MY2020 privacy policy
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This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.
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Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient to our practice, you provide consent for our practice, staff and relevant parties to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible service. Only staff, product suppliers and relevant health providers who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.
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Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?
Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to provide you with eye care services and eyewear products. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (e.g. staff training).
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What personal information do we collect?
The information we will collect about you includes your:
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names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
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medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, family history and risk factors
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Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
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health fund details.
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Dealing with us anonymously
You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.
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How do we collect your personal information?
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
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When you make your first appointment or make your first purchase, we are required to collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
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During the delivery of eyecare services, we may collect further personal information. This can be through electronic transfer, facsimile, shared-health records from other health providers, or additional manual records by staffs.
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We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.
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In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:
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your guardian or responsible person
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other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
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your health fund, Medicare, Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
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When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?
We sometimes share your personal information:
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with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with Australian Privacy Principles and this policy
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with frame, lens and other related manufacturers and distributers for manufacturing, ordering and warranty processing purposes or customer specific items
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with other healthcare providers
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when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
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when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
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to assist in locating a missing person
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to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
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for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
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when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
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during the delivery of eyecare services to and from other health providers
Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
Your personal information may be shared with manufacturers or distributers located outside of Australia for product purchases, orders and warranty processes.
Our practice may use your personal information for marketing our services directly to you If you do not consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice.
Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in electronic records only. Paper records obtained will be transferred to electronic records and remains disposed of.
Our practice stores all personal information securely in the optomate touch system operating on our private server. The system is can only be accessed through registered staff logins.
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How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.
Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in by phone or email and our practice will respond within a reasonable time
Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to reception@my2020optom.com.au
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How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?
We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing to reception@my2020optom.com.au. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.
You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.
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Privacy and our website
We operate a website and an online booking system as well as social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, google business and WeChat. Information collected through those will be treated identically to information we obtain through other means.
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Policy review statement
This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. Changes to the policy will be updated on the website notice board.
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Last Updated: 13/06/2022
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