Como GP’s Privacy Statement – Protecting your Privacy Matters
About Como GP
Como GP provides a range of health services to patients; please see our brochures or go to our website to view full details of services provided www.comogp.com.au. We are committed to providing you with personalised medical care and protecting your privacy is important to us at Como GP. We recommend that you keep this information for future reference.
Below is how we protect your privacy.
1. How to contact us about Privacy Matters
2. The types of information Como GP collects
3. How Como GP collects and stores your personal and health information
4. How Como GP uses your personal and health information
5. When Como GP will disclose your personal and information
6. How to help us ensure we hold accurate information
7. How patients can access personal health information
1. How to contact us about Privacy Matters
The Practice Manager is the designated Privacy Officer and acts as liaison for all privacy issues and requests for access to personal health information.
If you have any questions in relation to privacy
- Please contact us on (08) 6165 2444 (Monday to Friday)
- Please ask for the Practice Manager and advise that this is in regards to a Privacy matter. You do not need to disclose the nature of the matter.
2. The types of information Como GP collects
Como GP collects two types of information: personal information and personal health information
a) Como GP defines “personal information” as information which can identify individuals. Personal information includes: Name, Date of Birth, Indigenous Status, Relationship status, Address, Phone numbers, Email, Health Fund/DVA/Medicare Number, Next of Kin, Emergency Contact details, Billings, Appointments.
i. You may need to provide personal information to us for other individuals for whom you are an authorised representative (e.g. Children).
ii. You have the right to be anonymous/use a pseudonym but we may be unable to appropriately treat you.
iii. Due to the nature of our business Como GP is only able to offer Pseudonymity. Pseudonymity requires that an individual may deal with Como GP by using a name, term or descriptor that is different to the person’s actual name. For example an artist who uses a ‘pen-name.’
b) Como GP defines “personal health information” as any information which is used to diagnose or manage an individual’s health and is recorded in the patient’s health record held by Como GP.
i. All information received in the course of a consultation between a doctor and the patient is considered personal health information.
ii. This information includes medical details, family information, can include past medical & social history, current health issues and future medical care.
iii. It includes the formal medical record whether written or electronic and information held or recorded on any other medium e.g. letter, fax, or electronically.
3. How Como GP collects and stores your personal and health information
We collect personal and health information.
Personal information is collected when enrolling as a patient at the practice, either electronically or on paper using the Patient Registration Form. It is stored in digital format.
Personal Health information is captured on your electronic record from consultations with GP’s, and via reports and results from other health service providers. Any paper based consultations, results or reports are scanned and stored in a digital format and following digital storage the material is shredded.
If you leave the practice your personal and health information is archived on our system.
4. How Como GP uses your personal & health information
All staff have access to your personal information and your personal information is used to: verify your identity, administer and manage clerical services, including appointment making, billing and collecting debts.
Only Clinical Staff (GP’s and Nurse’s) and the Practice Manager have access to your personal health information and your personal health information is used to:
- assess, record, maintain or improve your health
- diagnose your illness or disability
- treat your illness or disability or suspected illness or disability
- dispense or prescribe a drug or medicinal preparation by a pharmacist
- send reminders of annual health checks agreed with your GP, for example, PAP smear, blood tests
- Como GP can access personal and health information and may use this information for business and clinical analysis. For example, when there is a product recall, such as a vaccine, we can identify the patients who have had the vaccine and make contact with the patient informing them of this recall.
5. When we disclose your personal information
Your personal and health information is only disclosed to third parties, or authorised representatives if requested by you to do so and only disclosed to government, regulatory authorities and other organisations as required or authorised by law. We may use electronic means of communication and we will take all reasonable care to protect your privacy. We use an encrypted system where it is available.
6. Help us to ensure we hold accurate information
We take all reasonable precautions to ensure that the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up-to-date. However, the accuracy of that information depends to a large extent on the information you provide. That’s why we recommend that you:
- Let us know if there are any errors in your personal information
- Keep us up-to-date with changes to your personal information such as your name, address, telephone number, and relationship status
- Families may be linked on our record system, so if your relationship status changes, please advise us
7. How patients can access personal health information
Patients have a right to accessing personal health information and may access this information by completing a Como GP’s “Personal Health Information release Form”. There is no charge for this service.
