Privacy Policy

 
 

Strathfield Retina Clinic Privacy Policy Act 1988

Strathfield Retina Clinic collects information from you for the primary purpose of providing quality health care. We required you to provide us with your personal details and a full medical history so that we may properly assess, diagnose and treat illness and be pro-active in your health care. It applies equally to conventional and electronic information.

What personal information may be collected?

As part of our commitment to providing quality health care it is necessary for us to maintain files pertaining to your health. The files contain the following types of information:

  • Personal details (your name, address, date of birth, Medicare number)

  • Your medical history

  • Referrals to other health service providers

  • Result and reports received from other health service providers (eg pathology and radiology)

  • Other relevant information

How will this personal information be collected?

The information held about you is provided by you and your referring doctor. This may take place when the patient fills out documents, forms or when the patient gives us personal information in person, or over the phone.

In certain circumstances, Strathfield Retina Clinic will need to collect personal information from third parties e.g. your referring doctor, external treating health professionals (e.g. surgeon) or a patient’s health service provider.

This collected information will be used for the following:

  • Administer and manage services, including billing and collecting debts

  • Research purposes – only de-identified information may be used for statistical and evaluative purposes

  • Teaching purposes – only de-identified information may be used

  • Professional accreditation, quality assurance activities and clinical auditing

  • To send reminder and recall letters

  • To gain an understanding of the patient’s service needs so we may provide them with the best service.

  • Internal record keeping.

We may periodically send emails and letters about upcoming events and free seminars, new medical advances, technology and treatment options or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address/contact details which you have provided.

Who will this personal information be provided to?

Your file will be accessed by staff involved in your care. All staff contractors have signed a confidentiality agreement before commencing employment with or visiting Strathfield Retina Clinic. We may need to disclose part of your personal information to:

  • Your referring doctor & others involved in your health care

  • Our advisors (accountants, auditors, and insurers)

  • Research bodies

  • When required by law (eg in response to a subpoena)

  • Accessing your Medical Records

The best way to obtain medical records is in consultation with your referring doctor so they can be explained in the context of your healthcare. You have the rights of access to any information we hold concerning you. Should you wish to access this information, Strathfield Retina Clinic has a specific policy on the access requests.

In order to maintain security of your information you will be required to show identification (drivers licence or passport) and fill in a request form before we will be able to allow you access. A medical practitioner can refuse patient access to their personal health information only if:

  • Providing access would pose a serious threat to life or health of any individual

  • Providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals

  • The request for access is frivolous or vexatious

  • Denying access is required or authorised by law

Storage of your Medical Records?

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please email us at: info@strathfieldretina.com.au

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Any Problems?

Should you at any time have a query or complaint in relation to our privacy policy please contact the Privacy Officer, who will endeavour to address any concerns you may have. We advise that any complaints regarding privacy are to be made in writing and addressed to the Privacy Officer. Mark it private and confidential.

If you are not satisfied then you have the right to make complaints to the Privacy Commissioner on 1300 363 992 or in writing to Officer of Privacy Commissioner, GPO Box 5218 Sydney, NSW 2001.