Question 1

Code of Conduct

Accepted Answer

East Sydney Doctors - Patient Code of Conduct

All Doctors and staff at Bondi Road Doctors follow a Code of Conduct where we will behave in a courteous and professional manner whilst maintaining the highest levels of service and care which the Practice and our patients expect.

In return, patients agree and acknowledge: 
 • That they will inform the doctor if they are receiving treatment from another health professional.
 • That they will disclose their medical history including medications to their doctor.
 • That they have read and understood the cancellation policy and will notify the Practice in accordance with this policy when they cannot keep an appointment. 
 • They will pay for any service and products received as advised by their doctor or the Practice. 
 • They will not conduct themselves in a manner that interferes or threatens the rights of other patients, practitioners or staff including in a manner that may lead to the breach or likely breach of any policy, standard or laws.

East Sydney Doctors request all patients and visitors help us to make our Practice a safe place for everyone. We ask that all parties treat everyone with respect and patience. We will not accept (in person or on the phone or via email):
 • Making verbal or physical threats.
 • Swearing in the presence of practitioners, staff and/or other patients. 
 • Shouting or making offensive remarks. 
 • Racism/Sexism. 
 • Attending when intoxicated with alcohol and/or drugs. 
 • Damaging or stealing property. 
 • Acting in a manner that is likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress to others in general.

Anyone who carries out the above behaviour/s will be asked to leave and their future attendance at the Practice may be discontinued resulting in having to seek health care elsewhere.

Question 2

Feedback Information

Accepted Answer

East Sydney Doctors aims to deliver the highest standard of patient care including continuity of care, informed consent, providing information, timely appointments, follow ups and maintaining confidentiality.
 
If you have a problem, we would like to hear about it.
 
Please feel free to talk to your doctor or Practice Manager, or email us at reception@eastsydneydoctors.com.au(mailto:reception@eastsydneydoctors.com.au)
or you may prefer to write to us at: 102 Burton Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010(https://goo.gl/maps/wYiX54cg6UCzmfmz6)
 
We take your concerns, suggestions and complaints seriously. Further, you can make a formal complaint to the following details:
 
Health Care Complaints Commission
Level 13, 323 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Locked Bag 18, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
 
P: 1800 043 159 (Toll Free) or 02 219 7444
Fax: 02 9219 7555
 
Email: hccc@hccc.nsw.gov.au(mailto:hccc@hccc.nsw.gov.au)
Website: www.hccc.nsw.gov.au(http://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au/)

Question 3

Communication Policy

Accepted Answer

TELEPHONE ACCESS

Doctors may be contacted during normal surgery hours. If the doctor is with a patient a message will be taken and the reception staff will advise you when it is likely that the doctor will return your call. Your call will always be put through to a doctor in an emergency. If you are unsure, please ask to be put through to our Practice Nurse.

TELEHEALTH APPONTMENTS

Our practice offers telehealth consults (consultations performed via video call or telephone call). Please ring (02) 9332 2531 or book a telehealth appointment via our website.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

Our practice communicates via electronic communication these include email, facsimile and Short Message Service (SMS). Patient consent needs to be obtained before engaging in electronic communication.
Communication with patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regards to privacy.

Question 4

Privacy Policy

Accepted Answer

Current as of: 13th January 2025

Introduction
This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary 
When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this. It is important to us that as our patient, you understand why we collect and use your personal information.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information? 
Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (e.g., staff training).

What personal information do we collect? 
The information we will collect about you includes your:
 • names, date of birth, addresses, contact details 
 • medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors 
 • Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes 
 • healthcare identifiers 
 • health fund details.
Dealing 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 authorized by law to only deal with identified individuals.

Note: The Privacy Act requires you to provide patients with the option of not identifying themselves, or of using a pseudonym, when dealing with you unless it is impracticable for you to do so. Information about this should appear in the practice privacy policy or collection notice.

How do we collect your personal information? 
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration. 
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. 
3. Note: This practice participates in eHealth and information may also be collected through electronic transfer of prescriptions (eTP), My Health Record, e.g. via your Shared Health Summary, Event Summary. 
4. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment. 
5. 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
    • your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as deemed necessary).

Various types of images may be collected and used, including: 
 • CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purpose 
 • Photos and medical images: These can be taken using personal devices for medical purposes, following the guidelines outlined in our guide on using personal devices for medical images.

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?
We sometimes share your personal information:
 • 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 APPs and this policy 
 • with other healthcare providers
 • 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 an equitable claim
 • for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process 
 • when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
 • During the course of providing medical services as this practice participates in eHealth services, through eTP, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).
 • Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

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.

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 Best Practice.

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.

All data, both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance.

How are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes used? 
The practice uses an AI scribe tool to support GPs take notes during their consultations with you. The AI scribe uses an audio recording of your consultation to generate a clinical note for your health record. The practice AI scribe service is Lyrebird Health and Heidi. 
Lyrebird Health and Heidi,
 • does not share information outside of Australia 
 • destroys the audio file once the transcription is complete 
 • 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.

How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms, e.g. as paper records, electronic records, visual records (X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos) and/or audio recordings
Our practice stores all personal information securely e.g. electronic format, in protected information systems or in hard copy format in a secured environment, use of password protection, lockable secure data server cabinets, and confidentiality agreements for staff and contractors.

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. We require you to put this request in writing addressed to the Practice Manager – ‘in confidence’ East Sydney Doctors, 102 Burton Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010 and the practice manager will respond within a reasonable time being no more than 30 days from the date of your request.

At our practice we use specific designed templates within our clinical software program that provides accurate clinical information is the only information implemented into the required template as to ensure confidentiality, privacy and security of your personal information.

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 the Practice Manager, East Sydney Doctors, 102 Burton Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

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 you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure. Our contact details are:

East Sydney Doctors
ATT: Practice Manager – Ms Val Carrasco
102 Burton Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010(https://goo.gl/maps/wYiX54cg6UCzmfmz6)
Phone: (02) 9332 2531 (tel:(02)%C2%A09332 2531)or email directly to vcarrasco@eastsydneydoctors.com.au(mailto:vcarrasco@eastsydneydoctors.com.au)

The practice manager will respond within a reasonable time frame being no more than 30 days from date of correspondence. Responses will be forwarded to the address provided in your correspondence.

You may also contact the 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/privacy-law/privacy-act (http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy-law/privacy-act) (Privacy Act 1988) or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

How is privacy on the website maintained?  
At East Sydney Doctors any personal information you share with us through website, email, and social media, is handled securely and confidentially. This practice uses analytics and cookies.

Policy review statement
This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur.
If any changes are made: They will be reflected on the website. Significant changes may be communicated directly to patients via email or other means Visual notice within the reception/wait room area will indicate this and you will be able to request a hard copy of this policy for your own review.

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