Highlands Naturopathy

Current as of: 7^th of August, 2024

Introduction.

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, or prospective patient, social media or website browser of our services, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) may be 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 join as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our practitioner/s and practice 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 your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding, and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as appointment bookings and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details, identification for telehealth services.
• medical information including but not limited to medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors.
• pathology and specialist reports when available.

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 authorized 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 or affiliate (council reception staff at the Glen Innes Highlands Hub) will collect your personal and demographic information via your new patient form or via our booking system as provided by you. This is information may be collected via telephone, email or practice management software.
2. During the course of providing naturopathic 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. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:
5. your guardian or responsible person
6. other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services.

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

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as the Glen Innes Highlands Hub (sign in required on arrival and departure), accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy.
• with other healthcare providers
• 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, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
• to assist in locating a missing person
• 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)
• during the course of providing naturopathic services, through our online dispensary patient portals, or pathology services

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing naturopathic services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored in a physical location in various forms including as paper records, electronic records, visual records (X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos).

Our practice stores all personal information securely. We have two factor authentication active across our platforms and change passwords on a regular basis. We do not share passwords or log in details (with the exception that we may provide pass codes for patients to access files sent via email). Hard copy documents are stored in a locked filing cabinet on secure premises. We use antivirus software, perform regular updates and continually seek ways in which we can improve our data security.

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

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their health records. We require you to put this request in writing and email our practice, which will respond within a reasonable time (30 days).

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information 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 admin@highlandsnaturopathy.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. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.

Email address: admin@highlandsnaturopathy.com.au

Postal address: 167 Grey St, Glen Innes NSW 2370.

Ph: 0422 918 478

Turnaround time frames specific to this processes, is 30 days.

You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

Privacy and our website

We may collect personal information via our website or interact with you digitally (eg through social media or by email). We may collect personal information via the website or social media and the use analytics and cookies.

Policy review statement

This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. We will notify all patients via email within 7 days when we amend this policy.