SAR Aviation Medicine Privacy Policy
SAR Aviation Medicine takes your privacy seriously. Privacy protection and confidentiality of health information is essential for quality health care and we are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the information we handle about you.
This policy explains:
- how we collect, store, use and disclose your personal information;
- how you may access your personal information;
- how we protect the quality and security of your personal information;
- how you may seek correction of any personal information we hold; and
- how you may make a complaint about our handling of your personal information.
In addition to our professional and ethical obligations, at a minimum, we handle your personal information in accordance with federal and state privacy law. This includes complying with the federal Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) forming part of the Privacy Act 1998 (Cth) and the Victorian Health Privacy Principles (HPPs) forming part of the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic). In addition, we have disclosure obligations under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Cth) and Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (Cth).
More information about the APPs and HPPs can be found on the Australian Information Commissioner’s website www.oaic.gov.au.
Collection of information
The Practice collects and holds personal information about you so that we may properly facilitate your application to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for an Aviation Medical Certificate (AMC).
The type of personal information we collect may include:
- personal details (eg: name, address, date of birth, etc);
- your medical history;
- notes made during the course of a medical consultation;
- referral to other health services providers;
- results and reports received from other health service providers; and
- credit card or direct debit information for billing purposes.
Wherever practicable we will collect this information from you personally – either during a consultation, over the phone, via written correspondence or via internet if you transact with us online.
In some instances, we may need to collect information about you from other sources such as referring doctors, treating specialists, pathology, radiology, hospitals, other health care providers or government agencies (eg Department of Human Services, Australian Federal Police).
Use and disclosure
Your personal information will be used or disclosed for purposes directly related to assisting you in making an application for an AMC, or in ways you would reasonably expect us to use it in order to provide you with this service.
This includes use or disclosure:
- to our team directly involved in your application for an AMC, including treating doctors, pathology services, radiology services, other specialists and allied health providers outside our practice. For example, this may occur through referral to other health care providers when requesting medical tests or in the report or result returned to us following the referrals;
- to the Practice’s administrative staff for billing and other administrative tasks necessary to run our practice;
- where required by law, for example, pursuant to a subpoena;
- to insurers or lawyers for the defence of a medical claim;
- to assist with training and education of other health care professionals and students; and/or for marketing of our services to you.
- to CASA, if, in our opinion, you advise us of a medical condition that is safety relevant
Our practice does not disclose your personal information to overseas recipients, nor do we store credit card or payment details.
Information Quality
We aim to ensure the information we hold about you is accurate, complete, up to date and relevant. To this end our staff may ask you to confirm that your personal details are correct when you attend a consultation. It is your obligation to let us know if any of the information we hold about you is incorrect or not up to date.
Storage
Our Practice takes all reasonable steps to protect the security of the personal information we hold, by:
- securing our premises; and
- using passwords on all electronic systems and databases and varying access levels to protect electronic information from unauthorised interference, access, modification or disclosure.
Please note that all hard copy records are promptly digitised, with the original copy destroyed.
Access to your personal information
Under law you have a right to access personal information we hold about you. We ask that you put your request in writing. A fee for the retrieval and copying of your medical record will apply, charged in accordance with the schedule of fees specified in the Health Records Regulations 2008 (Vic), plus GST.
Amendment of your personal information
If you consider the information we hold about you is not correct, please contact us in writing. You have the right to have any incorrect information corrected.
What happens if you choose to withhold your personal information?
You are not obliged to give us your personal information. However, if you choose not to provide us with the personal details requested, we will terminate our relationship with you and CASA of the same. We encourage you to discuss your concerns us.
What about use of personal information for direct marketing?
Australian privacy law limits the use of personal information for direct marketing of goods and services. However, we will contact you as your AMC approaches expiry to facilitate your renewal in a timely manner.
What should I do if I have a privacy complaint?
If you have a complaint regarding the way your personal information has been handled by us, please put it in writing and address it to the Practice Manager, PO Box 213, Carlton South, Victoria, 3053. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 14 days, and endeavour to provide a full response within 30 days of receipt.
Should you be dissatisfied with our response, you may lodge your written complaint with the Victorian Privacy Commissioner at https://www.privacy.vic.gov.au and/or the Victorian Health Services
Commissioner at http://www.health.vic.gov.au.
If you have a query regarding our Practice’s privacy policy, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss the matter with you.