Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

At Family Health on Highway, Plympton, we are committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of your personal and health information.

We understand that health information is highly sensitive. We handle personal information in accordance with applicable Australian privacy legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

When you register as a patient of Family Health on Highway, we collect and use personal and health information as necessary to provide healthcare and manage your care. Access to your information is limited to doctors, nurses, practice staff and authorised service providers who require access for legitimate healthcare or practice purposes.

Where your information is proposed to be used or disclosed for another purpose that requires your consent, we will seek appropriate consent.

Why We Collect Your Personal Information

Family Health on Highway collects personal and health information primarily to provide, coordinate and manage your healthcare.

Your information may also be used where appropriate for activities directly related to providing and managing healthcare, including:

Making and managing appointments
Communicating with you about your healthcare
Medicare, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, private health insurance and other billing or claiming requirements
Referrals and communication with other healthcare providers involved in your care
Electronic prescriptions and other digital health services
My Health Record, where applicable
Practice accreditation and quality improvement
Clinical and administrative audits
Staff education and training, where appropriate
Maintaining the safety, security and effective operation of our practice

What Personal Information Do We Collect?

Depending on the healthcare services you receive, we may collect information including:

Your name, date of birth and gender
Residential and postal address
Telephone number and email address
Emergency contact and next-of-kin information
Medicare details
Department of Veterans’ Affairs details, where applicable
Private health insurance details, where relevant
Individual Healthcare Identifier and other healthcare identifiers
Medical history
Current and previous medical conditions
Medications
Allergies and adverse reactions
Immunisation history
Family and social history
Lifestyle and relevant risk factors
Examination findings, investigations and test results
Specialist, hospital, pathology, imaging and allied health correspondence
Treatment plans and clinical notes
Other information reasonably necessary to provide your healthcare

Use of AI-Assisted Clinical Documentation

Some doctors at Family Health on Highway may use approved AI-assisted clinical documentation or medical scribing technology during consultations.

These tools can assist the doctor in preparing clinical notes and documentation from the consultation. Their purpose is to reduce the administrative burden associated with note-taking and allow the doctor to focus more closely on the patient and the clinical consultation.

Because the use of an AI scribing tool may involve the collection and processing of personal and health information discussed during your consultation, your doctor will inform you about its proposed use and seek your consent where required.

You are under no obligation to agree to the use of AI-assisted clinical documentation.

If you do not wish an AI documentation tool to be used during your consultation, please tell your doctor. You may also withdraw your consent to its use.

Choosing not to use AI-assisted documentation will not affect the healthcare you receive at Family Health on Highway.

Your doctor remains responsible for reviewing the clinical documentation and for the clinical decisions made during your consultation. AI-assisted documentation does not replace the professional judgement of your treating doctor.

Family Health on Highway takes reasonable steps when selecting and using technology providers to protect the privacy and security of patient information and to comply with applicable privacy and professional obligations.

If you have questions about the use of AI-assisted documentation during your consultation, please speak with your doctor before it is used.

How We Collect Your Personal Information

We may collect your personal information in several ways.

When you first register with our practice, our staff may collect personal and demographic information directly from you.

During consultations and the ongoing provision of healthcare, your doctor and other healthcare professionals may collect additional information about your health and treatment.

Where it is not practical or reasonable to obtain information directly from you, information may also be obtained from other appropriate sources, including:

A parent, guardian, carer or responsible person
Specialists
Hospitals and emergency departments
Allied health professionals
Pathology providers
Diagnostic imaging providers
Pharmacies
Community health services
Medicare
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Your health fund
Other healthcare providers involved in your care

Dealing With Us Anonymously or Using a Pseudonym

Where lawful and practicable, you may have the option of dealing with us anonymously or using a pseudonym.

However, in many circumstances it may not be practical to provide appropriate medical care without confirming your identity. We may also be required or authorised by law to obtain identifying information.

How We Use and Share Your Information

To provide safe and coordinated healthcare, we may use or disclose relevant personal and health information to other healthcare providers involved in your care.

This may include your GP, specialists, hospitals, allied health practitioners, pathology and diagnostic imaging providers, pharmacists and other healthcare services.

Information may also be used or disclosed:

To third-party service providers supporting the operation of our practice, subject to appropriate privacy and confidentiality requirements
For Medicare, DVA and other legitimate billing or claiming purposes
Through electronic prescribing and other approved digital health systems
Through My Health Record, where applicable
Where required or authorised by law
In response to a valid court order or subpoena
Where necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to life, health or safety and where permitted by law
For mandatory reporting or notification requirements
For appropriate confidential dispute resolution
For accreditation, quality assurance and practice improvement activities where permitted

Only people who require access to your information for an appropriate purpose are authorised to access it.

We will not otherwise disclose your personal information to unrelated third parties without your consent unless permitted or required by law.

Overseas Disclosure

Where we use external technology or service providers, we take reasonable steps to understand how and where patient information is handled and to meet our obligations under Australian privacy law.

Where personal information is likely to be disclosed to an overseas recipient, this will be managed in accordance with applicable Australian privacy requirements.

Marketing

Family Health on Highway will not use sensitive health information for direct marketing unless this is permitted by law and the necessary consent has been obtained.

Where you have consented to receive marketing or promotional communications, you may withdraw that consent or opt out at any time.

Quality Improvement & De-Identified Information

We may use patient information for legitimate quality improvement, accreditation, audit and analysis activities in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.

Where appropriate, information may be de-identified so that individuals cannot reasonably be identified.

If de-identified information is provided to another organisation for approved quality improvement, research or population health purposes, appropriate privacy and security safeguards will be applied.

Please speak with our reception team if you have questions or concerns about how your information may be used.

How We Store and Protect Your Information

Family Health on Highway takes reasonable steps to protect personal and health information against misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

Patient information may be held in electronic and, where applicable, physical formats. We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the information we hold.

Access to patient records is restricted to authorised persons who require access for legitimate purposes.

Accessing Your Medical Record

You have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

Requests for access to medical records should generally be made in writing to Family Health on Highway.

We will verify your identity before releasing medical information and will respond to requests within a reasonable timeframe.

Where permitted, a reasonable administrative fee may apply to the costs associated with preparing or providing copies of medical records. You will be advised of any applicable fee before the request is processed.

In some circumstances, access to particular information may be restricted or provided in an alternative manner where permitted or required by law.

Correcting Your Personal Information

We take reasonable steps to ensure the personal information we hold is accurate, complete and up to date.

We may periodically ask you to confirm your:

Address
Telephone number
Email address
Medicare details
Emergency contact information
Other relevant personal information

If you believe information in your medical record is incorrect or requires updating, please contact the practice.

Requests for correction of clinical information will be considered in accordance with applicable privacy and health-record requirements.

Privacy Concerns & Complaints

We take privacy concerns seriously.

If you have concerns about how your personal or health information has been collected, used, stored or disclosed, please contact Family Health on Highway. We will investigate your concern and aim to respond fairly and within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) for further information or assistance.

Patient Feedback & Complaints

At Family Health on Highway, we value feedback from our patients. Feedback helps us identify what we are doing well and where we can improve the quality, safety and experience of the healthcare we provide.

From time to time, patients may be invited to participate in a patient feedback survey as part of our quality improvement and accreditation processes. We encourage patients to provide constructive and honest feedback.

If you have a suggestion, concern or complaint, we encourage you to speak with a member of our team or contact the practice directly.

All complaints are taken seriously. Raising a concern or making a complaint will not adversely affect the healthcare you receive from our practice.

We aim to address concerns in a respectful, confidential and timely manner and, wherever possible, work with you to find an appropriate resolution.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC) South Australia.

HCSCC: 1800 232 007
Available Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

We strive to provide a professional, respectful, compassionate and friendly healthcare service. If there is anything we can do to improve your experience at Family Health on Highway, we encourage you to speak with us.

Family Health on Highway Plympton, South Australia