Making an Appointment.

Our Practice consults by appointment and you can make an appointment by telephoning the Clinic. Our appointment schedules are kept one month in advance. We strive to keep on time and your waiting time to a minimum. You can usually expect to spend 10 to 15 minutes with the Doctor. If you have a number of matters to discuss and feel you will require a longer consultation or that you need a more urgent appointment, please discuss this with our receptionist. Urgent medical problems will be dealt with promptly by the on-call Doctor in the Clinic. Should you require an urgent appointment we require payment on the day. Although we try to allow for such emergencies sometimes the Doctors will run unavoidably late – at these times you will be notified by our Staff and schedules may need to be re-arranged to minimise everyone’s waiting time. Should you require a special appointment, such as for your child’s vaccination, minor surgery such as removal of a lump, an insurance report or commercial driver’s licence, please let our Receptionist know when you book so that appropriate arrangements can be made. We would appreciate at least one hour’s notice if you are running late for, or need to cancel an appointment as a cancellation fee of $30 may apply.

Test Results and Telephoning Your Doctor.

Test Results – For all test results please contact the clinic between 2pm and 5pm Monday to Friday to speak with a practice nurse.  Or you may like to make an appointment with your GP to discuss the results in detail.

Telephoning Your Doctor – The Doctors are happy to take brief calls regarding clarification or follow up of your treatment. If they are consulting they may need to call you back at the end of their consulting session, usually after 12.30pm or 5.30pm, if the matter is urgent, the doctor will be notified of the urgency.

Repeat Prescriptions and Referrals.

For good medical care our Practice policy is script request are to be given at an appointment with their GP. However, At your usual GP’s discretion they may accept a request via phone for a script to be written – If you have seen the doctor within the last month (current medication only). For normal prescriptions there is a $5.00 charge for each script, please allow 3 days. Authority prescriptions cannot be written without a consultation.

Enrolments in our Recall and Reminder Systems.

Our practice currently operates a recall system for bi-annual pap tests, childhood immunization, asthma and diabetes checks and health assessment for the over 75’s. we also operate a SMS reminder system for appointments. Should you not wish to be included in these recall systems, please advise the Doctor or our Clinic Nurse. If you have any other checks that you feel you would like us to remind you about please discuss this with your doctor.

Translators.

A translation service is available for patients from non-English speaking backgrounds or those with limited English speaking skills, as well as the hearing-impaired. Should you require a translator, please advise our reception staff at least 48 hours prior to your appointment.

Patient Confidentiality.

In line with the National Privacy Principles – “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”. All patient consultations and medical records are kept strictly confidential. Please be aware that our staff are unable to give test results to anyone other than the patient, or in the case of a minor, the parent, without the express permission of the patient. Staff are required to ascertain the identity of callers requesting patient information and may ask questions when you call . Even information regarding patient appointments is confidential to the patient and cannot be divulged to anyone other than the patient without written authorisation , and this limitation extends to friends, relatives and employers.

Feedback.

From time to time this Practice invites patients to complete questionnaires on their view of the Practice. These surveys are totally confidential and help us to improve our services. Regardless of whether you are happy or unhappy about a service given we are keen to know. Feel free to discuss this with the Doctor or our Practice Manager or put your comments in the “Suggestion Box” at Reception. We believe that problems are best dealt with within the Practice.
Should you wish to take the matter up externally contact:- Health Advice & Complaints Office Ph. 8226 8699

Privacy Policy.

Adelaide Road Clinic and Williamstown Medical Privacy Policy Current as of: April 2016

Introduction
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.

Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff 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.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?
Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

What personal information do we collect?
The information we will collect about you includes:
• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
• healthcare identifiers
• health fund details.

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. How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice will collect your personal information:
1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. Information can also be collected through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record system, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment.
4. 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:
• your guardian or responsible person
• other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
• your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (as necessary). Who do we share your personal information with?

We sometimes share your personal information:
• 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 APPs and this policy
• with other healthcare providers
• when it is required 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 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 (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
• during the course of providing medical services, through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record/PCEHR system (eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

Only people that 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.
We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
Our practice 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.
How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms.
• as paper records,
• as electronic records
• as visual (X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos)

Our practice stores all personal information securely.
Our practice has systems in place to protect the privacy, security, quality and integrity of the data held electronically. Doctors and staff are trained in computer use and our security policies and procedures and updated when changes occur.

All clinical staff have access to a computer to document clinical care. For medico legal reasons, and to provide evidence of items billed in the event of a Medicare audit, staff, especially nurses always log in under their own passwords to document care activities they have undertaken.

Our practice ensures that our practice computers and servers comply with the RACGP computer security checklist and that:
• computers are only accessible via individual password access to those in the practice team who have appropriate levels of authorisation.
• computers have screensavers or other automated privacy protection devices are enabled to prevent unauthorised access to computers.
• servers are backed up and checked at frequent intervals, consistent with a documented business continuity plan.
• back up information is stored in a secure off site environment.
• computers are protected by antivirus software that is installed and updated regularly
• computers connected to the internet are protected by appropriate hardware/software firewalls.
• we have a business continuity plan that has been developed, tested and documented.

Electronic data transmission of patient health information from our practice is in a secure format.
Corrections, Privacy Concerns and access,
The Practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. Patients are encouraged to make this request by completing our Request for Personal Health Information form (reception can provide the form on request) the Practice will respond in a timely manner.
From time to time, the Practice will ask patients to verify the personal information held by the Practice is correct and up to date. Patients may also request the Practice corrects or updates their information, and patients should make such requests in writing.
The Practice takes complaints and concerns about the privacy of patients’ personal information seriously. Patients should express any privacy concerns in writing.
Practice Manager – Adelaide Road Clinic
25 Adelaide Road, Gawler SA 5118
Or email: manager@adelaideroadclinic.com.au 

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 336 002.

Policy review statement
This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur.
We will advise our patient via our website adelaideroadclinic.com.au newsletter and reception desk.