Privacy Policy
DHS respects your privacy and recognises its importance to you. We are committed to protecting your privacy through adherence to the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 and the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000.
In order to provide you with effective diagnostic medical imaging services, we do need to collect and securely store some personal and medical information about you.
Personal information such as your name, address, date of birth, contact details and gender will be required.
Medical information relating to your health and previous medical history will also be collected, such as;
• results from tests or procedures,
• your past clinical history (e.g. medication, special conditions),
• other health information provided by you or your referring doctor,
• administrative information such as your Medicare or private insurance details,
• information provided by third parties such as your referring doctor, insurance company or authorised representative.
If you provide incomplete or inaccurate information to us, or withhold information relating to your medical history, we may not be able to provide you with the services you request.
The personal information provided to us is kept secure. DHS ensure that staff have been trained in and follow our internal privacy policies and procedures.
We will do our best to make sure the information we collect and use is accurate, but please advise us if you know of any errors in your records or changes to your details.
Information no longer required will be destroyed.
Using your information
DHS may need to share information with other health care providers in order to ensure you receive the best quality care, such as providing a specialist medical report of your examination to your referring doctor.
We may also need your information for
• billing and collection of outstanding debts,
• notifying third parties such as insurance companies and legal counsel,
• ongoing research for continuing professional development (your identity is removed from such information prior to use).
Disclosing your information
DHS does not sell, distribute or disclose your personal information to other parties that are not involved in your medical care.
DHS may need to disclose information about you to outside organisations for medical, legal, ethical or procedural reasons, such as;
• contractors who assist us in business operations such as maintenance of our IT and hardware systems,
• contractors who provide pathology services that may be required as part of your examination,
• Medicare or your private health fund for the purpose of benefits payable,
• your representatives (e.g. authorised family members, your guardian or legal advisors),
• professional advisors (e.g. accountants, auditors or legal advisors),
• Government and regulatory authorities, as required or authorised by law.
Accessing your information
You are entitled to request access to information we hold about you. In some circumstances your request may be denied for legal reasons – for instance where access can pose a serious risk to a person’s life or health, as per the Privacy Act 1988.
DHS recommends that you review the results of any examination in consultation with your referring doctor, so that your results can be explained in the context of your health care and any subsequent care or follow up can be arranged.
The reproduction of films and reports (where available) may incur a charge. DHS will inform you of any charges related to reproduction upon request.
Complaints
If you have a complaint relating to our information handling practices or your personal privacy, you can lodge a written complaint with our Privacy Officer at the address below. The complaint will be investigated and you will be responded to within 14 days. If you are dissatisfied with the response, you can refer the matter to the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner on 1300 363 992.
Privacy Officer
Digital Health Services
Shop 457/197 Herring Road
North Ryde NSW 2113
The Privacy Act 1988 is available online at www.privacy.gov.au
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