ROBINA 7 DAY DOCTORS : Serving the Gold Coast community, offering:

1. General Practice 7 Days a week including check up and immunisations, note: please book.

2. Acupuncture Bulk Billing 7 Days a week for many conditions-see further information.

3. QML Pathology service 5 Days a week, 6:30am-11:30am Mon -Fri.

4. Allied health for booking ; Psychologist, hypnotherapist, Dietitian

5.  Position statement on responding to patient requests for tests not considered clinically appropriate.

GPs occasionally receive requests from patients to order specific medical imaging or pathology tests that may or may not be appropriate in the management of the patient. Test requests arise from a variety of sources. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners ( Naturopaths ) might advise patients that they can avoid paying for specific tests if they ask a GP to order them through Medicare.

The RACGP has guidelines on how tests and investigations should be managed appropriately:  https://www.racgp.org.au/download/Documents/Policies/Clinical/Patient-information-on-appropriate-diagnostic-testing.pdf

Blood testing can be ordered by Naturopaths through most pathology labs, a reference list can be seen here:  https://www.labtestsonline.org.au/

Here is a web site with recommendations on which tests are appropriate with the pros and cons discussed;  http://www.choosingwisely.org.au/recommendations?displayby=MedicalTest

6.  It should be pointed out that scripts will be provided at doctors discretion after thoroughly taking history, examination and appropriate investigation as deemed necessary and that no promise can be made  regarding patient requests for medication scripts.

• All pathology results are reviewed by appointment with our GP doctors.
• There is no personal information being collected on this web site
• no personal information is utilised
• there is no access to information collected at this site

In accordance with the privacy act, all information collected is “sensitve information”. We use this information to manage health care needs. We may disclose information to other health services in supporting your health care management eg pathology, etc.

Copies of our Privacy Policy are available at the front desk.

If you have any questions about how we handle your personal health information or need to arrange access to your records, please ask the Practice Manager or your Doctor as appropriate.

All phone calls will be documented and given to relevant doctors – they will return calls either between sessions where time allows or at the end of the consult day.

Emails are accessed at the beginning of each day and directed to the relevant doctor. They will respond either via email or phone.

All patients health information is stored in our secure computer system and only accessible by clinical and reception staff.

All requests for personal information will be forwarded to the pertinent doctor to be reviewed according to the practice checklist system, and either released to the patient or with a signed authority be transferred to clinic of patients choice.

If you have any concerns or suggestions please contact our Practice Manager, Janine Manton 55808070 or speak with your doctor. We value your feedback.

Alternatively if you prefer to contact the Queensland Government centre for handling complaints, the address is:

The Health Rights Commission

PO BOX 3089

Brisbane 4000

Please phone, book online through our web site or visit surgery to make appointments, requesting which doctor, day and time for appointment.

We  will to the best of our ability facilitate the request.

Consultations available;

* Brief – 5 minutes for results, scripts

* Standard –  10  minutes

* Long consult –  20 minutes, for medical reports, Workcover, procedures

Long consults available on request (Book over the phone or visit our surgery).

Results; please arrange follow up appointment after having tests done.  Those that dont arrange a time will be followed up by a phone call or sms.

Due to Privacy Laws, we Do not call patients to discuss any specific results.

Home visits at discretion of doctor.

Website Policy:

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Robina 7 Day Doctors and Acupuncture and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data , or in connection with, the use of this website.

Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under our control . We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Robina 7 Day Doctors and Acupuncture takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.

ROBINA 7 DAY DOCTORS Privacy Policy

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 your:

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 may collect your personal information in several different ways.

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), My Health Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary. You will need to specify if your practice participates in any of these eHealth services.

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 or communicate with us using social media.

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 Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

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 eTP, My Health Record (eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

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.

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 on our computer.

Our practice stores all personal information securely.

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 writing 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 lavermedical@hotmail.com

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. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure. You may write to: lavermedical@hotmail.com

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.

This pamphlet explains how personal information about you and your health is recorded and managed in our practice. We also have a written privacy policy describing how we manage personal information. You can receive a copy of our policy free of charge upon request or access it via our practice website.

The ‘personal information’ we collect includes your name, date of birth, address/es, contact details, Medicare number, healthcare identifiers and health fund details. Medical information may include medical history and any care you may need. GPs need information about your past and present health in order to provide you with high-quality care.

Our practice follows the guidelines of the RACGP’s Handbook for the management of health information in general practice, 3rd edition (the Handbook). The Handbook incorporates federal and state privacy legislation, and the Australian Privacy Principles, which requires that your personal information is kept private and secure.

This practice takes steps to ensure that your medical records:

• are accurate, complete, well-organised and legible

• are up-to-date

• contain enough information to allow another GP to care for you

• contain a summary of your care

• can be used to remind you, with your permission, to return for follow up, check-ups and reviews.

If you are uncertain why information is being requested, please ask your GP or the practice staff.

If you wish to remain anonymous while accessing healthcare services, please talk to the practice staff.

In this practice, it is normal for all GPs to have access to your medical records. If you have any concerns about this please discuss them with your GP or practice staff.

It is important that other people involved in your care, such as medical specialists and other healthcare professionals, are informed of the relevant parts of your medical history, so they can provide the best care for you. Your GP will let you know when this is necessary.

GPs respect your right to decide how your personal information is used or shared. For example, this may be sharing your health information with specialist doctors. Personal information that identifies you will only be sent to other people with your consent, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Gaining your consent is the guiding principle used by this practice in using and sharing your information.

Our practice will not share your personal health information with anyone else or another organisation unless:

• you have consented to this sharing, or

• they are legally obliged to disclose the information, in which case your GP will first discuss with you the information that she or he is legally obliged to disclose, or

• the information is necessary for you to obtain Medicare payments or other health insurance rebates, or

• there is an overriding public health and safety interest in the release of the information.

In the above cases, only information necessary to meet the requirements will be provided. Your health information will not ordinarily be sent overseas unless:

• you are informed and provide consent for this to occur, and

• the overseas country receiving the information has privacy laws that are very similar to the Australian Privacy Principles.

This practice may use patient health information to assist in improving the quality of care we give to all our patients, by reviewing the treatments used in the practice.

Your information held by the practice may be used in research projects to improve healthcare in the community; however, this information will not include data that can identify you.

The information used for research, including the publication of research results, will not be in a form that would allow you to be identified, unless the research serves an important public interest. In such cases, identifiable medical records can be used for medical research without your consent under guidelines issued by the Australian Government. Before providing such identified information, your GP will discuss with you the information that she or he is obliged to disclose.

Australian privacy legislation applies to all personal health information recorded in electronic and paper records. All records must be kept secure to protect against unauthorised access. This practice complies with these requirements to protect your information.

You may ask practice staff about any aspect of your healthcare, including information contained in your record. You can request access to your medical record and any other information the practice records about you.

If you request access to your medical record, your GP will need to consider if there may be a risk of physical or mental harm to you or any other person that may result from disclosure of your health information. Your GP may need to remove any information that will affect the privacy of other individuals.

Sharing information is important for good communication between you and practice staff. Your GP is able to provide a full explanation of the health summary or medical record you are provided access to.

Depending on what is involved, you may be asked to contribute to the cost of providing the information.

This practice does not engage in direct marketing.

If you have any concerns regarding the privacy of your personal health information or the accuracy of the information held by the practice, you should discuss these with practice staff. Inaccurate information can be corrected or your concerns noted in your record. For legal reasons, the original notes will be retained.

If you have questions or a complaint about the privacy of your personal information, please ask to speak to the privacy contact officer at the practice.

Further information on privacy legislation is available from:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

1300 363 992

www.oaic.gov.au

Information and Privacy Commission

Office of the Information Commissioner

Queensland – 07 3234 7373