PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

The objective of this privacy notice is to provide you, our patient, with clear information on how your personal information is collected and used within the practice, Adelaide Liver, Biliary & Pancreas Specialists and Colorectal Specialist Group (ALBPS PTY LTD CAN 147 151 157 ASTRUSTEE FOR THE ALBPS SERVICE TRUST ABN 94 834 517 748 referred to in this privacy policy as ‘we’, us’, or óur’). Occasionally we also need to share your personal information to involve others in your healthcare and this policy outlines when, how, and why we share your information.

2. When and why is your consent necessary?

When you register as a patient of a practitioner who consults from our practice, you provide consent for us (including our employees, agents, contractors and other representatives) to access and use your personal information so the independent practitioners consulting from our practice can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only persons who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for any other purposes, we will seek additional consent from you to do so.

3. Why do we collect, use, store, and share your personal information?

The practice collects, uses, stores, and shares your personal information primarily to manage your health safely and effectively. This includes providing healthcare services, managing medical records, and ensuring accurate billing and payments. Additionally, we may utilise your information for internal quality and safety improvement processes such as practice audits, accreditation purposes, and staff training to maintain high-quality service standards.

4. What personal information is collected?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

names, date of birth, addresses, contact details including emergency contact and next of kin;
demographic information, including gender, cultural background, and religious beliefs;
medical information including medical history, medicines, allergies, and adverse reactions immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors ;
Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes; ‘
Credit card or other payment information
healthcare identifier numbers
concession card details; and
health fund details.

5. Can you deal with us anonymously?

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

Please be aware that Medicare rebates are only available where a Medicare card (and / or associated information) is available. As such your practitioner may require you to pay for your consults in full without this rebate if you choose to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym.

6. How is personal information collected?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways:

You may provide us with your personal information directly (for example, when you make an appointment with a practitioner consulting from our practice, our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration form).
The independent practitioners providing medical services may also collect further personal information from you which may be disclosed to us. Information can also be collected through My Health Record, e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary or through a Discharge Summary provided by a hospital or other healthcare service providers.
We may also collect your personal information when you contact us via our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment.
In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information 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; and / or
- your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).
Various types of images may be collected and used, including but not limited to: Photos and medical images: These can be taken using doctor’s personal devices for medical purposes and are deleted once uploaded to our patient management software.

7. When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

with other healthcare providers (e.g. In referral letters)
when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
when it is 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
to assist in locating a missing person
to establish, exercise or defend a claim
for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
When it is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
When it is provision of medical services, through electronic prescribing, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).
With third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and this policy.

Only people who need to access your personal information will be able to do so. Other than providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, the practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
We do not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

8. Will your information be used for marketing purposes?

The practice will not use your personal information for marketing any goods or services directly to you without your expressed consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying the practice in writing.

9. How is your information used to improve services?

The practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services offered to patients through research, analysis of patient data for quality improvement and for training activities with the practice team.

We may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified, and the information is stored within Australia. You can let reception staff know if you do not want your information included.

10. How are document automation technologies used?

Document automation is where systems use existing data to generate electronic documents relating to medical conditions and healthcare.
The practice uses document automation technologies to create documents such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information.

These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software Genie & Healthlink.

All users of the medical software have their own unique user credentials and password and can only access information that is relevant to their role in the practice team.

The practice complies with the Australian privacy legislation and APPs to protect your information.

11. How are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes used?

The practice uses an AI scribe tool to support Doctors take notes during their consultations with you. The AI scribe uses a live transcription of your consultation to generate a clinical note for your health record. The practice AI scribe service is Heidi.
Heidi Health:

Does not share information outside of Australia
The AI scribe service records a live transcription of the conversation.
Removes sensitive, personal identifying information as part of the transcription

The practice will only use data from our digital scribe service to provide healthcare to you.

12. How do we store and protect your information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms.
Our practice stores information as electronic records (including via cloud-based services)
Our practice stores all personal information securely via the use of passwords, encrypted back-ups and confidentiality agreements for staff.
All records will be retained until the later of seven (7) years from your last contact with the practice, or until you reach the age of twenty-five (25).
We take steps to destroy or de-identify information that we no longer require.
Our server security policy is designed to protect the servers from unauthorised access, data breaches, and other security threats. Our practice uses the following security measures to ensure the personal information which it holds is secured:
Antivirus software is installed on all servers and updated regularly.
Firewalls are configured to block unauthorised traffic.
Servers are placed on their own subnet.
Access to servers is restricted to authorised users.
Physical access to the servers is limited, with servers located in a locked room and security cameras installed around the building.
Servers are patched regularly to fix security vulnerabilities.
Backups are created regularly every hour & at end of day, offsite.

13. How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. You can lodge this request either via email (admin@gisurgery.net.au) or telephone (08 8371 3077). Our practice will acknowledge your request within three (3) business days. We can post the requested information to your postal address, or we can email the information to you if you request it.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to admin@gisurgery.net.au. There is no fee charged for making corrections to your personal information.

14. How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns (including any breach of the APPs or any registered binding APP code) you may have in writing.

Complaints should be addressed to:
Name and Position: Julie Green, Business Manager
Address: Suite 209, 1 Flinders Drive, Bedford Park SA 5045
Email: admin@gisurgery.net.au

We will respond with acknowledgement of your complaint within three (3) business days and provide a response within thirty (30) business days.
You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information, visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

15. How is privacy on the website maintained?

At ALBPS, any personal information you share with us through our website or via email, is handled securely and confidentially. This practice uses analytics and cookies.

16. Policy review statement

Our privacy policy is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with current obligations.
If any changes are made: They will be reflected on the website.
Please check the policy periodically for updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Last Updated 09 May 2025