Privacy Policy

Current as of 15^th April 2024

 

Zest Medical Consulting Suites is committed to ensuring your personal information is professionally managed in accordance with all Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This privacy policy is to provide information to patients, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within Zest Medical Consulting Suites, and the circumstances in which it is shared with third parties. 

 

What personal information is collected and why

When you register as a patient of Zest Medical Consulting Suites, your doctor and/or their support team will need to collect your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare services. It is also used for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits, accreditation and normal business processes.

The personal information collected and held generally includes:

  your name, address, date of birth, contact details
  information about your health condition, medical history, social and family history, risk factors, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations and treatment you may have already received
  Medicare number or DVA number for identification and claiming purposes
  private health fund details

Only practice staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. All practice staff have signed a Confidentiality Agreement as part of their Contract with Zest Medical Consulting Suites.

 

How your personal information is collected

Zest Medical Consulting Suites will collect your personal information:

Directly and in person, over the phone, by email, SMS, social media, through the Zest Medical website or by completing the online/hard copy forms.
When you make your first appointment, Zest practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.

If it is not possible to collect it from you directly, this information may also be collected from:

  Your guardian or responsible person
  Other involved healthcare providers such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
  Your Private Health Fund, Medicare or DVA

 

Who Zest Medical Consulting Suites shares your personal information with and when 

  Other healthcare providers
  Third parties who work with Zest Medical Consulting Suites for business purposes (such as IT providers and accreditation agencies)
  Statutory requirement to lawfully share certain personal information, such as mandatory notification of certain diseases
  Court subpoenas required or authorised by law
  When necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
  During the course of providing medical services through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), or My Health Record system.

Zest Medical Consulting Suites will not use your personal information for marketing any goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt-out of direct marketing at any time by notifying Zest Medical Consulting Suites in writing.

Only those people that need to access your personal information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, Zest Medical Consulting Suites will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

Zest Medical Consulting Suites will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

 

How your personal information is stored and protected

Your personal information may be stored at Zest Medical Consulting Suites as paper records, electronic records, audio recordings, x-rays, CT scans, videos and photos.

Zest Medical Consulting Suites stores all personal information securely, and has strict protocols and policies to ensure your personal information is protected from misuse, loss, interference or unauthorised access:

Electronic format is encrypted and password protected.

Hard copy records and information is stored in secure locked cabinets.

All staff and contractors must sign confidentiality agreements prior to commencing work with and for Zest Medical Consulting Suites.

 

How you can access and correct your personal information at Zest Medical Consulting Suites 

Zest Medical Consulting Suites will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. You will be asked at different times, to verify your information held by Zest Medical Consulting Suites is correct and up to date.

You have the right to access and correct personal information that Zest Medical Consulting Suites holds about you, in electronic or hard copy format.

If you wish to access or correct your personal information please put it in writing and contact the Practice Manager. Your request for access and/or correction will be processed within 30 days.

While you will not be charged an application or processing fee, you may be charged administration, photocopying or other fees to reasonably cover costs of fulfilling your request.

How you can lodge a privacy related complaint and how it will be handled at Zest Medical Consulting Suites

If you have any concerns about your privacy or wish to make a complaint about a privacy breach, contact the Zest Medical Consulting Suites Practice Manager (admin@zestmedical.com.au). You should provide Zest Medical Consulting Suites with sufficient details regarding your complaint together with any supporting information. Zest Medical Consulting Suites will take steps to investigate the issue and will notify you in writing of the outcome within 30 days from the receipt date of the original written complaint.

If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact Zest Medical Consulting Suites directly to discuss your further concerns, or lodge a complaint with the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au​ or by calling 1300 363 992.

 

Dealing with Zest Medical Consulting Suites anonymously

You have the right to deal with Zest Medical Consulting Suites anonymously or under a pseudonym, unless it is impracticable to do so or unless Zest Medical Consulting Suites is requested or authorized by law to only deal with identified individuals.