Benalla Osteopathy (ABN 70 564 451 183) is committed to providing quality services to you. This policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your personal information.

When we collect personal information, we’re required to comply with the:

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in this Act; and
• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Health Privacy Principles (HPPs) in that Act.

The APPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your personal information.

A copy of the APPs may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.aoic.gov.au

Personal information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples of personal information we collect include:

• Name, date of birth, address, contact information, lifestyle history, family history, genetic information, private health insurance, identifying numbers such as Medicare card, DVA, NDIS, TAC and WorkCover case numbers, medical information including medical history and related documents such as imaging results, reports, any medical results, admission reports, discharge reports, referral letters, communication letters and medication information.

We may also collect personal information from individuals who are not clients, such as employees, contractors and service providers, to enable us to work or transact with them. This will be conducted when reasonable to do so in order to carry out our functions and activities, manage our business, or comply with law.

We generally only collect personal information when you engage with us. We may do this when:

• You sign up as a patient in the initial patient registration form
• During your consultation
• When corresponding with GP or other medical/allied-health professionals
• When corresponding with your case manager, medical receptionist or any other third party related to your care
• Completing exercise programs through our integrated program, Physitrak
• Communication via text message, email or online form via our website 

We collect your personal information for the purpose:

• To provide you with health services and other services;
• To provide you with information regarding our services;
• To arrange billing with you for our services; or
• To obtain your consent to the above services and activities.

Your personal information allows us to provide the best possible treatment and management, lack of disclosure about certain information (e.g., medical history) may limit our ability to provide a service to your full needs.

If you wish to not have your personal information used for marketing purposes, we will take necessary steps to exclude you from receiving this information.

Your contact information such as phone number or email will be used for upcoming appointment information and any communication with your practitioner related to your healthcare.

Any unsolicited personal information will be de-identified or destroyed in a timely manner from the moment of disclosure.

Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information.

Sensitive information will be used by us only:

• For the primary purpose for which it was obtained
• With your consent; or where required or authorised by law.

Where reasonable and practicable to do so, we will collect your personal information only from you. However, in some circumstances we may be provided with information by third parties. In such a case we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of the information provided to us by the third party.

Third parties from which we may receive information from, include: your GP and other health-care providers, Medicare, TAC, WorkCover, DVA, NDIS, community interlink and private health insurers.

Your personal information may be disclosed in several circumstances including the following:

• Third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure; and
• Where required or authorised by law.

We will only disclose your personal information to an overseas recipient with your consent and in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act and the Health Records Act.

It may be necessary to disclose your personal information to persons or organisations outside of Victoria or overseas to provide you with ongoing care and treatment

We will only disclose your personal information outside of Victoria or overseas if:

• You have provided your prior consent, and the receiving person or organisation is subject to a law, binding scheme or binding contract that provides substantially similar protection to the APPs and HPPs which you can access and enforce; or
• If the disclosure is required or authorised by law.

Examples of disclosing your personal information to persons or organisations outside of Victoria or overseas include if the involved practitioner is located interstate or overseas.

You may revoke your consent to any particular uses or disclosures of your personal information at any time.  You may notify us of any revocation using our contact details listed below, or by notifying us at the time you are receiving services from us. 

Your personal information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised 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. However, most of the personal information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years via the Cliniko (and additional integration systems, Physitrak) software management program.

All hard-copy information such as new patient registration, referral letters, clinical notes, reports, test results and all other hard-copy correspondence will be destroyed via shredder once uploaded to your personal file.

Imaging referrals slips are a hard copy provided to you during the consultation. Referral slips are required to be presented at the imaging provider at the time of your appointment. We will not be held liable for any personal and medical information lost from the referral slip whilst in your possession.

You may access the personal information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your personal information, please contact us as soon as possible.

Benalla Osteopathy will not charge any fee for your access request.

In order to protect your personal information, we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information. Please contact us at benallaosteo@outlook.com to request access to your personal information.

It is important to us that your personal information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up to date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you. Please contact us at benallaosteo@outlook.com to update your personal information.

If you’re concerned about how we have handled your personal information, please let us know at benallaosteo@outlook.com and we’ll try to fix it.

We will investigate your complaint internally using our processes, under which we will assess your complaint and respond to you by no later than 30 days from receipt of the complaint.

If you’re not satisfied with how we’ve handled your complaint, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au.

This Policy may change from time to time and is available on your request. A summary of the policy may be viewed on our website. For a full copy, please contact the clinic.

If you have any queries about our Privacy Policy please contact us at:

28 Margaret Street Benalla

benallaosteo@outlook.com

0420 564 047