CHIRNSIDE PARK MEDICAL CLINIC

Patient Information

An appointment for a standard consultation will be made with your preferred doctor or the next available doctor, depending on your preference. Extended consultations are available on request. If you anticipate that your consultation will be long, please advise the receptionist when making the appointment. Our appointments are classified and invoiced

Minor Service (Level A)
A brief service for an obvious problem characterised by the straightforward nature of the task that requires a short patient history and, if required, limited examination and management.
Specific Service (Level B)
A brief service for an obvious problem characterised by the straightforward nature of the task that requires a short patient history and, if required, limited examination and management.
Extended Service (Level C)
A service distinguished by more complex tasks required of the general practitioner when confronted with several alternative diagnoses which require a detailed history, multiple system examination, possible investigations and management.
Comprehensive Service (Level D)
A service that requires of the GP a complex intellectual process, involving exhaustive history, multiple system examination and the possible arrangement and evaluation of complex investigations in consideration of multiple alternative diagnoses.

We have linguistically diverse doctors, and our doctors speak fluent English, Russian, Farsi, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali.

This practice acknowledges that patient complaints are an important source of customer feedback. Under the Health Services Act 1987 people with complaints should try to resolve them directly with the health service provider. If a satisfactory outcome is not achieved then complaint can be directed to the Health Services Commissioner for action by calling 03 8601 5200.

Patients registered with Medicare are potentially eligible to be bulk billed. Patients who are not registered with Medicare will be charged $100.00 for a standard consultation only, not including any procedures, and children (under one year) charged at $50. Weekends and Public different charges are $120 for standard consultation only, not including any procedures, and children (under one year) charged at $50. Our policy is that payments are to be made on the day of consultation. Accepted payment methods include credit card, EFTPOS and cash.

We comply with Australian Government Legislation, ensuring that the privacy of our patients is maintained. A copy of our privacy policy is available at reception, or can be downloaded here Chirnside Park Medical Clinic - Privacy
Further information is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992.

Our practice is committed to preventative care and we may issue you with reminder notices or practice information from time to time. Please advise the staff if you do not wish to participate in this program.



PATIENT PRIVACY EMAIL POLICY

Email Policy

Our practice’s primary reason for communicating electronically to patients is to issue appointment reminders and we verify the correct contact details of the patient at the time of the appointment being made.

Whilst not encouraged, our practice allows patients an opportunity to obtain advice or information related to their care by electronic means, but only where the general practitioner determines that a face-to-face consultation is unnecessary and that communication by electronic means is suitable. Our practice will only provide information that is of a general, non-urgent nature and will not initiate electronic communication (other than SMS appointment reminders) with patients. Any electronic communication received from patients is also used as a method to verify the contact details we have recorded on file are correct and up-to-date.

Communication with patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy. Before obtaining and documenting the patient’s consent, patients are fully informed through information contained in our email disclaimer of the risks associated with electronic communication in that the information could be intercepted or read by someone other than the intended recipient.

When an email message is sent or received in the course of a person's duties, that message is a business communication and therefore constitutes an official record. Patients are informed of any costs to be incurred as a result of the electronic advice or information being provided, and all electronic contact with patients is recorded in their health record.

Please note that our email service is not encrypted, and therefore we cannot guarantee the security of our email communications. There is a risk that emails and/or attachments could be read by someone other than the intended recipient (for example, as a result of widespread hacking, or because someone accesses your email account).

For this reason, we discourage health providers from sending emails to us with personal information about patients, and we discourage patients from sending emails to us with their own personal information.

However, in certain circumstances, we may agree to email you with a response to a query and/or with information or documentation that you have requested which does include your health information, provided that you have confirmed that you have considered and accepted the risks associated with email communications. Before we do so, we will need to verify your identity In order to obtain medical certificates, referrals and results via email, patients are required to send us an email with 3 points of identification (Name, Date of Birth and Address) so we can be sure they are the patient (or parent/guardian) in question. This must be done every-time a patient requests paperwork from us.

All email correspondence with patients is saved into their individual files for record keeping purposes. We may also require you to email us confirming that you have considered and accepted the risks associated with email communications, or we may send you a link which is password protected.

We ask that other health practitioners do not email us with personal information about mutual patients (unless you have the patient’s express consent).

We prefer to receive correspondence via secure messaging, such as Argus, Health Link, ReferralNet or Medical Objects. Please avoid faxing or posting us correspondence if you can send via one of these messaging systems. Other healthcare providers will not have patient information sent to them (via fax, email or on the phone) without the patients written or verbal consent.

All members of the practice team are made aware of our policy regarding electronic communication with patients during induction, and are reminded of this policy on an ongoing basis. They are made aware that electronic communications could be forwarded, intercepted, printed and stored by others. Each member of the practice team holds full accountability for emails sent in their name or held in their mailbox, and they are expected to utilise this communication tool in an acceptable manner. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Limiting the exchange of personal emails
  • Refraining from responding to unsolicited or unwanted emails
  • Deleting hoaxes or chain emails
  • Email attachments from unknown senders are not to be opened
  • Virus checking all email attachments
  • Maintaining appropriate language within electronic communications
  • Ensuring any personal opinions are clearly indicated as such, and
  • Confidential information (e.g. patient information) must be encrypted.
Our practice reserves the right to check an individual’s email accounts as a precaution to fraud, viruses, workplace harassment or breaches of confidence by members of the practice team. Inappropriate use of the email facility will be fully investigated and may be grounds for dismissal.

The practice uses an email disclaimer notice on outgoing emails that are affiliated with the practice stating:

"This e-mail (and any attachments to this e-mail) is for the exclusive use of the person, firm or corporation to which it is addressed and may contain information that by law is privileged, confidential or protected by copyright. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for the delivering of this e-mail to the intended recipient, you are notified that any use, disclosure, distribution, printing or copying of this e-mail transmission is prohibited by law and that the contents must be kept strictly confidential. If you have received this e-mail in error, kindly notify us immediately or respond to the sender by return e-mail.
The original of this e-mail must be destroyed. We do not accept any liability in connection with transmitting, unauthorised access to, or viruses in this e-mail and its attachments."