Privacy Policy

Commitment to privacy

Privacy is very important to Gold Coast Endoscopy (GCE). We are required to comply with the Federal Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, and therefore our privacy policy applies to any personal information we collect, use or disclose, including the personal information of our employees and contractors.

We are committed to complying with all applicable privacy laws which govern how GCE collects, uses, discloses and stores your personal information.

This Privacy Statement sets out in brief how GCE will handle your personal information.

What kinds of personal information we collect

In respect of Patients, GCE will collect personal information for the purpose of providing you with health care and for directly related purposes. The information collected by GCE includes but is not limited to:

• Identity information
• Contact information
• Transaction data
• Next of Kin contact information
• Medical history
• Medication information
• Medical examinations and results
• Medicare / DVA / Pension and Health fund information

How and why we collect personal information

In respect of Patients, GCE will collect your personal information for the purpose of providing you with health care and for directly related purposes. For example, GCE may collect, use or disclose personal information for but not limited to any of the following reasons:

• Assessment for provision of health care services;
• To liaise with health professionals, care coordinator, Medicare, your health fund or other third party payer;
• In an emergency where your life is at risk and you cannot consent;
• To maintain medical records as required under our policies and by law; or
• For other purposes required or permitted by law.

GCE will usually collect your personal information directly from you, but sometimes may need to collect it from a third party. We will only do this if you have consented or where it is not reasonable or practical for us to collect this information directly from you (for example, in relation to a patient, your life is at risk and we need to provide emergency treatment).

We may outsource information and data storage services (including archiving of medical records) to third parties, including:

• Our employees, contractors and/or related entities;
• IT service providers, data storage, server providers and patient management systems, such as Magentus Practice Management Pty Ltd;
• Professional advisors, bankers, auditors, our insurers and insurance brokers;
• Courts, tribunals and regulatory authorities, in the event you fail to pay for goods or services we have provided to you;
• Courts, tribunals, regulatory authorities and law enforcement officers, as required or authorised by law, in connection with any actual or prospective legal proceedings, or in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights; and
• Any other third parties as required or permitted by law, such as where we receive a subpoena.

While we store personal information in Australia, where we disclose your personal information to third parties listed above, these third parties may store, transfer or access personal information outside of Australia.

Where we outsource our services we take reasonable steps in the circumstances to ensure that third parties, including organisations outside of Australia, have obligations under their contracts with GCE to comply with all laws relating to the privacy (including security) and confidentiality of your personal information.

How we use and disclose personal information

We will not use or disclose your personal information to any other persons or organisations for any other purpose unless:

• You have consented verbally or in writing;
• For patients/clients, the use or disclosure is for a purpose directly related to providing you with health care and you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose your personal information in this way;
• For other individuals, the use or disclosure is for a purpose related to providing you with services and you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose your personal information in this way;
• We have told you that we will disclose your personal information to other organisations or persons; or
• We are permitted or required to do so by law.

You have the right to access your personal information that we hold about you (for patients, this includes health information contained in your health record). You can also request amendment to personal information that we hold about you should you believe that it contains inaccurate information (in some cases this will require a medical appointment).

Security of your personal information

We endeavour to protect any personal information that we hold from misuse and/or loss, and to protect it from unauthorised access, modification and/or disclosure.

Contact us

If you want to gain access to your personal information, correct or update your personal details, register a complaint about a breach of your privacy, or you have any other query relating to our privacy policy, please contact us on 07 5690 1661 or info@endogc.com.au.