Cancer Care Associates is committed to providing multidisciplinary, patient centred care. As a fundamental part of this commitment, we recognise the importance of protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the information that we collect about you and your health.
If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy please do not hesitate to ask our staff or contact us.
As well as being an important professional and ethical commitment to you, we are required to comply with applicable Commonwealth, State and Territory privacy laws. The Commonwealth privacy law is the Privacy Act 1988. The NSW privacy law is the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. Under these laws, we are required to comply with a number of Privacy Principles. The core Principles are the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act. A copy of these Principles can be found on Australian Information Commissioner’s website – www.oaic.gov.au.
This Privacy Policy covers all of our services and service locations. As our administration, clinical information, quality improvement and other support services cover more than one of our centres, and some of our patients will receive services from a number of our centres, patient information may need to be collected, accessed and/or shared between one or more of our centres. Each of our centres is required to comply with this Privacy Policy.
Our key partners.
In providing our services we work closely with a range of medical specialists who are in private practice and who hold an appointment to use our services and facilities. We also work closely with contracted pathology, medical imaging, pharmacy and other clinical service providers to ensure that we are able to provide you with comprehensive high-quality services.
To support co-ordination of your clinical care, and to ensure that the information your treating health professionals need for your care is readily available to them, we have an electronic clinical information system. This system uses a secure cloud-based storage system hosted in Australia. Our e-health service contracts require our providers to store your information securely and to comply with applicable privacy law.
We also use contracted transcription services to prepare medical reports for your referring doctors, your GP and other health professionals involved in your health care.
We also participate in undergraduate and postgraduate training and research and development projects to both improve our services and to contribute to the understanding of cancer and improved diagnostic and treatment services.
What personal and health information do we collect, store and use?
In providing high quality cancer assessment and treatment services to you, it is essential that we are able to identify you, know your and your family’s relevant medical history, keep records of our services to you, diagnostic tests, clinical assessments and specialist referral records and are able to contact you and your nominated next of kin.
This information will include:
- Personal details (including your name, address, date of birth, sex, ethnic background, your contact details and details for next of kin and/or other persons to contact if required);
- Your and/or your family’s relevant medical history;
- The results of pathology, imaging and other tests required to assess and treat your condition;
- Details of your doctors and hospitals and other relevant health professionals involved in your health care.
Generally, we will collect this information directly from you (and, where required, from your doctor, other health professionals and hospitals involved in your health care, your family members, guardian or carer). If we need to get information from other persons, we will ask your permission to do so.
We may collect this information through a variety of ways including completion of forms, telephone, email, SMS or fax. You may also provide this information to us through our website, a mobile device or “app”.
It is important that the information we hold about you remains accurate and up to date. Please let us know of any changes in your contact and other personal details. Our staff may need to confirm your current address and contact details with you from time to time for this purpose.
What do we do with the information?
The information we hold about you will be used for the purposes of assessing your cancer and determining and planning the appropriate treatments. Where required for your assessment and clinical care, the information will be available to staff involved in your care including Medical Practitioners, registered nurses and other allied health professionals who provide necessary follow up treatment and ongoing care. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will also provide your general practitioner and other specialists with the information they need to continue your care.
We are required to report certain information about cancer diagnoses and treatment to government regulated cancer registries. We are also required to provide relevant information to your health fund, Medicare and other third-party payers who are paying for your care to support your claim for payment and to enable processing of invoices and accounts. We also provide information for benchmarking and clinical indicator reporting in a de- identified form to external health benchmarking agencies and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS)
We will send this information in the most appropriate way, using electronic secure messaging, mail, email, SMS or fax.
We respect and protect your privacy, and we do not disclose your identity to any other persons without your knowledge and agreement.
In rare circumstances, due to legislative requirements or a court order (e.g. subpoena), we may be required to disclose information about you to regulators, law enforcement bodies or other parties without your prior knowledge or consent. Subject to any legal constraints, we will use reasonable steps to let you know of these requests.
How do we store and protect the information we hold about you?
We store your information at our premises, in electronic systems under our control and in our contracted cloud service
We will take appropriate steps to protect the security of the information we hold about you, including protection against unauthorised access, virus or other electronic intrusions, fire, theft or loss. Our electronic records holding information about you are protected by security passwords. Our staff are bound by strict requirements regarding protection of the privacy and confidentiality of your information as a condition of their contract with us.
You have a right to see what information we hold about you.
Under Australian privacy law, you have rights of access to the information we hold concerning you. These rights also include correction of any errors in this information. Should you wish to access this information please contact us. There may be a fee to cover the costs of providing copies of this information to you.
Research, education and quality improvement.
As part of our commitment to supporting the continued development of high quality cancer care services, we may participate in and/or assist research programs, professional development and other educational activities. We may use the information we hold about you and your linked blood and tissue sample(s) to assist with this research and education. However, this information will not identify you unless we have received your agreement to do so.
Participation in any clinical trial will be subject to a separate detailed information and consent process.
How long do we keep the information?
We are required by law to keep your information securely for at least 7 years after our last contact with you (and up to the age of 25 if you are under the age of 18 at the time of our services to you). Much of the information in our electronic clinical information systems will be automatically retained for longer periods.
Queries or questions?
Should you, at any time, have a query or concern in relation to our privacy policy and/or management of your information please let our staff know and they will be happy to address any concerns you may have.
If your concerns are not resolved by our staff, or you have a complaint about our privacy management, please advise us by emailing privacy@cancercare.com.au
We will make our best endeavour to address your complaint within 30 days of receipt of your complaint. If you are not satisfied by our response, you have a right to make a complaint to the Commonwealth or State/Territory Privacy Commissioner, whose contact details are as follows:
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au Web: http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/making-a-privacy-complaint
