice uses document automation technologies to create documents such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information.
These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software Pracsoft/Medical Director.
All users of the medical software have their own unique user credentials and password and can only access information that is relevant to their role in the practice team.
The practice complies with the Australian privacy legislation and APPs to protect your information.
All data, both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information will be stored electronically at our practice.
Our practice stores all personal information securely in an electronic format. The practice’s computer systems comply with RACGP computer security checklist. Members of the practice team have different levels of access to patient health information and is password protected.
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 and our practice will respond within 30 days of receipt of the written request or earlier where extenuating circumstances can be satisfactorily proven to our practice manager. All reasonable costs for complying with such requests, such as photocopy, facsimile, postage, staff’s wages, etc will be borne by the applicant requesting access to their personal information.
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 request that we correct or update your information either directly in person or by phone or alternatively you can make such requests in writing to Sam Di Benedetto, Practice Manager, c/o Edithvale Family Medical Practice, 267 Station Street, Edithvale 3196.
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 are encouraged to express any privacy concerns directly to our practice manager, Sam Di Benedetto, either in writing addressed c/o Edithvale Family Medical Practice, 267 Station Street, Edithvale 3196, or by contacting him on 9773 1001. We will contact you within a reasonable time after receipt of your complaint to discuss your concerns and your options. Your requests and complaints will be treated confidentially.
If you do not feel we have resolved your issue you may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will require you to give them time to respond before they investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) on 1300 363 992.
Policy review statement
Our privacy policy is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with current obligations.
If any changes are made:
- They will be reflected on the website.
- Significant changes may be communicated directly to patients via email or other means.
Please check the policy periodically for updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.