What information do we collect about you?
Information we may collect about you includes:
- Personal information such as your name, address, date of birth, contact details and Medicare number
- Contact details of your GP and key support people
- Information that is relevant to your healthcare, such as your medical history, your preferences as a patient and information provided by others.
How do we keep information about you protected?
We keep information about you safe behind a secure firewall and many systems use multi-factor login, so a password alone is not enough to access it.
We track who accesses your records to help make sure only authorised staff see them.
Any external IT providers must follow our strict privacy and data protection rules.
Why do we collect information about you?
We collect information about you so we can give you high quality healthcare, and to perform our functions as a health service.
If we do not collect relevant information about you, it may affect the healthcare quality we provide to you.
How do we use information about you?
Our staff may access and use information about you to the extent it is necessary to do their job. This may include clinicians involved in your healthcare, and administrative staff involved in running our health service.
We may also use your information:
- For research approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee in accordance with national standards
- For internal teaching, planning, accreditation and evaluation, quality improvement, complaint resolution, funding and reporting requirements.
Who do we disclose information about you to?
My Health Record
My Health Record is an Australian Government digital platform where you can view your patient information.
If you have a My Health Record, we will automatically upload information such as hospital discharge summaries and test results.
If you have a My Health Record and do not want information automatically uploaded, please advise your treating team as soon as possible.
We will not upload any information if you have opted out of My Health Record.
CareSync Exchange
CareSync is a Victorian Government digital sharing system of patient information. We are required by Victorian legislation to provide information about our patients to the Department of Health.
The information will then be shared at other points of care across the Victorian public health system.
This means if you go to another Victorian public health service, CareSync enables them to see details of the personal and health information that we hold about you. The aim of the legislation is to allow Victorian public health services to provide you with better-informed and more timely care. The legislation provides no ability to opt out.
Other disclosures
We may also disclose information about you if we are required or permitted by law, including:
- To individuals with your consent
- To your near relatives or authorised support people
- To external service providers such as your GP, if necessary for your further treatment
- To government bodies for quality and safety purposes
- To lessen or prevent a serious threat to an individual or the public
- To comply with a statutory reporting obligation, such as child protection
- To comply with a Court or Tribunal order, such as a subpoena.
Which laws govern how we handle information about you?
We are subject to various Victorian and Commonwealth laws about handling personal and health information, including:
- The Health Services Act 1988 (Vic)
- The Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic)
- The Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
- The My Health Records Act 2012 (Cth).
Who might contact you after you leave?
After you have left our health service, we may contact you:
- To ask you to complete a survey telling us about your experience. This may be via email, phone or SMS. Your feedback will play a key part in helping us to improve services.
- If you have any concerns regarding requests for feedback, please contact us:
Koo Wee Rup: Quality Department: (03) 5997 9679.
- To ask you to participate in a research project. For further information or to opt out, please contact research@basscoasthealth.org.au
More information
Freedom of Information (FOI)
You can apply for access to information we hold about you under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic). Fees may apply. If there is information in your record you believe is incorrect, you can ask us to correct it. Contact (03) 9076 5149 or lss@alfred.org.au
Further information: Freedom of Information Statement II Publication of Information
My Health Record:
www.myhealthrecord.gov.au
CareSync Exchange
You can request information about who has accessed your record in CareSync Exchange.
Contact: BCH.ROI@basscoasthealth.org.au
www.health.vic.gov.au/caresync-exchange
Research
Contact: research@basscoasthealth.org.au
Interpreter or AUSLAN
Contact TIS: National 131 450 or www.tisnational.gov.au
If you have concerns over the privacy of your personal information, we encourage you to contact us or any of the external organisations listed on our Feedback.