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Privacy policy
This web site and your privacy
Fertility Solutions privacy policy Most people consider their health information to be highly personal and Fertility Solutions has always practiced the utmost discretion with regards to our patients' personal details. We balance this with the legitimate need for health service providers to share information in order to provide quality health care. This document explains the steps taken by Fertility Solutions to keep your information secure, and the rights you have with regards to the information.
Your information Your medical record contains medical, nursing, counselling and scientific documentation. It includes any procedure or test carried out by Fertility Solutions. Details of any embryos produced are kept in the female partner's records. Medical records are used on a day-to-day basis by our health care professionals to clearly identify and provide an accurate and appropriate level of care to our patients. Scientific data from medical records is also used in our ongoing programs of research and development.
Keeping records accurate, up-to-date and available It is important to note that, although your medical record may contain your Medicare number we do not use these numbers as a means of identification - a practice which may lead to cross referencing of records and hence an invasion of your privacy. Your Medicare number is used purely to fulfill our reporting obligations to the agency that issued it. All medical records are kept in an electronic format on site with back ups occurring on a daily basis.
Firstly, that for legal reasons your request be made in writing and addressed to our Quality Assurance Manager. Secondly, that we have someone sit with you to explain the contents of your file. Medical records can be complicated and very hard for the non-professional to interpret accurately. Having our staff member there ensures you are getting the right perspective. You will need identification (e.g. a valid driver's license) when you come in. There are certain rare circumstances (usually when legal action is involved) when you may be refused access to your file. If this is the case, we will provide you with a sound reason for our position. If there are details within your record that you feel are inaccurate, we will take a note of your changes and add them to your record as an addendum. If you would like, we can provide you with a photocopy of your record to take away. Patients requesting this service are advised that we have to charge for the time taken to prepare a copy - a charge which can sometimes be as much as $50 for a complete record.
Who has access to your records? If information is requested by any other third party (e.g. partners, relatives, solicitors, government departments, insurance companies, etc) we insist that it is accompanied by an original written authorisation from the patient that is less than 3 months old. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted. All requests are directed to our Program Manager who will decide on each one and assign a person to prepare a response. The request is filed in the patient's medical records so they can see who has been asking about them. The only people who can see your medical record without getting your permission first are the ones who really need it - the health professionals directly involved in your treatment. If you are moved to another facility and your records are needed urgently for your treatment, they will be forwarded to the new organisation without waiting for written consent.
Accidental disclosure These policies state that: documents containing personal information are not left where they may be visible to unauthorised persons; patient lists and medical records are covered when travelling in lifts and corridors; patient information is not discussed in areas where it may be overheard; and that computer screens are all turned away from the public and have screen savers to reduce the chance of casual observation.
The generation of the NPSU (National Perinatal Statistics Unit) annual report. This is available for inspection in the public domain at www.npsu.unsw.edu.au.
The success rates for each individual unit are collated and made available to the Reproductive Technology and Accreditation Committee (RTAC) officials at the time of inspection of the fertility unit (annually). This is to allow an independent external body to view the function of Fertility Solutions, to confirm that it is operating at an acceptable level, and to recommend areas for improvement as required. If you believe your privacy has been infringed, we ask that you contact our Quality Assurance Manager immediately. Contact details are at the bottom of this page. The Quality Assurance Manager will assess your complaint and prepare a response. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the option to take your complaint to the Federal Privacy Commissioner.
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