1. Introduction
Dr Sameer Jatkar and Melbourne Fertility Specialists (ABN 13 698 950 402) respect the privacy of our patients and understand the importance of information security and protection. We collect personal information about you that is necessary to provide our services. This privacy policy explains how we collect, store, use, disclose, secure and manage patient personal information. The Privacy Policy is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary on this website. Unless we have your consent to treat your personal information differently, we will treat your information consistent with this policy.
2. When do we collect personal information?
The most common situations in which we collect personal information from you are when:
- you book an appointment;
- we order tests including pathology, imaging or genetic testing services; or
- we provide you with medical advice or treatment.
3. What personal information do we collect?
This relates to any information that is identifiable with you. Mostly, this is information you provide to us including, but not limited to:
- name and date of birth;
- contact details (e.g. address and telephone numbers);
- medical/health information and family medical history;
- Medicare and private health fund details;
- billing and account information for payment.
There may be some instances that we will obtain information from other sources such as:
- your referring GP or specialist;
- other health care providers including allied health care (e.g. physiotherapist, occupational therapist);
- pathology, diagnostic imaging providers or genetic services providers;
- hospitals/day surgeries;
- health care funds.
4. What do we use personal information for and how is it handled?
Your personal information is used for the purpose for which you provided it to us, namely, in the provision of medical advice and care. Deidentified information may be used in medical research with patient consent and for review and improvement of our services.
Examples of use of your data include:
- when you request an appointment, we may use your details to contact you to organise the appointment and send you reminders about the appointment;
- when we provide you with medical advice or treatment, we will use your personal information to provide that advice or treatment;
- after we provide services to you, we may use your personal information to arrange payment.
Your personal information does not leave Australia and is stored securely. Where appropriate encryption is used to protect your information from unauthorised access. Your medical records are stored for the duration we are legally required to do so and the duration is dependent on the type of medical information. We will take all practicable steps to ensure that your personal information is protected against unauthorised access, processing, erasure, loss or use.
5. When will personal information be disclosed?
The third parties to whom your personal information will be disclosed will depend on the purposes for which that personal information was collected.
Generally, we may disclose your personal information to third parties as necessary for:
- the purpose for which you provided it to us;
- purposes which are directly related to the purpose for which you provided it to us; and
- any other purposes to which you have consented.
For example, when we provide you with medical advice or treatment, we may disclose your personal information to:
- your GP or to other medical practitioners who are involved in your care;
- Medicare or your health insurer;
- National and State disease registries, e.g. cervical cytology registries, mandatorily reportable diseases such as certain transmissible infectious diseases.
In exceptional circumstances, we may be required or permitted by law to disclose personal information, for example to law enforcement authorities or to prevent a serious threat to public safety.
6. Complaints
If you have any concerns or complaints about our personal information handling practices, please contact [email protected] and we will do our best to resolve your complaint. If you are not happy with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Contact details can be found at www.oaic.gov.au.