Current as of: 1.10.2022
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 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 (eg 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.
How do we collect your personal information?
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
This information may be collected via online form, phone call, SMS, video call or other means as appropriate.
3. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
4. Information can also be collected through electronic transfer of prescriptions (eTP), My Health
Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary.
5. 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.
7. 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).
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 eTP, My Health Record (eg via 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 will require your voluntary written consent to release your medical information to third parties such as
employers, relatives, or other parties outside of your practice. Requests from external parties will be
rejected without such consent unless in one of the circumstances listed above.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in digital forms in our secure digital electronic
health record which only practice staff have access to. The electronic data is stored in Australian data
centres and complies with all relevant standards and legislation for data security. The electronic record is
produced and managed by an Australian based company.
It is a legal requirement that medical records are maintained, therefore our practice does not destroy
medical records under any circumstances.
As a fully digitalised practice, we do not keep paper copies of any records, therefore when these are
provided, they are scanned into your digital record and originals are destroyed immediately in line with
best practice guidance.
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 by email to admin@clickclinic.com.au and our practice will respond within a
reasonable time – normally within 30 days.
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 admin@clickclinic.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.
Complaints should be sent via email to admin@clickclinic.com.au and will be investigated within 30 days.
Privacy and our website
Click Clinic will often collect your personal information through our website and social media channels. This
information is used solely for the purpose of providing you with healthcare services.
Sale of personal information
Click Clinic will never sell your information or allow external agencies access to it in any circumstances
other than those listed above.
Policy review statement
Most recent review: October 2022
Next review due: October 2025