Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice
PRIVACY STATEMENT
This privacy statement relates to the collection, use, storage and disclosure of personal information about you by ‘Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice’
INFORMATION HELD BY Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice
Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice (KMP) holds general and detailed medical information and personal details for each of its patients. The information may be held by either paper records in a personalized folder and/or by electronic computer record.
REASON FOR GATHERING & HOLDING SUCH RECORDS
KMP gathers, collates and stores the ‘information held’, for the purpose of
- creating a medical history for each patient
- formulating diagnoses to enable prevention, monitoring and management of patients health and illness
HOW WE GATHER THE INFORMATION FOR THE RECORDS
The information is gathered from you personally in your registration, consultation, from test results, or from other health care providers.
YOUR AUTHORITY TO US
By providing your information to us, or by allowing us to consult, perform tests or refer you to other specialists and consultants, you authorise us to collect, maintain, use and disclose your personal information in the manner set out in this privacy statement. All medical staff (Doctors and Nurses) at Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice have access to all patient information. This is deemed essential for the safety of all patients. Other KMP staff may have limited access to your information if required. Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff
OUR RIGHT TO DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
We may disclose your personal information if it is necessary to do so in the following circumstances –
- To other health care providers to whom you have been referred
- To other Doctors within the practice to facilitate after hours care
- If you request us to do so or if you consent, or
- Where the law requires or permits us to do so.
OUR DUTY OF CARE
Our duty of care takes priority over confidentiality, and your information may be released to another health care provider without your consent, if it is an emergency, or if we believe withholding the information could severely endanger your health.
YOUR RIGHTS
You need not give us any personal information however, without this information we may not be able to provide the appropriate level of care you need.
Requests
You may request access at any time to your personal information held by us. Requests must be made in writing and addressed to The Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice. Photocopies of the records may be provided to you at a cost, and their contents can be explained to you by the Doctor concerned in a consultation, which is not refundable by Medicare. Please note current cost is $30 to provide a full medical history.
Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice may withhold some of the information held in your files, where we believe disclosure of the information may be harmful to you, or where the information pertains to the Doctor not yourself.
AGE OF CONSENT
The legal age of consent is 16 years. You do not have the right of access to your child’s information, if they are 16 years of age or older, and you do not have their consent.
The Privacy Officer for Kapunda & Eudunda Medical Practice is Sandra Merkx, if you have any questions about privacy please discuss them with your Doctor, or ask to discuss them with the Privacy officer. If you have any complaints regarding privacy pertaining to KMP, you may bring these to the attention of the KMP Privacy Officer. If you wish to take the issue further, you can seek the opinion of the Federal Privacy Commissioner.