Welcome to Advance Medical Practice Pitt Town!

Confidentiality:
Your medical record is a confidential document.
It is the policy of Advance Medical Practice to maintain security
of personal health information at all times and to ensure that
this information is only available to authorised members of staff.
We abide by the strict National Privacy Principles available at: www.privacy.gov.au/health/index.html

Your Rights:
If you have a problem we would like to hear about it.
Please feel free to talk to your Doctor, or Receptionist
or you may prefer to write to us.
We take your concerns, suggestions and complaints seriously.

Health Complaints:
We take your concerns, suggestions and complaints seriously.
However, if you wish to take a matter further
please contact: Health Care Complaints Commission

Locked Mail Bag 18
STRAWBERRY HILLS NSW 2012
Ph: 1800 043 159

Communication:
Patients can communicate with practice staff
through phone call, email, Facebook or a website enquiry.
HotDoc (online booking and recall system) automatically reminds
patients of upcoming appointments and results
they have at the practice.
This is done through HotDoc’s internal SMS system.

Phone Calls:
In our practice, all staff ensure to identify patients by using the three identifiers; name, DOB and address.
Doctors can communicate and take phone calls when time permits.
If busy, or involved with another patient, reception will take a message and relay it to the Doctor when they are free.
GP’s and clinical staff will make time to return your call and deal with the situation as required.
This is also documented in the file to ensure any significant information discussed is recorded.
Reception staff will message the Doctors through an internal confidential messaging service.
Communication with patients via telephone must be conducted with appropriate regard to the privacy and confidentiality of the patient and their health information.
If personal and health information needs to be discussed or collected over the phone, the call is transferred to a consult room so that other patients and visitors cannot hear the conversation.

Emails:
The practice email is encrypted and secure to ensure confidentiality of personal information.
Our practice has particular policies regarding email communication.
Our practice uses the following confidentiality and privilege notice on outgoing emails that are affiliated with the practice:
“This message is confidential and should only be used by the intended addressee. If you were sent this email by mistake, please inform us by reply email and then destroy this message. The contents of this email are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Advance Medical Practice.”
Our practice configures software so that the confidentiality and privilege notice is automatically added to each outgoing email.

Home Visits:
Regular patients of our practice are able to obtain visits within their home, residential aged care facility, care facility or hospital.
This is available both within and outside of our normal business hours where deemed needed and reasonable at the GP’s discretion.

Social Media:
Our practice uses electronic platforms including Facebook and our website. These sites are monitored daily by our dedicated social media officer which is stated in our social media policy.
All information sent via these platforms is confidential and not available to the public.
This is to ensure all patient information is kept secure and protected.
The practice complies with AHPRA national law and takes reasonable steps to remove testimonials that advertise their health services, which may include comments about the practitioners themselves.
The practice is not responsible for removing (or trying to have removed) unsolicited testimonials published on a third-party website or in social media accounts which they do not have control over.

HotDoc SMS Messages:
The practice uses HotDoc to allow patients to book an appointment online with our GP’s, inform patients of upcoming appointments, new results or reminds them if they have any clinical tests due, e.g., an annual blood test.
It also prompts patients to confirm any upcoming appointments.
HotDoc automatically generates SMS messages for results and reminders based on GP preference.
The SMS message does not contain the patients results or personal details, however it does attach a booking link to prompt the patient to book the recommended appointment with their GP.
To ensure patient confidentiality through these SMS messages, HotDoc requires the patient to enter their surname, date of birth & mobile number that is registered with the practice.
This is to ensure the SMS message has been received by the correct patient.