» Privacy PolicyGI Health Clinic

This is the Privacy Policy for GI Health. The Privacy Act 1988 requires Medical Practitioners to obtain consent from their patients to use or disclose the patients personal information. This policy outlines how we will collect, store and use your medical information to provide you with the best possible medical care.

COLLECTION: Collection of patient information will include:

Full medical history
Family medical history
Social history
Ethnicity
Genetic information
Contact details
Medicare/Private Health Fund Details
Next of kin details
Billing/Account details

The information will normally be collected directly from you. There may be occasions when we need to obtain information from other sources, for example:

Medical practitioners, such as former GPs and specialists
Hospitals and Day Surgery Units
Other Health Care Providers, such as Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Pharmacists, Dentists and Nurses
Both our Practice Staff and the Medical Practitioner may participate in the collection of this information.
In emergency situations we may need to collect personal information from relatives or other sources when we are unable to obtain your prior express consent.

USE AND DISCLOSURE: The information may be provided to people such as:

Your referring doctor pertaining to your medical management
Sending of specimens, such as blood samples
To prevent or lessen a serious threat to an individuals life health or safety
Referral to a Hospital or Day Surgery Units for treatment
Where State or Federal Law requires (ie notifiable disease)
Medicare or your Private Health Insurance
Referrals to other doctors
My medical indemnity organisation if I am obligated to do this

DATA SECURITY Information is stored securely in our office. Computer information is password protected. The records will be stored for the time advised or required by law.

ACCESS AND CORRECTION The Privacy Legislation gives you a right of access to information in your records recorded or referred to after 21/12/2001. This request must be made in writing.

It is our Practice Policy that we will take all steps to record all of your corrections and place them in your file, but will not erase the original records
We may charge for photocopying or for staff time involved in processing your request.

Access can be denied where:

To provide access would create a serious threat to life or health.
Your request is frivolous
The access would unreasonably impact on the privacy of another
In the interests of national security
The information relates to anticipated or actual legal proceedings and you would not be entitled to access the information in those proceedings

ANONYMITY: On request patients have a right to request that they be treated anonymously where this is practical and lawful.

SENSITIVE INFORMATION: Sensitive information will only be collected with the patients consent, or where it is required by law or in other special specified circumstances.