Introduction
Opened in 1990 by solo-practitioner Dr Isaac S Mordecai, South Head Medical has addressed the medical needs of over 26,000 patients.
The purpose of this document¹ is to outline how this practice collects your personal and health information and how it complies with its confidentiality and privacy obligations in protecting our patient’s medical information.
Health Information
Provision of your healthcare service is provided on the basis of a record created of your medical: history, examination, and treatment.
Personal information collected will generally include a patient’s:
- Basic details, such as name, date of birth, address, and Medicare number;
2. History of operations and illnesses;
3. Allergies;
4. Relevant family history;
5. Current medications or treatment.
Relevant information may also be garnered from a hospital you have attended, a pathology service provider, or from either a specialist or allied health professional involved in your care.
Quality of Recorded Information
In endeavouring to maintain a complete and up-to-date medical file, the patient’s medical record can be reviewed at each consultation, and will be updated, either within the context of this doctor/patient dynamic, or on information received in the course of the patient’s continuing care.
Security of Personal Information
South Head Medical creates a ‘Digital Medical File’ for each patient which is securely stored onsite in a location that is not connected to the internet.
All online tasks are performed on a separate workstation with any documents received online being stored securely using two-step authentication to prevent unauthorised access.
Our premises are secured and the contents of our computer hard drive is encrypted to protect sensitive data being accessed in the event of the physical theft of the computer.
Unless otherwise specified by the patient, the providing of an email address implies agreement to receive from the doctor unencrypted pathology and/or other medical reports online.
Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
Patient information may be either used or disclosed:
- For a purpose of which the patient is advised;
- As part of the delivery of health care, such as:
(a) Information contained in a letter of referral;
(b) Verbal communication between health professionals;
(c) Imminent threat to the patient’s safety or life;
(d) Threat to public health or safety;
- Under subpoena, or other legal instrument;
- Liaising with government offices regarding Medicare entitlements;
- Liaising with either the likes of legal providers or insurers, subsequent to the patient’s signed authority.
Electronic Mailing Lists
To be kept informed of informational or service content, patients may be included in our electronic mailing list. We do not under any circumstances, sell these lists, or share these lists with any other party, unless required by law. Only authorised employees of South Head Medical have access to view this information.
Should individuals not wish to continue receiving such communication from South Head Medical, our emails will contain instructions on how to do this. Alternatively you can unsubscribe at any time by sending an email stating your request to: ism@doctime.com.au. We will try to comply with your request as soon as reasonably practical.
Complaints
Any complaint should be addressed in writing to Dr Isaac S Mordecai, at South Head Medical.
Prompt dispute clarification and resolution is in the interests of the common good.
1 This Privacy Policy adheres to: The Privacy Act 1988; and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPS) as contained in the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012; as well as being in accordance with the guidelines for complying with privacy principles, issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Last updated 7 December 2022