Repromed respects your right to privacy. Therefore, we are committed to managing your health information in a respectful way by adhering to Commonwealth and State privacy laws, including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained within the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988.
The APPs set out the way in which organisations like Repromed can collect, use, disclose, store and provide access to personal information, which includes health information.
This Policy sets out the way we will handle your personal information, consistent with the requirements of the APPs and State privacy laws.
Collection
- We collect the personal information that you provide to us only if you have consented or if that information is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities, such as for the purposes of providing health services to you, contacting you regarding your health care, or addressing accounts to you. This information may include your health information and medical records, names, addresses, phone numbers and billing information.
- We will only collect information directly from you or your authorised representative, unless it is unreasonable or impracticable to do so.
- We may collect information about you from third parties only where this is permitted by the APPs, such as where the collection of your information is necessary to provide you with health services, or you have consented.
- We will only collect your information by lawful and fair means.
Repromed has strict policies with respect to who has access to your information.
Your Medical Records
- Health information about you is stored in physical and electronic files called Medical Records.
- These records are used by health professionals to guide them in making decisions about treatment/s offered to you.
- Your past medical history is vital to this decision making process and health providers may need to disclose your medical information to other health providers to ensure continuity of your health care. We will only do so in accordance with the APPs.
Repromed has strict policies with respect to who has access to your information.
Use and Disclosure of Your Personal Information
- We will only use or disclose your health information for the purpose you have provided it for (such as providing you with health care), or for other directly related purposes for which you would reasonably expect Repromed to use or disclose the information. This may include sharing your health information with our IVF doctors and service providers such as pathology and ultrasound.
- We will not use or disclose your health information for any other purpose unless you have consented, or one of the exceptions under the APPs applies. In accordance with these exceptions, we may use or disclose your health information in the following circumstances:
- In an attempt to improve patient care and safety your medical record may be inspected for clinical audit by external bodies such as the Reproductive Technologies Accreditation Committee (RTAC) and the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
- De-identified information is shared with national bodies such as the Health Insurance Commission (HIC), the National Perinatal Statistics Unit (NPSU) and RTAC.
- Health funds also receive information relating to treatment/s you received.
- Repromed may be required by law or a court/tribunal order to release your information.
These bodies have strict policies relating to access and use of your health information that protect your rights.
- When you provide Repromed with personal information that is not health information (or other sensitive information), such as names, addresses, phone numbers and billing information, we will use or disclose this information for the purpose you provided it, or for related purposes where you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose the information. This may include use or disclosure of your information for the purposes of sending accounts to you, telephone enquiries, mailing newsletters, technology updates, customer satisfaction surveys and research studies. We will not use or disclose such information for any other purpose unless you have consented, or one of the exceptions under the APPs applies.
- You may request not to receive any marketing or promotional information from Repromed at any time by contacting us using the details at the end of this document.
Disclosure of Information Overseas
- It may be necessary to disclose your information to overseas recipients for the purposes of providing you with health care. If your personal information is transferred overseas, where practicable, we will inform you about where your information is sent, and at all times Repromed will ensure compliance with the APPs in relation to any overseas transfer of your information.
Where Personal Information is Not Provided
- Repromed respects your right to privacy, however, if you choose not to provide us with information relevant to your health care, we may not be able to provide you with health services, or the services we provide to you may not be appropriate to your requirements. You may also suffer some harm or an adverse outcome if you do not provide such information.
Quality and Security of Your Personal Information
- Repromed takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect is accurate, up-to-date and complete. These steps include maintaining and updating your personal information when you advise us of any changes to your personal information.
- Repromed also takes all reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is protected against misuse, interference and loss, and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
- When not in use, your medical records are stored in the Medical Records Departments or off-site in secured long-term storage facilities.
- Medical records are maintained for a minimum of 7 years. When your personal information is no longer needed for any purpose, or required to be kept under law, we will take reasonable steps to destroy the information or ensure that the information is de-identified.
Access and Correction
- Repromed will correct any personal information that is incorrect, out-of-date or incomplete.
- You may request to access or correct your personal information by contacting our Privacy Officer using the contact details below.
- We will allow you to access or correct your information unless there is a sound reason under the Privacy Act or other relevant law not to do so, such as where giving access to the information would pose a serious threat to the life, health or safety or an individual or to public health or safety.
- Where we have corrected your personal information, we will also notify third parties that have previously been disclosed your information of the correction.
- When you request to access or correct your personal information, we will respond to your request within a reasonable time (usually within 30 days). If we refuse your request for access or correction, we will provide you with written reasons for the refusal, and how you may complain about the decision.
Website Privacy Policy
This Website Privacy Policy sets out the way in which we handle information collected through our website. When you use our website you may provide us with personal information.
Use of Personal Information Collected Through Our Website
We will only collect your personal information through our website (such as your email address or other contact details) if you submit an online enquiry or seminar registration to us directly. We will only use this information for the purposes for which you have provided it and in accordance with our Monash IVF Group Privacy Of Your Information Policy and relevant privacy laws.
Cookies
Cookies are small files that are stored on your computer, tablet or mobile phone by a website which record your visit and collect statistical information.
Repromed uses cookies via our website for internal use only. We use the information sourced from these cookies to help improve our website experience by creating more effective content and developing better user experiences.
PLEASE NOTE: This data is anonymous and cannot be tracked back to any one user.
Most web browsers accept cookies automatically but you may configure your browser to reject cookies. If you set your browser to reject cookies you may not be able to make full use of our website. If you wish to disable cookies, here are the instructions for the most popular web browsers:
Remarketing with Google Analytics
Repromed uses analytics data and the double click cookie to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to our website. You have the ability to opt out of the double click cookie by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page or by opting out of Google Analytics by visiting the Google Analytics opt-out page.
If you would like to know more about remarketing you can view Google’s Remarketing Privacy Guidelines, Policies and Restrictions pages.
Complaints
If you believe that there has been a breach of your privacy and would like to make a complaint, then you may contact our Privacy Officer using the contact details below, who will respond to you within a reasonable time (usually within 30 days). If you do not wish to make a complaint directly to Repromed, then you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. See: http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/making-a-privacy-complaint
Contact Details and Additional Information
If you require access to or correction of your medical records, wish to make a complaint, wish to be removed from mailing lists, wish to stop receiving marketing or promotional materials, or need clarification about how we handle your personal information or any other information contained in this document, please contact us by phone on:(08) 8333 8111, or email to: enquires@repromed.com.au or write to the Privacy Officer, Repromed, 180 Fullarton Road, Dulwich SA 5065