We are committed to protecting the privacy of patient information and to handle your personal information in a reasonable manner in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012, the Australian Privacy Principles and relevant State and Territory privacy legislation (referred to as privacy legislation).

This privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and disclose your personal information, how you may access that information and how you may seek the correction of any information. It also explains how you may make a complaint about a breach of privacy legislation.

This Privacy Policy is current from 1st December 2014. From time to time we may make changes to our policy, processes and systems in relation to how we handle your personal information. We will update this Privacy Policy to reflect any changes. Those changes will be available on our website and in the practice

Collection

We collect information that is necessary and relevant to provide you with medical care and treatment, and manage our medical practice. This information may include your name, address, date of birth, gender, health information, family history, credit card and direct debit details and contact details. This information may be stored on our computer medical records system and/or in hand written medical records.

Wherever practicable we will only collect information from you personally. However, we may also need to collect information from other sources such as treating specialists, radiologists, pathologists, hospitals and other health care providers.

We collect information in various ways, such as over the phone or in writing, in person in our Ranges Medical rooms or over the internet if you transact with us online. This information may be collected by medical and non-medical staff.

In emergency situations we may also need to collect information from your relatives or friends.

We may be required by law to retain medical records for certain periods of time depending on your age at the time we provide services.

Use and Disclosure

We will treat your personal information as strictly private and confidential. We will only use or disclose it for purposes directly related to your care and treatment, or in ways that you would reasonably expect that we may use it for your ongoing care and treatment. For example, the disclosure of blood test results to your specialist or request for x-rays.

There are circumstances where we may be permitted or required by law to disclose your personal information to third parties. For example, to Medicare, Police, insurers, solicitors, government regulatory bodies, tribunals, courts of law, hospitals, or debt collection agents. We may also from time to time provide statistical data to third parties for research purposes.

Medical records may be accessed by visiting medical educators and/or GP supervisors from another practice for the purpose of GP Registrar training. 

We may disclose information about you to outside contractors to carry out activities on our behalf, such as an IT service provider, solicitor or debt collection agent. We impose security and confidentiality requirements on how they handle your personal information. Outside contractors are required not to use information about you for any purpose except for those actives we have asked them to perform.

Data Quality and Security

We all take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete, up to date and relevant. For this purpose our staff may ask you to confirm that your contact details are correct when you attend a consultation. We request that you let us know if any of the information we hold about you is incorrect or out of date.

Personal information that we hold is protected by:

• securing our premises;

• placing password and varying access levels on databases to limit access and protect electronic information from unauthorized interference, access, modification and disclosure; and

• Providing locked cabinets and rooms for the storage of physical records.

Corrections

If you believe that the information about you is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, we ask that you contact us in writing (see details below).

Access

You are entitled to request access to your medical records. We request that you put your request in writing and we will respond to it within a reasonable time.

There may be a fee for the administrative costs of retrieving and providing you with copies of your medical records.

We may deny access to your medical records in certain circumstances permitted by law, for example, if disclosure may cause a serious threat to your health or safety. We will always tell you why access is denied and the options you have to respond to our decision.

Complaints

If you have a complaint about the privacy of your personal information, we request that you contact us in writing. Upon receipt of a complaint we will consider the details and attempt to resolve it in accordance with our complaints handling procedures.

If you are dissatisfied with our handling of a complaint or the outcome you may make an application to the Australian Information Commissioner or the Privacy Commissioner in your State or Territory.

Overseas Transfer of Data

We will not transfer your personal information to an overseas recipient unless we have your consent or we are required to do so by law.

After hours care

For all urgent medical care after hours, please contact your allocated Medical Clinic for future assistance.

Civility

We have zero tolerance of abuse to any of our staff either in person or by telephone. Staff have the right to end a call, if any unnecessary language is used upon. Abusers will also be asked to leave the property.

Appointments

• A standard appointment is 15 minutes and allows for the discussion of 1-2 simple issues.

• If you require completion of forms, have several or complex issues to discuss, or need a procedure of any kind, including a pap smear, please request a double appointment.
This minimises delay for other patients.

• At the time of booking, our reception staff will ask which doctor you would prefer to see and the length of the consultation you require and will book the most effective appointment for you.

• Not all of our doctors do all procedures.

Privacy and release of health information

We require your personal details and a full medical history, so that our doctors can properly assist, diagnose and treat you and manage your health care needs proactively.

We do not share this information without your consent, in accordance with the National Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act.

Information regarding your medical records will only be released following a request in writing and with permission from the treating doctor. For more information, refer to our practice noticeboard and website.

Billing

Some practices have now transitioned into a private billing practice, if you are unsure of your practice, please refer to their page. We provide an excellent standard of primary healthcare in a well-equipped facility in a convenient location.

When making your appointment, please ask the reception about the applicable fee. All consultations are payable on the day. We have facilities allowing patients to pay and then claim the Medicare rebate on-site. We only provide direct Medicare (bulk) billing for children under 16, DVA and aged/disability pensioners. However, a reduced fee for those patients holding a healthcare card, including Commonwealth senior health cards. Your card must be shown at the visit. All procedures, consumables, non-routine consultations, travel vaccines and skin cancer clinics will incur an additional fee.

Telephone calls and emails

As a courtesy to the patient with them, and for privacy, our doctors will not accept calls during consultations. Please leave a message with our reception staff and they will pass it on to the doctor for you. Our doctors will not use email to communicate clinical or personal matters.

Prescriptions and referrals

To maintain our quality healthcare service, a consultation with the doctor is requires determining the appropriateness of each request for referral or prescription, even if it is for an ongoing concern. It is illegal for doctors to backdate referrals to specialists, or medical certificates, so please do not request it.
Please note, any repeat for a referral or prescription without a consult will incur an out-of-pocket fee.

Results

In the interest of good care, we often prefer that you make an appointment to discuss any results, but the doctor may make alternative arrangements with you. Our receptionists are not able to give out results by telephone.

Reports and paperwork

If you require reports or completion of any kind of paperwork, including driver’s licence forms, you must make a double appointment with the doctor and attend in person. Our receptionists can advise you whether a Medicare rebate will apply (it usually does not). You will incur additional administration costs if printing, faxing or postage is required.

Late cancellations and no-shows

Please provide as much notice as possible if you are unable to attend your appointment. Failure to attend appointments causes inconvenience for the doctors and other patients who missed out on the appointment. At doctors’ discretion, fees may apply for missed appointments.

Feedback

We pride ourselves on excellent healthcare. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints we would be happy to hear from you. Please use our suggestion box, or contact the Practice Manager in person, by telephone, or in writing. Alternatively, contact the Health Service Commission at www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc or telephone 1300 582 113

Health promotion and preventative care

We operate a patient reminder system and preventative medicine program for important, ongoing medical issues. Please notify staff if you do not wish to be contacted via SMS or email.

Translation services

Please notify our receptionists before your consultation if you require translation or National Relay Services for the hearing or speech impaired. Some of our doctors speak languages other than English, so please inform us when you book if you have special needs.

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