Privacy Policy

Collection

Currajong Clinic considers the collection of relevant, personal data as fundamental to the provision of individualised, quality care. Information is collected throughout each phase of health intervention, treatment, and health research initiatives that often extend beyond the patient contact.

Privacy is an integral part of Currajong Clinic’s professional ethics and statutory obligations. We are committed to ensuring the privacy protection of all information collected on behalf of our patients and staff. By implementing the principles embodied in the National Privacy Principles and all relevant state and territory legislation and guidelines, we will ensure that all personal information is accorded treatment consistent with minimum privacy standards. By abiding by these principles we aim to provide effective and efficient services, whilst respecting the confidentiality and privacy rights of our staff and patients., and clearly demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to the we

Sensitive Information

Health information is classified as ‘sensitive information’ for the purposes of the National Privacy Principles. This means that health information, which is necessary to facilitate an accurate diagnosis, to provide appropriate treatment and to be proactive in patient health care, will only be collected with the consent of the patient.

Data

The storage, use and, where necessary, transfer of personal health information will be undertaken in a secure manner that protects the privacy of patients. It is necessary for Currajong Clinic to keep patient information for as long as is required by law or is prudent having regard to administrative and medical requirements

Use and Disclosure

Personal information is used or disclosed for purposes directly related to the patient’s healthcare services provided by Currajong Clinic and also within the reasonable expectations of the patient. In the interests of the highest quality and continuity of healthcare services, this may include sharing information with other healthcare providers who comprise a patient’s health care team from time to time.

The typical circumstances in which Currajong Clinic will use and disclose personal health information are as follows:

Administrative purposes for running our medical practice Communication with other specialist, your GP/referring

doctor and service providers such as pathologists, radiologist, allied health professionals, pharmacists and Workcover

Statutory and Public Health reporting requirements Disclosure of adverse outcomes to medical defence

organisations, insurers, medical experts or lawyers for medical indemnity purposes.

Conducting patient surveys for the purpose of improving services

Billing and debt recovery

Processing of clinical transcription files

Reviewing the accuracy, upgrading and testing of patient medical record systems

Where legally required to do so, such as producing records to court, mandatory reporting of child abuse or the notification of diagnosis of certain communicable diseases.

Patients may request access to their personal information held by Currajong Clinic

Where necessary, they will be given the opportunity to amend personal information held that is incorrect

There are some circumstances in which access is restricted and, in these cases, reasons for the denying access will be explained.

Patients wanting access to their medical records may apply in writing to the Privacy Officer and must be able to provide proof of identity.

Currajong Clinic acknowledges the right of children to privacy of their health information. Based on the professional judgement of the treating doctor and consistent with the law, it might at times be necessary to restrict access to personal health information by parents or guardians.

Upon request from the patient, health information held by Currajong Clinic will be made available to other health services providers

Access and Correction

The typical circumstances in which Currajong Clinic will use and disclose personal health information are as follows:

Administrative purposes for running our medical practice

Upon request from the patient, health providers such as pathologists, information held by Currajong Clinic, notification of diagnosis of certain

Identifiers

These are the numbers, letters or symbols that are assigned to identify uniquely the individual for only the purposes related to services provided by Currajong Clinic. An identifier is not an individual’s name. Currajong Clinic will limit the use of identifiers assigned to patients by external agencies to those uses necessary to fulfil our obligations to those agencies.

Data Quality

All patient information held by Currajong Clinic, relevant to the functions of providing quality health care, will be maintained in a form that is accurate, complete and up to date.

Openness

Currajong Clinic makes this and other material available to patients to inform them of its policies on management of personal information. On request, Currajong Clinic will let patients know what sort of personal information we hold, for what purposes and how we collect, hold, use and disclose that information.

Currajong Clinic acknowledges the right of children to privacy of their health information. Based on the professional judgement of the treating doctor and consistent with the law, it might at times be necessary to restrict access to personal health information by parents or guardians.