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This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and disclose your personal information (which includes health information), how you may access that information and how you may seek the correction of any information.
It also explains how you may make a complaint about a breach of privacy legislation.
1. We are committed to protecting your privacy and we are also committed to improving our services. We adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles (APP) and only use Client Information that We collect about You to maximise the Services We provide to you. We also aim to improve the quality of the Services We provide more generally through research and analysis of our Client data.
1.1 We do not and will not sell or deal in Client Information.
1.2 We may however use, in a general sense and without reference to your name, your Client Information to:
1.2.1 create statistics connected to how Client's use our service;
1.2.2 improve our Website;
1.2.3 identify Client progress, demands or outcomes for audit or education or or service improvement or or resource development or health research purposes; or
1.2.4 assist in meeting Client and potential clients needs or service improvements generally.
De-identified data may be used for education, research purposes, service improvement including the development of programs and resources, or for the collection of health statistics. When this information is collated, it will be will be presented in such a way that you cannot be identified unless we have your express consent to include identifying information. We will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing. We may provide de-identified data to other organizations to inform decisions on how to improve health outcomes. The information is secure and Clients cannot be identified.
2. Consent for the collection of your Personal Information.
Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. examples of Personal Information we collect may include: names, addresses, email addresses, phone number). Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. To manage your health we may collect information about your medical history, medications, social history, exercise history, emergency contact and next of kin.
You do have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impractical for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.
Both clinical and administrative staff will only collect and access your personal information that is relevant to their role in your healthcare.
All staff members sign a comprehensive confidentiality agreement and internal privacy procedures agreement.
This Personal Information is obtained in many ways including [interviews, correspondence, by telephone, by email, or via secure online means, from your website, from media and publications, from social media, from other publicly available sources, from cookies, and from third parties. We don’t guarantee website links or policy of authorised third parties.
Cookies are frequently used and in themselves do not identify the user, just the computer used. You can choose if and how a cookie will be accepted by configuring your preferences and options in your browser. If you decide not to display cookies you may not experience optimum performance of our Site.
While our Site may contains links to other websites with the exception of our related entities, those websites are not subject to our privacy standards, policies and procedures. We recommend that you make your own enquires as to the Privacy Policies of these third parties and we are in no way responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.
We collect your Personal Information for the primary purpose of providing our services to you, providing information to our clients and marketing. We may also use your Personal Information for secondary purposes closely related to the primary purpose, in circumstances where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure. You may unsubscribe from our mailing/marketing lists at any time by contacting us in writing.
When we collect Personal Information we will, where appropriate and where possible, explain to you why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it.
3. Sensitive Information
Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information.
Sensitive information will be used by us only:
• For the primary purpose for which it was obtained
• For a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose
• With your consent; or where required or authorised by law.
4. Third Parties
Wherever practicable we will only collect information from you personally. However we may also need to collect information from other sources such as treating specialists, radiologists, pathologists, hospitals and other healthcare providers. In emergency situations we may also need to collect information from your relatives or friends.
5. Use and disclosure of Personal Information
We will treat your personal information as strictly private and confidential. We will only use or disclose it for purposes directly related to your care and treatment, or in ways that you would reasonably expect that we may use it for your ongoing care and treatment for example
∙ 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 the Australian Privacy Principles and with this policy
∙ With other healthcare providers
∙ When it is required by or authorised by law eg court subpoenas
∙ 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 if it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent ∙ To assist in locating a missing person
∙ To establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
∙ For the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
∙ When there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information for example some diseases require mandatory notification
∙ During the course of providing medical services through My Health Record Shared Health Summaries and Event Summaries
∙ De-identified data may be used for education, service improvement and research purposes, or for the collection of health statistics or development of resources
Only people who need access to your information will do so. Other than in the course of providing health services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal health information with any third party without your consent.
With your consent, we will use your personal information to send you appointment reminders, exercise or program updates or newsletters. You can opt out of these services at any time by notifying our practice in writing.
6. Security of Personal Information
Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorized access, modification or disclosure.
When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.
Use of telehealth and other online methods of communication: only platforms with sufficient security and encryption will be used.
Emailing of personal information is not a secure method of communication. Should you however request information to be emailed to you, once we have explained the risks associated with transmitting personal information in this way and have obtained and your verbal consent, we will password protect all documents, notify you of the password verbally and email it to a verified email address. This process is a secure method and has a low privacy and security risk as per the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners: Using Email in General Practice – Guiding Principles. We will not email your personal information without consent and password protection unless in the case of a medical emergency. We will accept personal information via email from other healthcare providers and organisations involved in the management of your health. Only appropriate matters should be raised should you wish to communicate with us via email. For example appointment scheduling and modifications to referrals or certificates. Medical symptoms or proposed treatments should not be discussed via email.
7. Access to your Personal Information
You may access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal Information, please contact us in writing. If we do not agree to provide you access or to correct the information as requested, we will give you written reasons why.
In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.
To assist us to keep our records up-to-date, please notify us of any changes to your personal information.
8. Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information
It is important to us that your Personal Information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.
9. Complaints
If you believe there has been a breach of the APPs or an APP Code, please contact Hydro Functional Fitness. We takes privacy complaints very seriously. If you make a complaint, We will respond within 5 business days to let you know who is responsible for managing your complaint. We will investigate your complaint and where necessary, consult with third parties about your complaint.
10. Policy Updates
This Policy may change from time to time and is available on our website.
Date: Sept 24 2021