1. POLICY
The management of Clinique Dermatologie are committed to protecting the privacy of our patients within our practice. Information collected is kept strictly confidential and used only for the medical and health care of patients.
2. PURPOSE
To ensure patients who receive care from the practice are comfortable in entrusting their health information to the practice. This policy provides information to patients as to how their personal information is collected and used within the practice and the circumstances in which we may disclose it to third parties.
3. SCOPE
This policy applies to all employees and patients of Clinique Dermatologie.
4. PRACTICE PROCEDURE
The Practice will:
Staff Responsibility
The practice staff will take reasonable steps to ensure patients understand
Patient Consent
The practice will only interpret and apply a patient’s consent for the primary purpose for which it was provided. The Practice staff must seek additional consent from the patient if the personal information collected may be used for any other purpose.
5. COLLECTION, USE AND DISCLOSURE
Clinique Dermatologie recognises that the information we collect is often of a highly sensitive nature and as an organisation we have adopted the privacy compliance standards relevant to Clinique Dermatologie to ensure personal information is protected.
For administrative and billing purposes and to ensure quality and continuity of patient care a patient’s health information is shared between the medical practitioners of Clinique Dermatologie.
Collected personal information will include patient’s
A patient’s personal information may be held at the practice in various forms
The practice’s procedures for collecting personal information is set out below:
The practice holds all personal information securely, whether in electronic format, in protected information systems or in hard copy in a secured environment.
Personal information collected by Clinique Dermatologie may be used or disclosed in the following instances:
The practice will not disclose personal information to any third party other than in the course of providing medical services, without full disclosure to the patient or the recipient, the reason for the information transfer and full consent from the patient.
The Practice will not disclose personal information to anyone outside Australia without need and without patient consent.
The Practice will not use any personal information in relation to direct marketing to a patient without that patient’s express consent.
The practice evaluates all unsolicited information it receives to decide if it should be kept, acted upon or destroyed.
Clinique Dermatologie will employ all reasonable endeavours to ensure that a patient’s personal information is not disclosed without their prior consent.
6. DATA QUALITY
Patient information collected and retained in our records for the purpose of providing quality health care will be complete, accurate, and up to date at the time of collection. Doctors are reminded to review past medical history at least every 3 years.
7. DATA SECURITY
All due care will be taken to ensure the protection of patient privacy during the transfer, storage and use of personal health information.
Retention of medical records is for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last entry into the patient record unless the patient is a child in which case the record must be kept until the patient attains the age of 25 years of age.
8. ACCESS TO PATIENT INFORMATION AND CORRECTION
The following will apply with regard to accessing personal and private medical information by an individual:
prevent or restrict further copying or publication without the Doctors permission;
9. PARENTS/GUARDIANS AND CHILDREN
To protect the rights of a child’s privacy, access to a child’s medical information may at times be restricted for parents and guardians. Release of information may be referred back to the treating Doctor where there professional judgement and the law will be applied.
10. COMPLAINTS
The management of Clinique Dermatologie understands the importance of confidentiality and discretion with the way we manage and maintain the personal information of our patients. The Practice takes complaints and concerns about the privacy of patient’s personal information seriously. Patients should express any privacy concerns in writing. The Practice will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with its complaint resolution process.
All employees of Clinique Dermatologie are required to observe the obligations of confidentiality in the course of their employment and are required to sign Confidentiality Agreements.
In the instance where you are dissatisfied with the level of service provided within the clinic we encourage you to discuss any concerns relating to the privacy of your information with the Practice Manager or your Doctor.
August 2018
Approved
Burhan Ahmed, MD
Clinique Dermatologie