Privacy Policy
1. Our Commitment to Privacy
We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our patients' personal and health information. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), as well as our professional obligations under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and the codes of conduct issued by the National Boards .
2. What Information We Collect
We collect personal and sensitive information that is necessary for providing healthcare services to you. This may include:
- Personal information: Name, address, date of birth, contact details (phone, email), Medicare number, and other identifiers.
- Sensitive information: Health information, medical history, treatment records, family history, lifestyle information, and other information relevant to your care.
- Financial information: Billing and payment details, private health insurance information.
- Other information: Information you provide through our website, online booking systems, or patient management software.
3. How We Collect Information
We collect information in several ways:
Directly from you: During consultations, through our website contact forms and online booking systems, by telephone, email, or in writing.
From third parties: With your consent or where permitted by law, we may collect information from:
- Other healthcare providers (e.g., specialists, GPs, pathologists, radiologists).
- Hospitals and clinics.
- Medicare and other government agencies.
- Employers (for workers' compensation or pre-employment assessments).
- Family members or carers (where appropriate).
4. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal and health information for the following primary purposes:
Providing healthcare services, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care
Managing and administering your care
Communicating with you about appointments, reminders, and treatment plans
Billing and processing payments, including Medicare rebates and private health insurance claims
Managing complaints and feedback
Complying with legal and regulatory obligations (including AHPRA and National Board requirements)
We may also use your information for secondary purposes where permitted or required by law, such as:
Quality assurance, accreditation, and practice improvement activities
Research (with your consent or where de-identified)
Notifying you about relevant health updates or practice information
5. How We Disclose Your Information
We may disclose your information to third parties in the following circumstances:
To other healthcare providers: With your consent, to facilitate your ongoing care (e.g., referrals to specialists, pathology, imaging).
To government agencies: Where required or authorised by law (e.g., Medicare, Department of Health, AHPRA).
To third-party service providers: Who assist us with practice operations, including:
Patient management and clinical software providers
IT support, cloud storage, and cybersecurity providers
Billing and payment processors
Telehealth platforms
In emergency situations: Where disclosure is necessary to protect the health or safety of you or others.
Where required by law: In response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal requirement.
We take reasonable steps to ensure that any third party we disclose information to complies with the Privacy Act and maintains appropriate confidentiality and security safeguards.
6. Overseas Disclosure
We may disclose personal information to overseas recipients in certain circumstances, including:
Where we use third-party IT service providers or data storage facilities located overseas (e.g., cloud-based patient management systems)
Where we communicate with overseas healthcare providers (with your consent)
Where we disclose information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient complies with the Privacy Act or is subject to a similar privacy regime . If it is not practicable to specify the countries, we will update this policy accordingly..
7. Data Security and Storage
We take the security of your personal and health information seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.
8. Website Privacy and Cookies
We may use cookies and analytics tools to improve your experience and monitor website performance. You can adjust your browser settings to disable cookies, although this may affect some functionality.
Any information collected through our website is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
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9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practice, legal obligations, or technology. The current version will always be available on our website.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your information, we're here to assist you.