Privacy and Confidentiality
Privacy Policy
(Privacy Act 1988, Amendment Private Sector 2000, Health Records Act 2001 – Govern the collection and management of your personal and health information)
The policy at the Mogo Day Surgery respects patients rights to privacy protection. This policy will describe how we manage any personal information we hold on you.
All personal information is held by Mogo Day Surgery:
- Name
- Address – home and postal
- Telephone numbers – home, work and mobile
- Email address
- Health information
- Transaction details associated with the services provided by the Day Surgery
- Any additional information provided by you
- Any information provided by you through survey and satisfaction questionnaires
As and when necessary the Mogo Day Surgery will destroy or de-identify any personal information due to redundancy in accordance with the requirements of the Private Health Facilities Act 1999. Some information will be held for indefinite periods where there is benefit to the patient or for quality and research purposes for the Day Hospital. The Mogo Day Surgery recognises the sensitivity of the information it holds and has taken steps to ensure it’s protection.
Personal Information
The personal information you provide helps:
- To assist us in providing medical treatment and care
- To assist with any correspondence a patient has with the Day Surgery
- To assist with internal administrative requirements
- To process private health fund claims or claims on Government agencies
- To conduct quality reviews and clinical audits
- To provide information to medical practitioners, allied health professionals and health care facilities who provide necessary follow up treatments and ongoing care
- For benchmarking and clinical indicators reporting in a de-identified form
- To provide data in both an identified and de-identified form to state government agencies in compliance with numerous legislative requirements
- To provide data in a de-identified form to the private hospitals data bureau
- To maintain various licenses and accreditation requirements necessary to operate the Day Facility
- To manage hospital insurance requirements
Disclosure of Patient Information Registry
There are circumstances when personal information has to be disclosed without the patients consent such as:
- In emergency situations – Doctors may be required by law, to disclose information for public interest eg. Mandatory reporting of some communicable diseases
- To fulfil a medical indemnity insurance obligation
- Or to provide information to Medicare or private health funds if relevant for billing and medical rebate purposes
This registry is to be used for recording disclosures made to others – authorized by law without the consent of the patient.
Request for Access and Amendments to Personal Information
The patients may request to access or amend personal information we hold, by writing or telephoning the Mogo Day Surgery administration. Patients will be required to complete a form to help facilitate this request. There are specific circumstances where the request may be declined eg:
- The disclosure could result in a threat to life
- The privacy of others may be affected
- The request is frivolous or vindictive
- The request relates to anticipated or existing legal proceedings
Complaint Process
If patients feel that the Mogo Day Surgery has acted irresponsibly or has handled personal information in a way that breaches the privacy legislation, a complaints process is available. Complaints can be made either in writing or by telephoning the Mogo Day Surgery Practice Managers Lynne Damerell or Karen Boscheinen.
The Mogo Day Surgery reserves the right to change this policy from time to time. Although we intend to observe this policy at all times it is not legally binding on the Mogo Day Surgery in any way. At times it may be regarded as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy.
