Your PRIVACY
is OUR BUSINESS
The provision of excellence in health care is our principal
concern.
This requires a doctor/patient relationship of trust
and confidentiality.
Your doctor regards patient health information as confidential and will only collect this information for the primary purpose of managing your health.
To collect information for any secondary purpose the doctor would require your consent.
H.D.A. Medical Group handles personal information in accordance
with the Health Records Act commencing July 1, 2002. This Act entitles patients to know what personal information is held about them; why it is held; how to gain access, how
it is used, when it can be disclosed and if consent is necessary, whom it may be disclosed to and how it is stored.
At times information may be disclosed without the patient being
aware at the time of disclosure.
This is necessary to provide quality health management.
This page is designed to inform you of those organisations/individuals
information may be
disclosed to and how H.D.A. will endeavor to protect the privacy
of your personal health information.
Collection, use and disclosure of your
information
Information regarding a patient's medical and family health history is required to provide accurate medical diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
We will be fair in the manner we collect information about you.
This information is generally collected from the patient or
with your consent.
There are times when we may receive information from others
about you, H.D.A. will, wherever possible, ensure the patient knows this.
All treating practitioners involved in your medical care must
have full knowledge of your health information. To ensure you receive quality care your health
information may be shared with other health care professionals.
Some information is also provided to Medicare, Private Health
Funds, Insurance Companies, Employers, the Workcover Authority and Legal Representatives.
Doctors in this practice are members of various medical and
professional bodies which may include medical defence organisations. There may be
times when disclosure of patient information is required for medical defence purposes. Doctors
are legally bound to disclose personal information, in some situations.
An example of this would be mandatory reporting of communicable
diseases. H.D.A. is required, by law, to hold your information, at this practice for a mandatory period,
following your last attendance.
Access
You have a right to access your information. You may gain access
to your information in several ways, by viewing, by requesting a copy or summary
or by consultation with the doctor.
H.D.A. will not ask you why you want the information, we may
ask what information you require.
There are some situations where access maybe denied but we will
advise you of the reason why.
A fee will be payable where the practice incurs a cost in the
provision of information depending on the type of access required. Doctors have material
that is covered by copyright, which cannot be copied without the doctor's permission.
You may request H.D.A. to amend health information, which is not accurate or complete.
Upon request your health information held by this practice will
be made available to another health service provider.
Parents/guardians and children
Health information regarding children is also subject to the
provisions of Health Records Act.
Subject to the professional judgement of the doctor and consistent
with the law, access by parents or guardians may at times be restricted.
Complaints
If you have any concerns, questions or complaints regarding
the privacy of your health information, we encourage you to discuss this with your doctor. If your issues
are not resolved after speaking with your doctor, you are able to raise your concerns with the Health
Services Commissioner, whose details appear below.
Further Information
Further information regarding your rights can be obtained from
The Health Services Commissioner
Level 30, 570 Bourke Street
Melbourne 3000
Tel: (03) 8601 5222
Website www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc/hsc |
