Privacy Policy | Bribe Doctors

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 (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

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 authorized by law to only deal with identified individuals.

The Privacy Act requires us to provide patients with the option of not identifying themselves, or if using a pseudonym, when dealing with us unless it is impracticable for you to do so. If this is the case, prior consent must be received from the patient themselves.

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 medical services, we may collect further personal information.
My Health Record
PHN
Medical Objects
Q Scripts
We may also collect your personal information when you 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
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. In some cases patient is de-identified.
with other healthcare providers e.g. referrals and pathology/imaging companies.
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 there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
during the course of providing medical services, through Medical Objects, PHN, 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.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. All of our records are kept in electronic format. X-ray disks and images are not kept on site and patients are requested to take them and discard them or store personally

Our practice stores all personal information securely via electronic records.

Security precautions are put into place via our service agreement with Light Source Computing who look after all I.T support and security.

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. The practice has a specific form which is complete by the patient and GP. and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. Generally this process can take up to a week to allow GPS a chance to review the file. In the chance the GP is on leave 30 days is generally considered reasonable. For entire records a minimum fee of $40 is payable and the records are printed.

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 the practice in paper format or email at admin@elysianmedicalcentre.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 can be made to the practice via email admin@elysianmedicalcentre.com.au or on the phone at 07 3410 7425 or mail Shop 1A/4 Fortune Avenue, Bongaree 4507 QLD. Management endeavors to action and response to these complaints within 2 weeks.

You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

We take your concerns, suggestions and feedback seriously. However if you feel there is a problem you wish to take up elsewhere, you may prefer to contact:

Office of the Health Ombudsman

PO Box 13281

George St, Brisbane QLD 4003

Telephone: 133 646

Email: complaints@oho.qld.gov.au

Website: www.oho.qld.gov.au

Transferring patient Health Information

Our practice transfers relevant patient health information in a timely, authorised and secure manner:

sent via fax
Medical Objects is the preferred method of sending patient information
Other method is via Best Practice sending information to patients via a secure email address with a code given to the patient
Via Australia Post registered mail
Via email with password protection
If information has been sent this is documented in the patients file and where the information is sent to
Before any information is sent, details of fax, email or postal address is confirmed

Team members with access to prescription pads and other official documents

All prescription paper and pads are stored securely in a lock cupboard. There is a lock box with a code with keys stored inside to access the cupboards.
Staff have access to the code and keys, but aware these cupboards are to be locked after they have been opened.
Any information we received is scanned into Drs downloads
Shredding boxes in Drs rooms are emptied daily

Policy review statement

This privacy policy is reviewed 3 yearly with each upcoming accreditation but also if any changes are made in the way personal information is handles. I.e. new service provider is taken on board.