Privacy Policy

Introduction

Reliance Care Medical Centre is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988, the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012, and applicable health privacy legislation in Victoria.

This Privacy Policy outlines how personal information is collected, used, disclosed, and safeguarded in the provision of medical and allied health services.

Collection of Personal Information

Information Collected

Personal information is collected as necessary for the provision of medical services, including:

• Personal details (name, date of birth, address, contact information)
• Medicare number and healthcare identifiers
• Medical history and current health conditions
• Consultation notes and treatment records
• Test results and diagnostic information
• Billing and payment information

Methods of Collection

Information is collected through:

• Direct consultation with healthcare providers
• Registration and intake forms
• Medical records from other healthcare providers
• Diagnostic tests and pathology results
• Communication with patients and their representatives

Web Forms and Online Collection

When you submit a form on our website, we collect the information you provide for the purpose stated on the form.

Online Forms

Online forms on our website include:

• Appointment requests
• New patient registration
• Referral forms
• NDIS consultation requests
• Records transfer requests
• Prescription requests
• Feedback forms
• General enquiries

By submitting a form, you consent to Reliance Medical collecting and using your information as described in this policy.

Spam Prevention

Our forms use Google reCAPTCHA for spam prevention, which may collect technical data such as your IP address and browser information. This data is handled in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy.

Confirmation Emails

After submitting a form, you may receive a confirmation email. These emails confirm receipt of your submission only and do not contain health information.

Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

Primary Uses

Personal information is used for:

• Providing medical care and treatment
• Coordinating care with other healthcare providers
• Billing Medicare and private health insurers
• Quality improvement and clinical audits
• Meeting legal and regulatory obligations

Disclosure to Third Parties

Personal information may be disclosed to:

• Other healthcare providers involved in your care
• Pathology and diagnostic imaging services
• Medicare and private health insurers for billing
• AHPRA and regulatory bodies when required
• Legal authorities as required by law

Confidentiality and Data Security

We maintain strict confidentiality and security measures including:

• Secure storage of physical and electronic records
• Access controls limiting information to authorized staff
• Encrypted digital systems for storing and transmitting data
• Regular staff training on privacy obligations
• Secure destruction of records when no longer required

Data Storage Infrastructure

Your information is stored securely on cloud infrastructure located in Sydney, Australia (ap-southeast-2 region). All data is encrypted in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest. Your information is not transferred or stored outside Australia.

Data Retention

We retain your personal and health information in accordance with applicable health records legislation. Under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), health records must be retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last contact, or until the patient reaches age 25, whichever is longer.

Files uploaded via our online forms (such as referral letters) are stored for 90 days and then automatically deleted from our file storage systems. Database records are retained in accordance with health records requirements.

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate our website and manage your information securely:

These providers are required to handle your information securely and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.

Your Rights

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request a copy of your medical records
• Lodge a complaint about privacy concerns
• Request information about how your data is used

Please contact our reception team to exercise these rights.