Policy: Privacy

Arise Health & Wellness is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients within our practice.  All information that is collected is kept strictly confidential and used only for the medical and health care of patients.

 

1. POLICY

Arise Health & Wellness is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients within our practice.  All information that is collected is kept strictly confidential and used only for the medical and health care of patients.

2. PURPOSE

To ensure patients who receive care from Arise Health & Wellness know how their personal information and health information is collected and used within Arise Health & Wellness and the circumstances in which we may disclose it to third parties.

3. SCOPE

This policy applies to all employees and patients of Arise Health & Wellness.

 4. PROCEDURE

Arise Health & Wellness will:

  • provide a copy of this policy upon request;

  • ensure staff comply with the Privacy Legislation and promptly deal appropriately with enquiries or concerns;

  • take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to implement practices, procedures, and systems to ensure compliance with changes to Privacy Legislation; and

  • collect personal information for the primary purpose of managing a patient’s healthcare and for financial claims and payments.

Staff Responsibility

Arise Health & Wellness staff will take reasonable steps to ensure patients understand:

  • that this policy is accessible to all patients, their families, and medical practitioners;

  • what information has been and is being collected;

  • why the information is being collected;

  • how the information will be used or disclosed;

  • why and when their consent is necessary; and

  • Arise Health & Wellness’s procedures for access and correction of information, and responding to complaints of information breaches.

Patient Consent

Arise Health & Wellness will only interpret and apply a patient’s consent for the primary purpose for which it was provided. Arise Health & Wellness staff must seek additional consent from the patient if the personal information collected may be used for any other purpose.

5. COLLECTION, USE AND DISCLOSURE

Arise Health & Wellness recognises that the information we collect is often of a highly sensitive nature.  A patient’s personal information may be held at Arise Health & Wellness in various forms including paper records and electronic records.

For administrative and billing purposes and to ensure quality and continuity of patient care a patient’s health information is maintained only by Arise Health & Wellness.

Collected personal information will include (but is not limited to) patients’:

  • names, addresses, and contact details;

  • Medicare number for identification and claiming purposes;

  • Doctors, medical professionals, and referrals;

  • Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, social history, family history and risk factors;

  • If applicable

    • Health Fund

    • Workers Compensation

    • NDIS

    • Other Private, Government or Not for profit institutions as required

Arise Health & Wellness’s procedures for collecting personal information is set out below:

  • We will collect patient’s personal, medical, and demographic information via Intake Forms prior to the first consultation. This information is provided in a secure online format emailed to the Patient/Patient’s Guardian or Carer/ Health Professional. Alternatively, this can also be emailed or mailed upon request.

  • When patients present to the clinic for the first time, Patients and/or their Guardian/Carers could be required to complete additional information at the direction of their Clinician.

  • We encourage Patients and/or their Guardian/Carers to engage with us about privacy concerns that they may have around the Intake forms.

  • During the course of providing services Arise Health & Wellness’s healthcare practitioners will consequently collect further personal information.

  • Whilst under the care of Arise Health & Wellness, personal information may also be collected from time to time, from the Patient’s Guardian or Carer (where practicable and necessary) School, other involved healthcare specialists or other parties as reasonably deemed necessary.

Arise Health & Wellness holds all personal information securely, whether in electronic format, in protected information systems or in hard copy in a secured environment.

Personal information collected by Arise Health & Wellness may be used or disclosed in the following instances:

  • As required by law in instances of mandatory reporting;

  • Necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impracticable to obtain patient’s consent;

  • To assist in locating a missing person;

  • For the purpose the patient was advised during consult with the treating Doctor

  • As required during the normal operation of services provided. i.e. for referral to a medical specialist or other health service provider;

  • For medical defence purposes;

  • For the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process;

  • Compliance with Subpoena; or

  • Some disclosure may occur to third parties engaged by or for Arise Health & Wellness for Arise Health & Wellness for business purposes such as accreditation or for the provision of information technology. These third parties are required to comply with this policy.

The Patient will need to provide expressed written consent to enable Arise Health & Wellness to disclose personal, medical or health information to:

·         A Third Party

·         Anyone outside Australia

·         For purposes of Direct Marketing

Arise Health & Wellness will employ all reasonable endeavours to ensure that a patient’s personal information is not disclosed without their prior consent.

Arise Health & Wellness evaluates all unsolicited information it receives to decide if it should be kept, acted upon or destroyed.

6. DATA QUALITY

Patient information collected and retained in our records for the purpose of providing quality services and health care will be complete, accurate, and up to date at the time of collection and will be received as required by Arise Health & Wellness or as prompted by the Patient.

7. DATA SECURITY

All due care will be taken to ensure the protection of patient privacy during the provision, collection, transfer, storage and use of personal, health and medical information.

Data is stored at Arise Health & Wellness and can only be accessed by authorised personnel.

Retention of medical records is for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last entry into the patient record unless the patient is a child in which case the record must be kept until the patient attains the age of 25 years of age.

It is at the discretion of Arise Health & Wellness if the records are retained, destroyed or part there-of according to the Archive Act, after 7 years.

8. ACCESS TO PATIENT INFORMATION AND CORRECTION

An individual has the right to request access their own personal information and request a copy or part of the whole record.

  • Individuals have the right to obtain their personal information in accordance with federal Legislation. Requests must be made in writing and an acknowledgement letter will be sent to the patient within 14 days confirming the request and detailing whether the request can be complied with and an indication of any costs associated with providing the information. Time spent and photocopying costs when processing a request can be passed on to the requesting patient. Information can be expected to be provided within 30 days.

  • Whilst the individual is not required to give a reason for obtaining the information, a patient may be asked to clarify the scope of the request.

  • In some instances, the request to obtain information may be denied, in these instances the patient will be advised.

  • The material over which a Doctor has copyright might be subject to conditions that prevent or restrict further copying or publication without the Doctors permission.

  • Arise Health & Wellness will take reasonable steps to correct personal information where it is satisfied, they are not accurate or up to date. From time to time Arise Health & Wellness will ask patients to verify the personal information held by Arise Health & Wellness is correct and up to date.

  • Patients may also request Arise Health & Wellness corrects or updates their information and patients should put such requests in writing.

  • Upon request by the patient, the information held by this clinic will be made available to another health provider. The Patient will need to pay any associated costs prior to being made available to another provider.

9. PARENTS/GUARDIANS/CARERS AND CHILDREN

To protect the rights of a child’s privacy, access to part of all of a child’s medical information may at times be restricted for parents and/or guardians/carers. Release of information may be referred back to the treatment provider, where their professional judgement and the law will be applied. 

10. COMPLAINTS

Arise Health & Wellness understands the importance of confidentiality and discretion with the way we manage and maintain the personal information of our patients. Arise Health & Wellness takes complaints and concerns about the privacy of patient’s personal information seriously. Patients should express any privacy concerns in writing. Arise Health & Wellness will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with its complaint resolution process.

All employees, contractors and subsidiaries of Arise Health & Wellness are required to observe the obligations of confidentiality in the course of their engagement and are required to sign Confidentiality Agreements.

In the instance where you are dissatisfied with the level of service provided, we encourage you to discuss any concerns relating to the privacy of your information with your health provider or with Arise Health & Wellness director, Dr Rachel Briggs.

If the complaint has not been resolved to your level of satisfaction all complaints should be directed to:

The Federal Privacy Commissioner

GPO Box 5218

Sydney NSW 2001

Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au/about-us/contact-us/

Privacy Hotline: 1300 363 992