Privacy Policy
Privacy is important to all of us.
Bounce Health Group, in line with our desire to provide you with the best of care, takes your privacy very seriously. We are committed to only collecting and disclosing medical information with patients consent, and resolving any privacy-related problems as quickly as possible.
Amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 require private sector organisations to protect the privacy of an individuals personal information.
Bounce will protect your privacy by:
- Only obtaining information about your health with your consent;
- Keeping your health information secure;
- Giving you access to the information we have concerning you;
- Not disclosing this information outside the organisation without your consent;
- Allowing you to withdraw your consent at any stage;
- Providing you with a simple complaints mechanism for complaints relating to privacy issues;
- Ensuring a process for working with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner to resolve any complaints that cannot be resolved directly with you;
- Providing written procedures and instructions for staff to ensure that privacy sensitive processes are adhered to;
- Ensuring Bounce health Groups external contractors comply with the Act; and
- Continuing to review and improve our privacy practices.
What information are we likely to need to look after you?
The information Bounce Health Group collects relates directly to the providing you the best possible care and will include
- Name
- Address
- Contact details including phone, mobile and email
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Referral source
- Medicare, private health insurance, Workcover, TAC, DVA, CommCare or InjuryNet information as appropriate
During the course of any treatment or health relate program, Bounce will collect a range clinical information. This may be collected directly from you and/or provided by third parties including your referring doctor, clinician, or other authorised representatives.
This may include
- Clinical history and examination
- Results of any tests or procedures;
- Information about your past clinical history (eg: medication taken, previous test results, etc);
- Family History
- Work and social history
- Other health information provided by your referring doctor, or clinician
What we do with your information?
The primary use of your information is for your care. This will obviously include a broad range of uses and will include
- Making an assessment of your condition and development of an effective management plan
- Writing letters to your referring doctor or clinician to outlining how you have progressed
- Referring you to medical specialists or allied health clinicians to provide you with expert care
- Providing clinical information to groups performing tests or investigations for you
- Providing a specialist medical report condition to your referring doctor
Other use of your information
- Sending you reminders of appointments
- Sending you information regarding improvement in your health
- Billing and collection of any outstanding debts;
- Notifying relevant organisations such as insurance companies and legal advisers of an incident/accident when a claim of medical malpractice has been alleged
- Medical education where your case may be discussed for the eduction of clinicians. In this case all information that may identify you would be removed prior to use
Disclosure of your information
Bounce will not disclose your information to any organisation not directly involved in your care, and at all times will gain your consent prior to any disclosure. Importantly, clinical and demographic information is kept separately in our records system. This means only your clinicians have access to your clinical information. However, Bounce may sometimes under strict privacy guidelines, need to disclose your information to organisations or individuals external to Bounce for medical, ethical, legal and/or procedural reasons.
These may include:
- Forwarding to consultant medical specialists or organisations further advise on your medical condition;
- Staff or contractors necessary for normal business operation including things such as
- Organisations who review or perform tests or procedures, such as
- Pathology tests or imaging
- Your representative(s)
- For example your guardian or authorised representatives such as family members or legal advisors
- Medicare or your private health fund for the purpose of benefits payable
- Our professional advisors (such as accountants, auditors and legal advisers)
- Government and regulatory authorities and other organisations, as required or authorised by law
- A new business operator in the event that the assets and operations of Bounce Health Group are transferred to another party as a going concern; and/or
- Our related companies
Accuracy of your information
Bounce at all times tries to ensure your information is accurate and up to date. To assist us in maintaining the accuracy of your information we ask;
- You tell us if you note any errors in the our information
- Keep us up to date with any change in your information
Access to your information
The best way to obtain your results is in consultation with your clinician so they can be explained and clarified in relation to your health issue or needs. However, you may request access to information we hold about you. In some cases, charges may apply for the reproduction of results or films (if available). We will inform you of any costs before they are incurred. In some circumstances your request may be denied for specific legal reasons as set out in the Privacy Act, including if the request is vexatious or a criminal investigation is under way.
If your request is denied, a reason will be given to you. In order to maintain the security of your information, two (2) forms of identification are required before copies of information will be supplied (such as drivers licence, or evidence of home address such as from a power bill).
Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information or privacy has been treated. Please send your complaint to the Bounce Health Group Privacy Officer at PO Box 525 Blackburn, 3130, or contact them directly on 1300 855 442. The complaint will be investigated and a response will be sent to you as quickly as possible. We will endeavour to respond to you within 14 days. If you are dissatisfied with the response, you can refer the matter to the Privacy Commissioner.