The doctors of Independent Specialists Management care about you. As a specialist administration team, we care about how we treat your personal information. This means we have implemented systems and procedures to comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APP) to protect patients’ personal and sensitive information from misuse and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Collection, Use & Disclosure
We recognise that the information we collect is often of a highly sensitive nature and as an administration organisation we have adopted high privacy compliance standards to ensure personal information is protected.
Independent Specialists Management administers the records for a number of doctors and their patients. To enable the patient to be attended by other doctors we manage and for administrative and billing purposes, patient information is shared between the doctors who attend a patient and administrative personnel.
Our administrative team and the practitioners may collect personal information (including health information) regarding patients for the purpose of providing medical services and treatment to patients. Personal information collected will generally include: the patient’s name, address, telephone number, Medicare number, health fund details and the name of any health service provider or medical specialist from or to whom the patient is referred. Other information may include current drugs or treatments used by the patient, previous and current medical history, including where clinically relevant a family medical history, and copies of any letters of referral and copies of any reports back.
We may access information:
- Provided directly by the patient
- Provided on the patient’s behalf with the patient’s consent
- From a health service provider who refers the patient to medical practitioners
- From health service providers to whom patients are referred
Personal information collected by us may be used or disclosed:
- For the purpose the patient was advised of at the time of collection of the information by us
- As required for delivery of the health service to the patient
- As required for the ordinary operation of our services (e.g. to refer the patient to a medical specialist or other health service provider, obtain payment from third parties such as health funds and collection agents for overdue fees)
- As required under compulsion of law
- Where there is a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s life, health or safety
- Where there is a serious threat to public health or public safety
We will not disclose personal information to any third party other than in the course of providing medical services or as listed above, without full disclosure to the patient or the recipient the reason for the information transfer, and with full consent of the patient.
We will not disclose personal information to anyone outside Australia who is not part of our administration team and agreed with our Privacy policy without need and without patient consent.
We will not use any personal information in relation to direct marketing to a patient without that patient’s express consent.
Security of Information
We use medical software programs which ensure that electronic information including patient health records are stored and backed up securely. Access to this information is only granted to authorised personnel. Hard copy information is kept securely in accordance with Privacy Principles.
At Independent Specialists Management, all the doctors and our employees are required to observe the obligations of confidentiality in the course of their role and are required to sign Confidentiality Agreements.
Access to Patient Information and Correction
The following will apply with regard to your access to personal and private medical information:
- An individual has the right to request access to their own personal information and request a copy or part of the whole record.
- Individuals have the right to obtain their personal information in accordance with the Federal Privacy Act. Requests must be made in writing and an acknowledgement letter will be sent to the patient within 14 days confirming the request and detailing whether the request can be complied with and an indication of any costs associated with providing the information. Time spent and photocopying costs when processing a request can be passed on to the requesting patient. Information can be expected to be provided within 30 days.
- Whilst the individual is not required to give a reason for obtaining the information, a patient may be asked to clarify the scope of their request.
- In some instances the request to obtain information may be denied. In these instances the patient will be advised.
- The material over which a practitioner has copyright might be subject to conditions that prevent or restrict further copying or publication without the doctor’s permission.
Complaints
If you have concerns or complaints about the way your information has been treated, please advise the administration team in writing by email at admin@indspec.com.au. We will then work to address your concerns in accordance with our complaint resolution process.