Privacy Policy

1. About this policy

Dr Richard Dallalana’s practice respects your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal and health information when you contact us, use our website or receive care. It also explains how to access or correct your information and raise a privacy concern. 

In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Dr Richard Dallalana’s practice and its relationship with Park Clinic Orthopaedics, including who holds patient records. We handle information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), including the Health Privacy Principles.

2. Information we collect

Depending on your interaction with us, we may collect:

• Your name, date of birth, address and contact details.
• Emergency contact, next-of-kin and authorised representative details.
• Medicare, private health insurance and relevant compensation claim details.
• Referrals, medical history, symptoms, medications, allergies and relevant family history.
• Examination findings, imaging, test results, diagnoses, treatment plans, surgical records and rehabilitation information.
• Relevant clinical photographs or recordings, where appropriately authorised.
• Appointment, billing, payment and correspondence records.
• Information submitted through website forms and technical information generated when you use our website, as described below.

 

We collect information reasonably necessary for your care and the operation of the practice. Please provide accurate information and tell us when your details change.

3. How we collect information

We generally collect information directly from you through consultations, patient forms, telephone calls, correspondence and online enquiries. Where appropriate and permitted by law, we may also collect information from your referring doctor, hospitals, other treating practitioners, imaging and pathology providers, insurers or an authorised representative. We seek consent for collecting health information unless an exception under the law applies.

If you provide another person’s information, please ensure you have appropriate authority to do so.

You may make a general enquiry anonymously or using a pseudonym where lawful and practicable. However, we generally need to identify you to provide safe clinical care, maintain records and process Medicare or insurance claims. If relevant information is not provided, we may be unable to provide some services or respond fully to your request.

4. Why we use information

We collect, hold and use information to:

• Assess your condition and provide, plan and coordinate treatment and rehabilitation.
• Communicate with you and the healthcare professionals involved in your care.
• Manage referrals, appointments, surgery arrangements and follow-up.
• Process accounts, payments, Medicare and insurance claims.
• Respond to enquiries, records requests, feedback and complaints.
• Maintain clinical records, support patient safety and review the quality of our services.
• Meet legal, regulatory and professional obligations.

 

We use or disclose information for the purpose for which it was collected, for directly related purposes you would reasonably expect in the case of health information, with your consent, or where otherwise required or authorised by law.

5. When we share information

Where necessary and legally permitted, information may be shared with:

• Your GP, referring doctor, anaesthetist, physiotherapist and other treating healthcare professionals.
• Hospitals, surgical facilities, imaging and pathology providers involved in your care.
• Medicare, private health insurers and compensation bodies for relevant claims and administration.
• Authorised practice staff and service providers supporting records management, secure communications, IT, hosting, billing or administration.
• Professional advisers, indemnity insurers, regulators or public authorities where appropriately authorised or legally required.

 

We limit disclosures to what is reasonably necessary. Access by staff and service providers must be appropriate to their roles and subject to applicable confidentiality and privacy safeguards.

We do not automatically disclose clinical information to family members, employers or other third parties. We confirm consent or other lawful authority before doing so, subject to applicable exceptions, including certain emergencies and serious threats to health or safety.

6. Website forms, cookies and third-party services

Information you submit through an enquiry or patient form is used to respond to your request and, where relevant, arrange or support your care. Please provide only requested information. Contact us before sending detailed medical records or sensitive attachments through a general enquiry form.

Technical website information may include IP address, browser and device details, pages visited and access times. The final policy must accurately describe which information this website collects and how it is handled. External websites and independent service providers have their own privacy policies. Please review those policies before providing information to them. Using a third-party provider does not remove our obligations for information handled on our behalf.

7. Communications and marketing

We may contact you about enquiries, appointments, preparation, accounts and follow-up using the contact details you provide. Please tell us if you have particular communication preferences or confidentiality concerns. Email, SMS and internet transmissions are not completely secure. Contact the practice to discuss a suitable method for sending sensitive information.

We do not sell patient information. We will obtain any consent required before using personal information for promotional communications or publishing identifiable patient stories or images. You may opt out of promotional communications without affecting your care.

8. Storage and security

Records may be held in paper and electronic form. We take reasonable steps to protect information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. No system is completely secure. Where a privacy incident occurs, we will assess and respond to it and notify affected individuals and regulators where required by law.

9. Information handled outside Victoria or Australia

Where information is transferred outside Victoria or disclosed overseas, we take the steps required by applicable privacy laws to safeguard it. We do not treat your use of this website as blanket consent to overseas disclosure.

10. Retention of records

We retain health records for the periods required by law. In Victoria, this generally means at least seven years after the last health service provided to an adult patient, and until age 25 for a patient last treated while under 18. Records may need to be kept longer where legal or clinical circumstances require it. When information is no longer needed and may lawfully be disposed of, we take reasonable steps to destroy it securely or permanently de-identify it. A request for deletion does not override legal record-retention obligations.

11. Access and correction

You may request access to information we hold about you or ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, irrelevant or misleading. Contact the practice using the details below. We may ask for identification and evidence of authority if you act for another person.

We respond within applicable legal timeframes. Reasonable access or copying charges may apply where permitted by law, and we will explain these in advance. We do not charge for correcting information.

Access may be limited or refused where the law permits or requires it. Where required, we will explain the reasons in writing and how to challenge the decision. If we do not agree to a requested correction, you may ask us to attach a statement of your concern to the record.

You may also request that relevant information be provided to another treating healthcare professional, subject to applicable law.

12. Privacy enquiries and complaints

Please direct privacy enquiries, access requests and complaints to:

Privacy contact: Practice Manager, Dr Richard Dallalana’s practice
Email: dallar@parkclinic.com.au
Telephone: (03) 8415 1907
Postal address: Epworth Richmond, Ground Floor, Suite 1.0, Cato Wing, 89 Bridge Road Richmond VIC 3121

Please describe your concern, when it occurred, how we can contact you and the outcome you are seeking. We will acknowledge the complaint, investigate the circumstances and explain our response and any proposed action. We aim to respond within 30 days and will advise you if more time is needed.

13. Availability and updates

This policy is available free of charge on our website. Contact the practice if you would like a copy in another accessible format.

We may update it to reflect changes in our services, information-handling practices or legal obligations. The current version will be published with its update date. An update does not, by itself, authorise a new use of your information where consent or another legal basis is required.