Privacy Policy

 

PRIVACY POLICY
HEALING HARMONY WELLNESS CENTRE |PRIVACY ACT AUSTRALIA

Healing Harmony Wellness Centre respects your right to privacy and is committed to safeguarding the privacy of our clients/patients.

In compliance with the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, we have developed a Practice Privacy Policy that governs the handling of your personal information. Personal Information means information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion (P57 Guidelines on Privacy in the Private Health Sector, Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner – October 2001). The Federal Privacy Act incorporates the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) that set out the rules for the handling of personal information in the private health sector. In the interests of providing quality health care this practice has implemented a privacy policy that complies with the Privacy Act (1988) and the APPs (2014)

COMMUNICATION
We aim to explain clearly how personal information about you and your health is recorded and managed in this practice. Your practitioner will be happy to discuss this with you the ways in which this practice complies with the Australian Privacy Principles are set out below.

COLLECTION
It is necessary for us to collect personal information from clients/patients and sometimes others associated with their health care in order to attend to their health needs and for associated administrative purposes. We ask clients/patients their consent for information collection on our intake form on their first visit.

USE & DISCLOSURE
A client’s/patient’s personal health information is used or disclosed for purposes directly related to their health care and in ways that are consistent with a client’s/patient’s expectations. In the interests of the highest quality and continuity of health care this may include sharing information with other health care providers who comprise a client’s/patient’s health care team from time to time, this includes GP’s, practice nurses, registrars and students, allied health professionals, support staff. The use of this data is determined by what is required for client/patient care. In general, a client’s/patient’s health information will not be used for any other purposes without their consent. There are circumstances when information has to be disclosed without client/patient consent, such as:

  • Emergency situations
  • By law it may be necessary to disclose information about a client/patient to fulfil a medical indemnity insurance obligation – e.g. mandatory reporting of some communicable diseases
  • Provision of information to private health funds if relevant for billing and medical rebate purposes
  • There are also necessary purposes of collection for which information will be used beyond providing health care, such as professional accreditation, quality assessments, clinical auditing, billing, service monitoring activities, improving the administration of the practice and disclosure to a clinical supervisor.
  • The individual’s privacy is protected by federal privacy legislation and State privacy legislation. This practice does not send data / information to locations outside of Australia.

 

STORAGE
The storage, use, and where necessary, transfer of personal health information will be undertaken in a secure manner that protects client/patient privacy. It is necessary for the practice to keep client/patient information after a client’s/patient’s last attendance for as long as is required by law (7 years or until a minor turns 25 years) or is prudent having regard to administrative requirements. Data will only be accessible to authorised personnel involved in client/patient care or administration of that care. Any data to go to a third party will be discussed with the client/patient involved and the client’s/patient’s consent will be obtained and documented. Healing Harmony Wellness Centre is committed to safeguard information provided by our clients/patients

ACCESS & CORRECTION
Clients/patients may request access to their personal health information held by this practice or its transfer to another health provider. All requests for access to personal health information will need to be made in writing. The Healing Harmony Wellness Centre Director will review and manage the request.
This practice acknowledges the right of children and young people to privacy of their health information. Based on the professional judgement of the practitioner and consistent with the law, it might be necessary at times to restrict access to personal health information by parents or guardians
Healing Harmony Wellness Centre encourages clients/patients to ensure that information held is accurate and up to date and to amend any information that is inaccurate. A charge may be payable where the practice incurs a cost in providing access. This is for administrative costs such as photocopying, etc.
Where access is restricted or denied, the reason for this will be explained to the client/patient by their regular Healing Harmony Wellness Centre practitioner.

IDENTFIERS
These are numbers or symbols that are used to identify clients/patients with or without using a name e.g. Medicare or DVA numbers. The practice will limit the use of identifiers assigned by other agencies to those uses necessary to fulfil our obligations to those agencies e.g. Medicare claims.

ANONYMITY
A client/patient has the right to be dealt with anonymously, provided that this is lawful and practical. However in the health context this is unlikely to be practical and may in some circumstances impact of the quality of care and treatment. All requests of this nature will be referred to the Healing Harmony Wellness Centre Director.

ANY CONCERNS
Healing Harmony Wellness Centre recognises the right of client’s/patient’s to raise their concerns about privacy and confidentiality. Clients/patients are asked to contact the Healing Harmony Wellness Centre Clinic Director if they have any concerns regarding the collection, use or disclosure of the personal health information. The best way to deal effectively with concerns and complaints is to communicate openly and respectfully. We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint within two working days of receiving it. Where possible, a response to your complaint will be provided to you within 14 days of the date we acknowledge your complaint. Where this is not possible, due to the complexity of your complaint or other factors, we will keep you informed.