Collecting your information
In becoming a patient of the UTS Health Service (the Practice), you consent to staff of the Practice and its medical practitioners collecting your personal and health information. This information will be collected directly from you, or with your consent, from other parties including GPs, specialists, hospitals, dentists, pathology, radiology and allied health providers who may be involved in your care. In the event you have been referred for tests or further treatment, UTS will receive information from the relevant provider about the outcome as part of the referral process.
Purpose and use of your information
The Practice collects your personal and health information to provide for immediate and ongoing management of your health, care and wellbeing, and to ensure this Practice is able to continue treating you as a patient. Information held may also be used for Practice quality improvement, planning, and accreditation purposes.
Security and protection
Staff and management of the Practice have the right to access the health records1 created by its medical practitioners for the above purposes. Systems administrators, accreditation or quality reviewers may have limited access for legitimate business purposes, subject to signed confidentiality agreements.
No health records are held overseas by the Practice. A patient’s health record will only be sent overseas with their express written consent.
Minors
In most cases a parent who holds parental responsibility or guardianship may be able to access their child’s records. Young people, between the ages of 14-16 may seek treatment without the knowledge of a parent/guardian, subject to the health provider’s assessment of the young person’s capacity to understand the consequences. A similar assessment is made in relation to disclosure of information regarding a young person.
Disclosing your information
This Practice may need to disclose, with your consent, relevant personal health information in order to provide you with access to the best ongoing health care available both in acute and chronic situations, such as with GPs, specialists, hospitals, dentists, pathology, radiology and allied health providers who may be involved in your care. Consent is implied when you act on a referral for treatment.
For Medicare patients, the Practice provides limited information about you to Medicare for the purpose of accessing and processing Medicare financial rebates where applicable.
This Practice may also be legally required or permitted in certain circumstances to disclose patient information under legislative obligations, including the Infectious Diseases Act - Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, Adoption Act, where a court order, subpoena, or legal warrant is received.
My Health Record
At this time, this practice doesn’t provide information to My Health Record. However, when this practice is registered to participate, your health information may be access from My Health Record if you are a registered participant. The Practice will only include additional information on My Health Record with your consent.
Your rights
You have the right to request access to your personal or health information held by the Practice. If you wish to access a copy of your records, or feel information held is inaccurate, please contact the Practice (see contact details below).
If you have any further questions or wish to make a complaint about privacy or the management of your health information, please contact the Practice Manager (see contact details below).
Contact details
To access, correct or discuss any concerns about the management of your health information, contact the Practice Manager, UTS Health Service on 02 9514 1177.
Further information about privacy at UTS generally can be found on the Privacy at UTS website at http://www.uts.edu.au/about-uts/uts-governance/privacy.
1 Definition of a health record. Your health records is an individual patient record that includes all health information held by our Practice about you. This includes:
- identifying information such as name and date of birth
- contact details
- demographic information and cultural background
- next of kin and emergency contact details.
- consultations and clinical notes and related communications, status and outcomes.
- lifestyle risk factors.
Please contact the Practice Manager if you have any questions or a complaint regarding privacy and the management of your health information. Further information about privacy generally can be found on the Privacy at UTS website.
Transfer of health information
If you have consulted with a doctor at another practice, the health information held by that doctor may assist us with your healthcare needs. If you would like a copy or summary of your health records transferred to this practice please ask reception for information about how this can take place.
Your personal health information
Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and ensure this information is only available to authorised members of staff. The practice abides by the Australian Privacy Principles at oaic.gov.au/privacy-law