PRIVACY POLICY

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 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.

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 (for example, staff training). Examples of administrative uses of your information include:

• Billing purposes.
• Disclosure to others involved in your healthcare including treating doctors and specialists outside this medical practice. This may occur though referral to other doctors, or for medical tests and in the reports or results returned to us following referrals.
• Disclosure to other doctors in the practice, locums etc. attached to the practice for the purpose of patient care and teaching.
• For research and quality assurance activities to improve individual and community health care and practice management. Usually, information that does not identify you is used but should information that will identify you be required you will be informed and given the opportunity to “opt out” of any involvement.
• To comply with any legislative or regulatory requirements e.g., notifiable diseases.
• For reminder letters which may be sent to you regarding your health care and management.

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

Personal Details: 

Name 

Date of Birth 

Address 

Contact Details 

Medical Information: 

Medical History

Allergies 

Medications 

Adverse events 

Social History 

Family History 

Risk Factors 

Other:

Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes

Healthcare identifiers and health fund details (if applicable)

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.

How do we collect your personal information?

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

• When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
• During the course of providing medical services, we may collect or upload further personal information on web.hospital application. 
• Our practice staff offers ePrescriptions via SMS or email, and your information can be digitally transmitted to you for the purpose of providing you with a medical prescription.
• We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website and/or web.hospital application, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, or 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 or other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services.

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

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with other healthcare providers (ArMed)
• when it is required or authorised by law (eg, 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 (eg, notifiable diseases)

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 Republic of Armenia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. We are a fully digital practice and there are no paper copies of your health information. Staff compile information either from directly within your file, or digitally import hard copy documents that have been signed by yourself or practice staff for filing.

Our practice stores all personal information securely in electronic format. We use protected information systems that regularly back-up the clinics medical software. Staff are permitted access to web.hospital software only if approved by Nairi Medical Center CJSC management and if they have signed our staff confidentiality agreement. Staff with access to web.hospital have their details stored within the web.hospital database, and passwords are required to gain entry. User accounts and passwords are also required to gain general access to PC's, including the use of emails.

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. If it is safe for us to do so, we endeavor to make your health information available to you. We require you to put this request in writing. We have a consent form for requesting medical information that is available at reception and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. 

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 may make such requests verbally or in writing to email.

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. Written complaints can be submitted:

• in person at reception
• via post at: 21 Paronyan str., Armenia 0015 
• email: [email protected]

We will then attempt to resolve your concern in accordance with our resolution procedure. 

Privacy and our website/web.hospital application

Our online booking via website/web.hospital application is a secure platform which collects personal information for the purpose of booking you an appointment with a doctor. Information collected and securely stored includes your full name, date of birth and a contact phone number or email.

Policy review statement

This privacy statement is reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur to the management of health information at this practice. When changes have been made, we will place a notification in the waiting area of the practice.