If you have any questions or enquiries please feel free to contact us on the following details provided below.
( If you need an appointment please call the clinic on 03 8390 2526/ if its emergency please visit to nearest Emergency Department or dial 000)
Address
Derrimut Village Shopping Centre
Shop 14, 20 Mt Derrimut Rd
Derrimut VIC 3026
Phone
(03) 8390 2526
Fax
(03) 8358 5345
reception@derrimutmedicals.com.au
(This website meets the advertising requirements of the MBA code of Conduct)
We always welcome comments and suggestions regarding the care you receive at this practice.
Please feel free to talk to the doctor or the receptionist. You may prefer to email us at feedback@derrimutmedicals.com.au or use our suggestion box. We will try our best to resolve any issues to obtain the best outcome. If the problem cannot be resolved in this manner, you may contact the Health Care Complaints Commission on (02) 9219 7444
Derrimut Medicals is a family-orientated practice.
We are committed to providing our patients with the best quality medical care in an environment that is warm, caring, safe, professional and respectful.
We are a fully accredited practice. We pride ourselves in achieving and maintaining the highest level of patient care.
For your convenience we have health information brochures available at reception area
Patients have the right to request the doctor of their choice when available. Doctors can advise patients of appropriate health choice in order for them to make an informed decision.
Home visits may be available for regular patients who live locally within 5Km radius and are too ill or frail to attend our practice. These visits are generally performed during lunchtime or after the clinic has closed in the evening. Please contact us on 03 8390 2526 if you require this service.
Derrimut Medicals primary reason for communicating electronically to patients is to issue appointment reminders and recalls and we verify the correct contact details of the patient at the time of the appointment being made. Patient consent needs to be obtained before engaging in electronic communication. Electronic communication includes Email, Facsimile and Short Message Services (SMS).
Patients must make an appointment at this practice, and GP’s try their best to run on time. The practice accepts walk-ins under circumstances but booking patients will be seen first. if its emergency please visit to nearest Emergency Department or dial 000
Patients who need to cancel or change an appointment with a GP need to notify reception 4 hours minimum before appointment time. For allied health service, it is essential to notify reception for any cancellation or changes to appointments 24 hours prior to appointment; otherwise there will be a no-show charge.
If you require long consultations, medical paperwork or another family member needs to be seen by a doctor please notify reception staff when making the appointment.
Patients test results will not be released over the telephone or through any other communication method. Patient will be contacted to arrange an appointment if results require urgent follow-up. Patients are requested to make a follow-up appointment with their GP to discuss their results after the Pathology or Radiology test done. Patients should see their GP for all prescription requests and referrals will not be written out for patients without seeing a GP.
This practice is committed to preventative care and has a system of registering patients for recall.
We also participate in the use of National/State reminder systems.
Our practice is committed to preventative care. You will receive reminder notices for health care services appropriate to your care. The reminder notifications are sent either by mail, telephone or SMS to patients confidentially. Please advise reception staff if you do not want to be part of the notification system.
Phone calls to doctors are taken during normal opening hours. The phone calls will be taken by reception, they will forward your concern or request to the doctor and they will return your call at their earliest convenience.
Please call after hours locum service ( DOCTOR DOCTOR) on 13 26 60, if you require a Home visiting GP to attend at your place, if its emergency please visit to nearest Emergency Department or dial 000
Informed Brochures Board is available for your convenience in the waiting room area
Referrals to a specialist may be made during the consultation. Standard referrals are valid for one year so please ensure you book an appointment before your referral runs out.
Prescriptions may be written during a consultation. If you need repeat prescriptions, we ask that you make an appointment to see one of our doctors, where the condition for which the prescriptions are written can be checked.
The practice Mixed Bill medical consultations for patients with valid Medicare card. Our receptionist can advise you of costs not covered by Medicare.
If you do not have a Medicare card, you will be advised by reception of your out of pocket costs.
Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of your personal health information at all times and ensure this information is only available to authorized members of staff.
Patients of our practice have the right to access their personal health information under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000.
This practice is dedicated to your confidentiality and privacy of health information. At times, the doctor participates in research, professional development and quality assurance. This can involve in the collection of patient data. However this information is de-identified and those involved in analysis of the data would not be able to identify which patient has been included.
If you require an interpreter please let us know when you book your appointment. We can book an interpreter via The Interpreter Services. This service is free of charge to patients who have a valid Medicare Card.
Privacy and Personal Information Management
This leaflet is designed to clearly explain how your personal information and health records are recorded, stored, and managed at our practice. We are committed to ensuring your privacy and confidentiality.
If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is handled, please feel free to ask your doctor. They will be happy to discuss it with you and provide further clarification.
Our clinic is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all patient information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and relevant state legislation. This policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information.
Your doctor needs information about your past and present health in order to provide you with high quality care. This practice will make sure that you are able to discuss your health with your doctor in private. Information is called “personal health information” if it concerns your health, medical history or past or future medical care and if someone reading it would be able to identify you.
Consent
When you register as a patient at our practice, you provide consent for our general practitioners (GPs) and practice staff to access and use your personal information to deliver the best possible healthcare. This consent covers medical consultations, treatment, and administrative tasks. We will seek your additional consent to use your information beyond these
Your Medical Records
Your doctor will do his/her best to make sure that your medical records:
· are accurate, comprehensive, well organised and legible
· are up to date
· have enough information for another doctor to care for you
· do not contain offensive or irrelevant comments about you
· contain a summary of your care
· can be used to remind you, with your permission, to return for follow up, check-ups and reviews.
Your doctor will only collect information which is relevant to your medical care. If you are uncertain as to why information is being requested, ask your doctor.
We collect personal information necessary to provide healthcare services. This may include:
· Name, address, and contact details
· Date of birth and gender
· Medicare or private health insurance details
· Medical history, including previous treatments
· Family medical history
· Lifestyle and other health-related information
Method of Collection:
· Directly from patients (in person, phone, email, or forms)
· From other healthcare providers or specialists with the patient's consent
· law enforcement agencies and other government entities.
· Through electronic health record systems
· Your employer or prospective employer
If you want access to health care and maintain your anonymity, ask your doctor.
Providing personal information is essential for us to deliver safe and effective healthcare services. If you choose not to provide the required information, the following may apply:
· Inaccurate or Incomplete Care: Your diagnosis and treatment may be less accurate or incomplete.
· Medicare and Insurance Claims: You may be unable to claim Medicare benefits or private health insurance rebates for our services.
· Referrals and Prescriptions: We may be unable to issue referrals, prescriptions, or other essential documentation.
· Service Limitations: We may not be able to provide the requested services effectively, or in some cases, at all.
Anonymity and Pseudonyms:
You have the right to interact with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless:
· It is impracticable for us to do so.
· We are legally required to verify your identity.
In most cases, it will be impracticable for us to provide healthcare services without identifying you, for the reasons outlined above. Identifying information is necessary to ensure the quality and continuity of your care and to comply with legal and medical obligations.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
We use personal information to:
· Provide medical treatment and advice
· Manage administrative processes (billing, Medicare claims, etc.)
· Communicate with patients, including appointment reminders
· Conduct quality improvement activities and audits
The doctor(s) in this practice respect your right to decide how your personal health information is used or disclosed (for example to other doctors) In all but exceptional circumstances, personal information that identifies you will be sent to other people only with your consent. Gaining your consent is the guiding principle.
In this practice, it is customary for all doctors to have access to all the medical records. If you have any concerns about other doctors at this practice, being able to see your records discuss your concerns with your doctor.
It is important that other people involved in your care, such as other doctors or health professionals, are informed of relevant parts of your medical history so they can best care for you. Your doctor will let you know before this occurs. If you have any concerns about this discuss them with your doctor.
Your doctor will not disclose your personal health information to a third party unless:
· you have consented to the disclosure
this disclosure is necessary because you are at risk of harm without treatment, and you are unable to give consent – for example you might be unconscious after an accident
· your doctor is legally obliged to disclose the information (eg. Notification of certain infectious diseases or suspected child abuse or a subpoena or court order)
· the information is necessary to obtain Medicare payments or other health insurance rebates
· there is an overriding public health and safety interest in the release of the information.
There are times when disclosure is necessary for the doctors in the practice to carry out a review of their practice for the purpose of improving the quality of care provided and the activity has been approved under Commonwealth or State legislation. This provides safeguards to protect the confidentiality of the information provided. In any of the above cases only information which is necessary to achieve the objective will be provided.
Email and communication and encryption
Our practice does not use encrypted email services to send sensitive documents. Sending sensitive information via unencrypted email carries the risk of unauthorised access. If you feel that the data to be sent is sensitive, please discuss this with your doctor to find the best way to handle your documents securely. Please get in touch with our reception team directly if you have any concerns or require assistance with secure document transfer.
SMS Communication
Our practice may use SMS messages to communicate with patients for appointment reminders, health alerts, and other important notifications. By providing us with your mobile phone number, you consent to receive SMS messages from our practice. While SMS messages are a convenient way to communicate, they are not encrypted and may be accessed by unauthorized individuals if your mobile phone is not secure.
Patient Responsibilities:
Storage of Personal Information
Your personal information is stored in various forms, including electronic records and visual materials such as X-rays, CT scans, videos, and photos. We prioritize electronic storage and aim to minimize the use of physical records. We store personal information we collect on on-site servers, with cloud-based backup servers located in Australia.
Electronic Storage:
· All electronic information is stored in secure, highly protected systems.
· Data is maintained on a secure server within a controlled environment.
· Access is restricted through regularly updated passwords and multi-layered security measures.
Physical Storage:
· Any physical records are stored in locked cabinets located in secure areas within the practice.
Confidentiality and Staff Compliance:
· All staff and contractors are bound by confidentiality agreements.
· Regular training ensures adherence to privacy protocols.
The practice uses document automation technologies to create documents such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information. These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software Best Practice.All users of the medical software have their own unique user credentials and password and can only access information that is relevant to their role in the practice team. The practice complies with the Australian privacy legislation and APPs to protect your information. All data, both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance.
You have access to the information contained in your medical record. You may ask your doctor about any aspect of your health care including information in your record. We believe that sharing information is important for good communication between you and your doctor and for good health care.
Information in your record can be provided to you by way of an accurate and up to date summary of your care, for instance if you are moving away and are transferring to a new doctor. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor if you want a summary of your care for any reason. If you request a summary or direct access to your full medical record, your doctor will need to consider the risk of any physical or mental harm to you or any other person which may result from disclosure of your health information and may need to remove any information that may impact on the privacy of other individuals.
If you have any concerns regarding the accuracy of the information held by the practice, you should discuss these with your doctor. Inaccurate information will be corrected or your concerns noted in the records. For legal reasons, the original notes will be retained.
Your doctor will be pleased to provide a full explanation of the health summary or medical record provided. Depending on what is involved, you may be asked to contribute to the cost of providing the information.
Access Requests:
In relation to medicals and consultations procured or requested by our overseas clients, we may disclose your personal information to these clients in their countries of operation. We do not otherwise disclose your personal information to overseas recipients. If we would like or are required to do so, we will obtain your consent. we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
We use patient health information to assist in improving the quality of care we give to all our patients by reviewing the treatments used in the practice.
We may also use information that does not identify you in research projects to improve health care in the community. You will normally be informed if your information is to be used for this purpose and will have the opportunity to refuse to have your unidentified information used in this way.
Wherever practicable, the information used for research will not be in a form that would enable you to be identified. The publication of research results which use your information will never be in a form that enables you to be identified.
In some circumstances, where the research serves an important public interest, identifiable medical records can be used for medical research without your consent under guidelines issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council. This research must be approved by an official ethics committee.
Direct Marketing
This practice does not engage in direct marketing. We respect your privacy and will not use your personal information for unsolicited marketing purposes. If you ever have questions or concerns about how your information is used, please don’t hesitate to ask.
At Derrimut Medicals, any personal information you share with us through website, email, and social media, is handled securely and confidentially. This practice uses analytics and cookies.
Feedback, Complaints and Concerns
Patients who believe their privacy has been breached can:
Lodging a Privacy-Related Complaint
We take privacy complaints and concerns seriously. If you have any concerns about the handling of your personal information, please follow these steps:
1. Submitting a Complaint:
· In Writing: Express your concerns in writing, providing as much detail as possible.
· Contact Information:
o Email: manager@derrimutmedicals.com.au
o Post: Derrimut Medicals, S14/20 Mt Derrimut Road, Derrimut, VIC 3026
2. Our Complaint Handling Process:
· Upon receiving your complaint, we will acknowledge it and investigate the matter promptly.
· We aim to resolve all privacy complaints fairly and in accordance with our internal resolution procedure.
· You will be notified of the outcome and any actions taken to address your concerns.
3. External Complaints:
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
· Website: www.oaic.gov.au
· Phone: 1300 363 992
· Office of the Health Services Commissioner (Victoria) 1800 136 066
Contact Information:
Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner 1300 363 992
We may update this privacy policy periodically. Any changes will be communicated through our website or in-clinic notices.
(Revised: November 2024)
