Introduction
The objective of this privacy notice is to provide you, our patient, with clear information on how your personal information is collected and used within the practice. Occasionally we 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.
Who can I contact about this policy?
For enquiries concerning this policy, you can contact the Practice Manager via our phone or email: (07) 3839 0128 or info@turbotstmc.com.au
Definition of a patient health record
RACGP defines a patient health record as “information, held about a patient, in paper form or electronic form, which may include:
- Contact and demographic information
- Medical history
- Notes on treatment
- Observations
- Correspondence
- Investigations
- Test results
- Photographs
- Prescription records
- Medication charts
- Insurance information
- Legal information and reports
- Work health and safety reports”
When and why is your consent necessary?
When you register as a patient of this practice, you provide consent for the GP's 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, you understand why we collect and use your personal information.
Why do we collect, use, store, 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 is collected?
The information we will collect about you includes your:
- names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
- medical information including medical history, medicines, allergies, and adverse reactions immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
- Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
- healthcare identifier numbers
- health fund details.
Can you deal with us anonymously?
You can 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 is personal information collected?
The 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 (e.g. electronic transfer of prescriptions (eTP), My Health Record (Shared Health Summary, Event Summary), online appointments).
- We 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.
- 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).
- Various types of images may be collected and used, including:
- CCTV footage: collected from our premises for security and safety purposes
- Photos and medical images: these can be taken using personal devices for medical purposes
When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?
We sometimes share your personal information:
- with third parties 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 (e.g. In referral letters
- 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 it is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
- when it is provision of medical services, through electronic prescribing, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary), online appointments and billing
- de-identified data to parties like the Primary Health Networks (PHN) for the purpose of quality improvement.
Only people who need to access your personal information will be able to do so. Other than providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, the practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
We do not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
Our clinical software allows the practice to ensure that only relevant information from your medical record is included within referral letters to other health professionals or third parties.
Will your information be used for marketing purposes?
The practice will not use your personal information for marketing any goods or services directly to you without your expressed consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying the practice in writing.
How is your information used to improve services?
The practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services offered to patients through research, analysis of patient data for quality improvement and for training activities with the practice team
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 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 such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information.
These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software, Best Practice.
All users of the medical 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 Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance.
How are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes used?
The practice uses an AI scribe tool to support GPs take notes during their consultations with you. The AI scribe uses an audio recording of your consultation to generate a clinical note for your health record. The practice AI scribe service is Heidi Health.
Heidi Health:
- does not share information outside of Australia and all data is stored on servers within Australia
- destroys the audio file once the transcription is complete
- removes sensitive, personal identifying information as part of the transcription
The practice will only use data from our digital scribe service to provide healthcare to you.
How is your personal information stored and protected?
Our patient records are maintained in electronic format on a secure on-site computer system. The information recorded is protected by an individual password system and is accessible only to authorised personnel. Paper based information is converted to electronic format and is destroyed by shredding when no longer required.
Our staff are bound by a strict legal duty of confidentiality. It is an offence for our staff to give information about you to anyone except under limited circumstances set out in legislation. We maintain strict security policies and practices with respect to who has access to personal information about you.
Consent is obtained for real time audio/visual recording, duplication, and storage of a consultation, including those via telehealth or those conducted remotely.
This practice has CCTV cameras installed in the reception and waiting areas, excluding consultation and treatment rooms.
How can you access and correct your personal information at the 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. Any request to access personal information must be made in writing to the practice via email or in person. The practice will respond to any requests to access or to correct your personal information within 3 working days.
If personal information is provided to you as the result of a request, you will be charged a fee for costs incurred in providing that information such as photocopying, the administration time involved in processing your request, and postage. Please seek advice from our reception staff regarding fee’s associated with receiving personal records.
There may be instances where we cannot grant you access to the personal information we hold; however, we will only do so in accordance with our rights and obligations under the Privacy Act. For example, we may need to refuse access if granting access would interfere with the privacy of others or if it would result in a breach of confidentiality. If that happens, we will give you written reasons for any refusal.
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. Any requests to correct or update personal information may be made in person or in writing to the practice.
How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at the practice?
We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing and address it to the Practice Manager. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure and endeavor to respond to within 14 days. Our contact details are:
ADDRESS: Shop 9A, 375 Turbot Street
Spring Hill QLD 4000
PHONE: 07 3839 0128
FAX: 07 3839 0724
EMAIL: info@turbotstmc.com.au
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.
How is privacy on the website maintained?
At our practice, any personal information you share with us through website, email, and social media, is handled securely and confidentially. This practice uses analytics and cookies.
Please note that our website uses 'cookies'. Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to your computer's hard disk for record-keeping purposes, website usage statistics or to provide enhanced functionality on the site. Our cookies may do some or all of these depending on the particular page and its functionality. Generally, the information obtained by cookies is de-identified and does not constitute personal information but may include the IP address of your computer.
You are ultimately in control of your browser’s dealings with cookies. Most browsers are, by default, set to accept cookies but have the capacity to block or delete them. However, if you do not wish to receive any cookies you should set your browser to refuse cookies. In some instances, this may mean you will not be able to take full advantage of parts of our website. By using our website, you accept the use and installation of these cookies to provide you with these services.
Personal information collected through our website runs directly through AutoMed, Cubiko and/or Health Engine and is electronically stored directly into our practice software. This information is kept private and is not displayed anywhere in public. To view how AutoMed, Cubiko, and Health Engine utilize your private information, please visit their respective websites: www.automedsystems.com.au / www.cubiko.com.au / www.healthengine.com.au
Policy review statement
Our privacy policy is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with current obligations. This Privacy Policy is current as of November 2024 and is reviewed annually.
If any changes are made:
- They will be reflected on the website.
- Significant changes may be communicated directly to patients via email or other means.
Please check the policy periodically for updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.