Privacy Policy

CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

All personal and health information is handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).
All staff sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
All charts with patient information are kept securely.
Parental consent is required for the information to be provided to a paediatrician, psychologist or school guidance officer.
Information on diagnosis and treatment suggestions will be provided to the referring practitioner.
Confidentiality is needed between a teenager and their treating clinician to encourage a trusting therapeutic alliance, and for treatment to be successful. Clinicians will encourage a teenager to talk with their parent, but will break confidentiality only when safety is at risk.

PRIVACY POLICY

OVERVIEW

Our practice is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your health information. We collect and use your personal and health information to provide safe and effective medical care and to meet our legal obligations.

Please refer to our Privacy Policy for information about how your personal and health information is collected, used and disclosed.

A copy of our full Privacy Policy is available at reception or on our website.

IDENTIFYING YOURSELF WHEN RECEIVING CARE

The Clinic generally requires patients to identify themselves when receiving healthcare services so that we can provide safe and appropriate care and maintain accurate medical records. However, where lawful and practicable, you may choose to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. In those circumstances, some services may not be available to you.

COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

When you first attend Vita Health Care, we will ask you to provide information (for example, contact details) and confirm your consent to the collection of your information. This means you are providing consent for practitioners and staff to gather, access and use your personal health information to facilitate the delivery of healthcare to you. Your personal information will only be accessed by practitioners and staff who need to do so for the purpose of providing healthcare to you. We will seek your express consent before using your information for any purpose not directly related to your healthcare. We collect personal and sensitive health information that is necessary for the provision of healthcare. This may include, but is not limited to:

personal identifiers such as name, date of birth, address and contact details
medical history, clinical notes, diagnostic test results and treatment plans
Medicare and private health insurance details
information generated or processed through AI-enabled tools used in clinical or administrative contexts.

We primarily collect information directly from patients. In certain circumstances and with appropriate authority, we may also obtain information from third parties, such as other treating practitioners, hospitals or diagnostic service providers and the My Health Record. In limited situations, we may also collect information from other people, such as your relatives or friends. CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purposes. Website use: When you visit our website, we collect information through cookies. This information is used for internal IT systems. This is personal information, as you will be identified or reasonably identifiable, and this information will be treated as personal information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).]

AI-ASSISTED CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION

Some practitioners at Vita Health Care may use AI-assisted transcription tools to assist with preparing clinical notes and documentation during consultations. Patients will be informed where these tools are used and may choose to opt out of AI-assisted transcription by advising their treating practitioner. Any personal and health information processed through these tools will be managed in accordance with applicable privacy legislation and our privacy and confidentiality obligations.

USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Clinic may use or disclose your personal and health information for the following purposes:

To provide medical treatment and care, including communicating with other healthcare providers involved in your care.
For administrative functions, including appointment scheduling, billing and practice management.
To comply with our legal and professional obligations.
Where you have provided consent for the use or disclosure of your information.
Where there are significant safety concerns involving a client or others, and disclosure is permitted or required by law.
Where required by law, such as mandatory reporting obligations or complying with a subpoena issued by a court.

We may communicate with you using telephone, SMS, email and secure electronic messaging. These communications may include your personal and health information where appropriate.

DATA SECURITY AND RETENTION

We will take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is accurate, complete, up to date and relevant. We implement technical and administrative measures to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These measures include:

Secure electronic medical record systems with role-based access controls.
Regular staff training on privacy and data protection.
A cybersecurity framework.
Regular audits and updates to our software and cybersecurity framework.

Information is retained in accordance with applicable legal and professional obligations. Information that is no longer required for the purposes for which it was collected, and for which the minimum retention period has passed, will be securely destroyed in accordance with privacy legislation.

DIRECT MARKETING

The Clinic will never use someone’s personal information for any direct marketing purposes. The Clinic may, from time to time, notify clients or their families/carers of available treatment options or programs; however, this is for therapeutic purposes only, and not for marketing purposes.

ADOPTION, USE OR DISCLOSURE OF GOVERNMENT RELATED IDENTIFIERS

The Clinic does not adopt, use or disclose government-related identifiers used by the government to identify our clients, other than Medicare Card numbers.

QUALITY AND SECURITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Clinic ensures that the personal information collected is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant. The Clinic also ensures that the personal information held is protected from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

ACCESS TO OR CORRECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Clinic can provide access to the personal information held about a person to that person or their parent/legal guardian (if that person is under 18 years of age) upon receipt of a written request. It must be noted, however, that The Clinic may choose not to disclose personal information if it significantly impacts on another person’s privacy, or could pose a significant risk to the life or health of you or another person.

PRACTICE POLICY

The clinic offers outpatient care only. Private hospital admissions can be arranged for during business hours.
Urgent appointments are a priority for existing clients.
Unfortunately, phone support is not available, although reception can relay messages to clinicians between appointments.
Payment is required at the time of the appointment. We are unable to book a further appointment until the account is settled.
Appointment cancellation requires 24 hours’ notice, or a fee will apply.

COMPLAINTS POLICY

At Vita Healthcare, we take patient feedback seriously. If you have a concern about your care, we encourage you to speak directly with the clinician involved; this is often the quickest and easiest way to resolve any issues. You can email your clinician via reception@vitahealthcare.com.au if you do not have their email address or post a letter. Please note that any feedback regarding your clinical care needs to be discussed with the clinician and not with administrative staff. If you have any questions or concerns about how your personal information is handled or want to request access to or correction of your information, please contact: Name: Chelsea Role: Practice Manager Postal address: 1281 Nepean Hwy Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Phone: 03 59722444 Email: chelsea@vitahealthcare.com.au If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): Website: www.oaic.gov.au Phone: 1300 363 992 The HCC offers a free, confidential and impartial service. We value all feedback, whether positive or negative. Complaints help us improve the quality and safety of our services. We appreciate your willingness to bring any concerns to our attention.

Consent Form to Share Information With Another Clinic/Agency

Please complete this form if you are a current patient and would like Vita Health Care to share certain information with another third party as discussed with your clinician as part of your ongoing care. If you would like your file transferred to a new clinic or clinician who will manage your care from now on, the form for this request will need to be provided by your new provider/clinic. Once we receive this form with your authorisation, we will review the request and provide the necessary information as approved by your clinician. Please email or fax the request.

Transferring medical file TO Vita Health Care

Please complete this form if you wish to have your medical file or certain information transferred TO Vita Health Care from a previous provider or Medical clinic. This may occur if you are a new patient and have a previous medical history that may be helpful for your clinician as part of your ongoing care and continuity of care.

Requests for Access to Health Information

Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), you have the right to request access to the personal information Vita Health Care holds about you, including your medical records, subject to certain exceptions. To request access to or obtain a copy of your personal or health information, please complete the Request for Access to Health Information form and submit it to our practice reception. We will acknowledge your request in writing within 14 days of receiving it. Ordinarily, access to the requested information will be provided within 30 days, unless otherwise advised.

Access Fees

The Practice is entitled to charge an appropriate fee, determined in accordance with the Health Records Regulations 2023 (Vic), plus GST, to cover the administrative costs of this service. Our reception will advise you of the applicable fee, which is not redeemable under Medicare or private health insurance.

How will Access be Provided?

Access may be provided by:

inspecting your medical record (or a printout of your record) at the Practice; and/or

providing a copy of the requested information in person or by post (additional fees for postage may apply); or
providing an accurate summary of the information, instead of a copy, if you and the doctor agree that a summary is appropriate.

We recommend that you make an appointment with your doctor to review your medical record together, so the doctor can help you understand and interpret the material contained within it. A consultation fee will apply in addition to the administration fee, plus GST. The fee is not redeemable via Medicare or private health insurance.

Can I Amend my Medical Record?

You will not be permitted to remove any contents of your medical record from the Practice. Should you wish to amend or delete any personal information, you will need to fill out a separate written request using the Request to Amend Medical Record Form.

When will Access to My Medical Record be Refused?

Access to your personal information may be legitimately withheld in certain situations, including (among others): where access would pose a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual or the public;

where access would cause an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals;
where the request is frivolous or vexatious; or
where the information is privileged as a result of actual or anticipated legal proceedings.

If access to your personal information is refused, the Practice will provide you with written reasons for the refusal. You will not be charged an access fee in this instance.

Privacy Enquiries and Complaints

If you have any questions or concerns about how your personal information is handled, or wish to request access to or correction of your information, please contact our Practice Manager at Vita Health Care. We will review privacy complaints and respond in accordance with our privacy obligations and complaints procedures. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). Website: www.oaic.gov.au Phone: 1300 363 992