Privacy Policy
Our practice is committed to protecting your privacy and managing your personal information securely. This policy outlines how we handle your information and ensures transparency regarding our digital health workflows and records management.
1. Definition of a Patient Health Record
A Patient Health Record is a comprehensive digital and physical file maintained by our practice for each individual patient. It contains a collection of personal data and clinical history, including but not limited to:
- Personal identifiers (name, date of birth, contact details, Medicare number, and emergency contacts).
- Clinical notes from consultations detailing your symptoms, signs, diagnosis, and treatment plans.
- Correspondence from specialist doctors, hospital discharge summaries, and Allied Health providers.
- Diagnostic test results (e.g., pathology, medical imaging reports).
- Prescribed medications, immunisation history, allergy registers, and past medical history.
2. Document Automation Technologies & Referral Letters
To deliver seamless, safe clinical care, our practice utilises advanced practice management software and secure document automation technologies. These clinical automation systems are carefully programmed and managed to strictly filter medical data before transmission.
When drafting referral letters or care plans, these systems only pull a curated, relevant subset of your clinical information based on your current presenting issue. Your doctor reviews every automated letter before sending it to ensure that only clinically relevant medical information is shared with other healthcare providers involved in your treatment plan.
3. Informed Consent for Consultation Recording & Storage
Our practice prioritises strict data confidentiality across all modes of delivery. This includes standard in-person consultations, telephone reviews, and remote telehealth services.
- Informed Consent Required: Real-time audio, visual, or digital recording of any consultation is strictly forbidden unless explicit, written, informed consent is obtained from both the patient and the consulting practitioner prior to the session.
- Duplication & Storage: Consultation recordings, telehealth streams, or duplicate audio/visual feeds are not routinely created or kept. If a specific clinical or training circumstance requires a recording, it will only be captured after you are fully informed of the specific purpose, how it will be securely stored within your clinical file, and who will have access to it. You hold the right to refuse or withdraw consent for recording at any time without compromising your care.
4. Managing and Accessing Your Information
We work to ensure that all required information is clearly documented, regularly reviewed, and made consistently available across both our physical patient information sheets and our official practice website. Patients have the right to request access to their patient health records in accordance with Commonwealth and Victorian privacy laws.
This policy is reviewed annually to ensure compliance with updated state and federal health guidelines.
Date reviewed: 26 June 2026