Meadows Alternative Medicine Privacy Policy
Introduction
This privacy policy is to provide you, our patient/client, with clear information on how your personal information is collected and used within the practice. Occasionally we may 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.
Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient of this practice, you provide consent for the Practitioner 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.
It is important to us that as our patient/client, you understand why we collect and use your personal information.
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, place of birth (as required), time of birth (as required), addresses, contact details, medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors.
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 the course of providing our services, we may collect further personal information,
including:-Health and Event Summary.
We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or 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 Various types of images may be collected and used, including:
– CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purpose.
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)
Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing our 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)
Will your information be used for marketing purposes?
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.
How is your information used to improve services?
Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients/ clients 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.
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 that contain only your relevant medical information. These document automation technologies are used through our secure private software program.
All users of the private 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 Australian privacy legislation.
How are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes used?
Meadows Alternative Medicine does not currently subscribe to use of any AI scribe tools.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be electronically stored at our practice in various forms including patient/client records, and Practice-Patient/Client correspondence.
Paper records and hard copies of radiography are not stored at this practice.
Our practice stores all personal information securely we take several measures to securely store and protect personal information, especially when it comes to Protected Health Information (PHI), including:
Data Encryption: Data encryption is a crucial practice for protecting confidential health information as required by the Privacy Act of 1988 when transmitting PHI over open networks.
Physical Safeguards: These include using encrypted storage devices, restricting physical access to authorized personnel only, preserving copies and conducting data backups, maintaining emergency protocols, and properly disposing outdated devices.
Technical Safeguards: These encompass the technology and the policies and procedures for its use that protect electronic PHI (ePHI) and control access to it. This includes firewalls and secure transmission modes for communication.
Administrative Safeguards: These are actions, policies, and procedures to manage the selection, development, implementation, and maintenance of security measures to protect electronic PHI. This includes training and procedures for employees, whether or not they have direct access to PHI.
Staff Education: Staff are educated about the importance of protecting PHI and the best practices to do so.
Different Levels of Access: Develop different levels of access to PHI based on the role and necessity of the staff member.
Never Share Passwords: Passwords should never be shared among staff members. Two factor identification is used when accessing PHI
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. There is no cost for this service.
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 to Meadows.medicine@gmail.com or speak with our receptionists.
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 should put any complaint you have in writing and give as much detail as you can about the nature of your complaint or concern. The Director will manage the investigation of your complaint or concern and communicate with relevant parties. Meadows Alternative Medicine will respond to you in writing within a reasonable period, which generally means within 30 days of receiving your complaint.
Privacy and our website
We do not collect or store any personal information via the Meadows Alternative Medicine website. We do not interact with our patients digitally.
Meadows Alternative Medicine Contact Details
For all privacy related inquiries and complaints, for access and information requests, please contact the Director on the following details:
Address: 39 Malmsbury Dr, Meadow Heights 3048
Telephone: 03 8590 7572
Email: Meadows.medicine@gmail.com
Policy review statement
Meadows Alternative Medicine will amend this policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices and procedures, systems or obligations. Any amendments to this policy will be notified by posting an amended version on our website, and the changes will take effect at that time.