Introduction

This Privacy Policy is to advise you, our client, on how your personal & health information is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our practitioners and staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect, use, hold and share your personal information to provide integrative health and wellness services to you, in order to manage your health. We may also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments.

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

• Names, date of birth, addresses, contact details and emergency contact information
• Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• Medicare number (where available) and/or Health Fund details for identification and claiming purposes

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to 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 do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
3. We may 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.
4. In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. This may include information from:

• your guardian or responsible person
• other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, pathology and diagnostic imaging services
• your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with other healthcare providers or insurers
• when it is required or authorised by law (eg 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,
• to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim, for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
• when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice WILL NOT SHARE personal information with any third party within or outside of Australia, without your consent.

As a client of this practice you will have already expressly consented to receiving our texts, emails and newsletters, by signature on our registration form. You may opt out of receiving communications, by notifying our practice in writing.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms, such as paper records, electronic records, visual records (X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos. Our practice stores all personal information securely.

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

Our practice acknowledges clients may request access to their medical records. This request should be put in writing. Our practice will respond within a reasonable time (30 days) and for a reasonable charge directly related to the administration costs involved. We will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where it 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. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to info@therapyworks.com.au

How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing to the Practice Manager at Therapy Works Pty Ltd, 3 B, 367 Barrenjoey Road Newport NSW 2106; Telephone: 02 99995544 or Email: info@therapyworks.com.au We will attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure within 30 days.

Privacy and our website

We occasionally collect personal information via our practice website, booking systems or interactions through social media or email, all of which are subject to this policy. If our website contains links to other websites, cookies or other advertising media please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and we recommend that you read carefully the privacy practice of any site you visit, particularly before submitting personal information.

Policy Review

Therapy Works Pty Ltd privacy policy reserves the right to review its Privacy Policy regularly and make updates to ensure it is in accordance with any statutory changes that may occur. We will notify our clients by advertising the changes when we amend this policy.

Updated June 2018