SECTION 3 – PRIVACY POLICY
HEALTH PRIVACY PRINCIPLES

1) Collection
Only collect health information that is necessary for providing our quality service.
The individual may obtain access to their information.

The information is collected in order to formulate appropriate diagnosis, treatment and management plans. Personal information is used to contact individuals in case of emergency, for accounts, statistical information, data for Albert Park Physiotherapy (APP) to analyse their business.

Information is only disclosed to referring doctors or other health care providers. In compensory cases, to insurers/employers with the client’s consent. Information is also disclosed to other physiotherapists within APP if treatment is being continued by that therapist.

(NB: - Must obtain full consent of patient.
- Patient must understand what they are consenting to.)

2) Use and Disclosure
Use = handling of information within practice
-In practice – Patient needs to be aware that information may be passed from one therapist to another if they take over treatment or review patient.
Disclosure = transfer of information outside practice.
Often expected – doctor, referring health provider
Obtain consent if out of ordinary. E.g. employer, relative, guardian

Document consent
- Health information relating to an individual will be made available to another health provider on request. A fee may be charged for substantial reports.

3) Data Quality
Albert Park Physiotherapy will endeavour to collect information which is accurate, complete and up to date. This includes name, address and health status.

4) Data Security and Retention
Health records and patient details are filed under the Royal College of General Practitioners’ ( RCGP) filing system. Only staff of Albert Park Physiotherapy have access to the filing system.
From time to time files are removed from the practice for home visits and report and record keeping purposes. The whereabouts of these files are recorded at Albert Park Physiotherapy. All care is taken to maintain the privacy of these records.

Medical records are destroyed after fifteen years, except in the case of minors which are kept up until they reach 18 years of age. Financial records are destroyed after seven years. Destruction is by a company specializing in document destruction.

5) Openness
Albert Park Physiotherapy’s management of health information.
Albert Park Physiotherapy collects:
• Personal details/demographics
• Information of how referred
• Health insurance information
• Compensable body information
• General information regarding health status, occupation, recreation
• Information specific to the presenting problem, past history of relevant problems, previous response to treatment.

Storage – computer/hard copy in specific patient file filed under RCGP filing system
- Disclosure usually to doctors, other health providers/fitness leaders, compensable bodies
- Only disclosed with patient’s consent.

- Clients of Albert Park Physiotherapy may have access to their information. Procedure - inform office staff who will in turn contact the treating therapist. An appointment (standard) will be necessary to provide an opportunity to discuss details of the file with the patient.

- Albert Park Physiotherapy is required to collect, use or disclose personal information in connection with the provision of services in relation to a worker’s compensation claim, insurance company, traffic accident claim or veteran’s affairs client in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Health Records Act 2000 (Vic). Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

If clients have a complaint regarding the use of storage of health records, they should inform the office staff who will in turn contact the practice principal.

If clients are dissatisfied with the response from Albert Park Physiotherapy, the complaint can be referred to the federal privacy commissioner.

6) Access and Correction
Albert Park Physiotherapy client’s have the right to access their information.
• after 21 December 2001
• information still in use after above date
Client’s can only seek access to their own records.

Customer Service

Monitoring
Reception staff with customer service background brought to the principal’s attention that improvements could be made in the area of customer service in the practice.

Assess
Meeting with reception staff to identify areas for improvement
- Meeting with physiotherapists to gauge appreciation of customer service principles
- Meeting with outside business consultant to discuss principles of customer service and strategies to improve the staff’s appreciation of the role it plays in private practice.

Action
Modification of APA patient satisfaction survey in conjunction with consultant.
-Random survey of seventy five of Albert Park Physiotherapy’s patients.

Evaluate
Review results of survey. Arrange feedback and training meetings with all staff to be run over two nights with the aim to have input from all staff and the consultant.

Incorporate
Plan to develop Albert Park Physiotherapy’s own customer service policy
- Plan to resurvey patients six months following adoption of policy.

Teaching Stabilization Exercises

Monitor
Principal aware of advances made in the teaching of stabilization exercises for spinal problems.
- There is a need for the teaching of these exercises to be relatively consistent between the physiotherapists in the practice.

Assess
Principal attended course on Lumbo-pelvic instability in 2001
- Physiotherapist in practice participated in Cervical headache research
- Physiotherapist in practice attended inservice covering cervical stabilization

Action
Inservices organized over two nights – covering the teaching of cervical and lumbar stabilization exercises

Evaluate
Plan to organize further inservices to review how physiotherapists are teaching these exercises and their experiences with patient’s acceptance and compliance.

Incorporate
Plan to develop patient information and exercise sheets.