It is assumed that by attending the practice or facility for medical care, or by participating in an administrative situation with the practice staff or the facility’s staff, or by entering into a consultation of any form with the Medical Staff of the practice or the facility, the patient has given implied consent to the collection of information, including sensitive information, relevant to the medical conditions of the patient.
When personal information about patients is collected it will be done in a confidential manner.
Information may be collected from other health care providers and hospitals.
Information may be collected by medical staff and practice staff, including those of the facility.
Information may be collected in writing, verbally, non-verbally, pictorially and via face to face or indirect methods including electronic.
With patient consent, information collected is used to provide appropriate medical care to patients, including provision of such information to other health providers involved in a particular patient’s care either now or in the future.
It may also be used to facilitate administrative requirements of the practice, the facility, health funds and Medicare.
In exceptional circumstances information may be released to other parties eg law enforcement agencies or public health authorities.
We ask that patients assist in providing up to date information about themselves and when provided we will incorporate that into our records.
Information patients provide is maintained and protected in a secure environment that includes storage in locked filing cabinets, locked rooms and in password protected computerised databases.
Charts for immediate use are handled face down if identifying information may be visible to people other than appropriate staff of the practice or the facility.
Access to files is limited to requirements for patient care and practice or facility management.
Patients may access information we hold on them at any time convenient to both the patient and the practice.
Requests for such access can be verbal but written confirmation is expected.
We will comply with such requests within 30 days
Charges may be imposed for photocopying and staff time involved in processing such requests.
Corrections patients may wish to make will be appended to the records but the originals will not be erased.
Under exceptional circumstances the Act provides that access can be denied eg where life may be at risk, or in the context of legal proceedings.
Federal Government identifiers, eg Medicare numbers, are not used by the practice for identification of the records we hold on patients.
Patients may choose to be treated anonymously where this is practical and lawful.
Overseas transfer of information that could identify a patient will only be done with specific patient consent.