Hands from Heaven – Remedial Massage Clinic privacy policy

At Hands from Heaven we take your privacy seriously. The personal information we collect is for the purpose of your treatment with us, we do not share or sell any of your personal information.

Introduction

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, the client, on how your personal information is collected and used within this practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a client of this practice, you provide consent for our Therapist’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 financial claims 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:

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• health information including health history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• healthcare identifiers
• health fund details for identification and claiming purposes

How do we collect your personal information?

This practice will collect your personal information:

1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
2. During the course of providing health services, we may collect further personal information.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you 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:

• your guardian or responsible person
• other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
• your health fund, Workcover Authority or their insurer (as necessary).

Who do we share your personal information with?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as 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 (e.g. 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/client’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 (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)

Only people that need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing health 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 (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

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.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms –

• All original Confidential Client History forms are maintained as paper records, filed in secure filing cabinets that remain locked at all times.
• All other information and Treatment Records are maintained as electronic records, protected by strong passwords, and only accessible by Clinic Therapists and Clinic Reception Support staff.
• Any and all other paper reports/communications relating to your medical history are scanned and maintained as electronic records and the original returned to you.

Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse or loss, and from unauthorized access, modification or disclosure.

When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information.

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.

This practice acknowledges clients may request access to their health records. We require you to put this request in writing, either by hand in paper copy delivered to Clinic Reception or via email to [email protected], and our Practice Manager will respond within a reasonable time – usually within 30 days of the date of your request.

This practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information held is not accurate or up-to-date. From time-to-time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information is correct and current. If you know or expect that the information we hold on your Client Record is incorrect or out-of-date, you may request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to HANDS from HEAVEN – Practice Manager, either by hand in paper copy delivered to Clinic Reception or via email to [email protected], and our Practice Manager will respond within a reasonable time – usually within 30 days of the date of your request.

There is no fee imposed by this practice for any request to access or correct personal information.

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. Any/all such complaints should be addressed to:

HANDS from HEAVEN – Practice Manager,

454 Rode Road,

Chermside  4032

0433 935 334

or via email to [email protected], and our Practice Manager will respond within a reasonable time – usually within 30 days of the date of your complaint.

You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (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 336 002.