Freedom Chinese Medicine ~Privacy Policy
Freedom Chinese Medicine is committed to providing quality services to you and this policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information.
What is Personal Information and why do we collect it?
We have adopted the Australian Policy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988. The APPs govern the way in which we can collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.
Personal information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples we collect include: names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers. The personal Information is obtained usually when a patient fills in their initial intake forms in the clinic or when booking appointments online.
We collect Personal Information for the primary purpose of providing services to you and our clients, sending out a newsletter and marketing. We may also for secondary purposes closely related to the primary service, in circumstances where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure, such as to your general practitioner or other health specialist.
You may unsubscribe from our mailing/marketing lists at any time directly from an email or by contacting us in writing. When we collect Personal Information we will, where appropriate and where possible, explain to you why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it.
Sensitive Information
Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political origin, membership of political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, criminal record or health information. Sensitive information will be used by us only:
- For the primary purpose for which it was obtained
- For secondary purposes that is directly related to the primary purpose
- With your consent; or where required or authorized by law.
Disclosure of Personal Information
Your personal information may be disclosed in a number of circumstances including the following:
- Third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure; and
- Where required or authorized by law.
Security of Personal Information
Your personal information is stored in a manner that protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorized access, modification or disclosure. When your personal information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it is obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years and for children until the age of 25 years.
How We Hold your Personal Information
Your Personal Information is initially collected with hard copy of the Contact details and the Client Health history form. Each time you visit the clinic, your treatment notes are updated on our software program called Cliniko. This software manages our scheduling, treatment records, invoices, payments and online bookings.
Red Guava Pty Ltd (ACN 147 311 566) is the company behind Cliniko. They indirectly collect Personal Information when someone uses Cliniko to record data about someone other than themselves. A typical scenario would be when our practitioner records information about you the client. This information can include names, genders, dates of birth, countries of birth, residential addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, a person’s emergency contacts, and patient treatment notes and records. This can include sensitive information such as health records. Only our practitioners have access to your treatment records.
If you do not want your treatment record held with Cliniko, you need to let us know and we will keep a handwritten hard copy with your file.
Access to your Personal Information
You may access the Personal information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal information, please contact us in writing: practicemanager@freedomchinesemedicine.com
Freedom Chinese Medicine will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal information. In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.
Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information
It is important to us that your Personal information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up to date. If you find that information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practical so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.
Privacy Policy Complaint and Enquiries
If you have any queries or complaints about our Privacy Policy please contact us at;
Freedom Chinese Medicine
216 Waterdale Road, Ivanhoe, Victoria, 3079
E: practicemanager@freedomchinesemedicine.com
Ph. 9486 5966
