Healthlink Care is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our patients and website visitors.
This Privacy Policy explains how Healthlink Care collects, uses, stores and discloses personal and health information.
1. Who we are
Healthlink Care provides chiropractic, physiotherapy and related allied health services in Castle Hill, NSW.
We manage personal and health information in accordance with applicable Australian privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).
2. Information we may collect
We may collect personal information including:
- Your name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Emergency contact details
- Medicare, DVA, workers compensation or private health insurance information where relevant
- Appointment and payment information
- Information provided through our website, online booking system, forms, telephone calls, SMS or email
When providing healthcare services, we may also collect sensitive and health information including:
- Medical and health history
- Current symptoms and conditions
- Previous injuries or treatments
- Medications
- Clinical examination findings
- Posture photographs or other clinical images
- X-rays, scans, reports and referrals
- Treatment notes and clinical records
- Information received from other healthcare practitioners with your consent or where otherwise permitted by law
We only collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide our services and operate our clinic.
3. How we collect information
We may collect information:
- Directly from you
- When you make an appointment
- When you complete a patient or consent form
- During consultations and treatment
- Through telephone, email or SMS communication
- Through our website and online booking system
- From another healthcare practitioner or organisation where you have authorised this or where permitted by law
- From insurers, Medicare, DVA or workers compensation organisations where relevant to your care or claim
4. How we use your information
We may use your personal and health information to:
- Provide chiropractic, physiotherapy and allied health services
- Assess and manage your healthcare needs
- Maintain your clinical records
- Arrange appointments and send appointment reminders
- Communicate with you regarding your care
- Process payments and health fund claims
- Communicate with other healthcare providers involved in your care
- Make referrals or request diagnostic imaging where appropriate
- Manage Medicare, DVA, workers compensation or insurance claims
- Meet our legal, professional and regulatory obligations
- Improve our services and clinic operations
- Respond to enquiries, feedback or complaints
We will not use your health information for unrelated purposes unless you have consented or the use is otherwise permitted or required by law.
5. Disclosure of your information
We may disclose your information where reasonably necessary to provide your care, including to:
- Healthcare practitioners involved in your treatment
- Diagnostic imaging providers
- Medical specialists and general practitioners
- Medicare, DVA, private health insurers or workers compensation organisations where applicable
- Practice management, booking, payment and IT service providers
- Professional advisers, including accountants, insurers or legal advisers where necessary
- Government, regulatory or law enforcement bodies where required by law
We take reasonable steps to ensure third-party service providers appropriately protect personal information.
6. Storage and security
Healthlink Care takes reasonable steps to protect personal and health information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Information may be stored electronically or in paper form.
Security measures may include:
- Password-protected systems
- Access controls
- Secure practice management software
- Secure data backups
- Locked storage where paper records are maintained
- Limiting access to authorised practitioners and staff
Clinical records are retained for the periods required under applicable legal and professional requirements.
7. Website and cookies
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as:
- IP address
- Browser type
- Device information
- Pages visited
- Time spent on the website
- Referring website or search engine
Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to help us understand how visitors use the website and improve its functionality.
You may be able to disable cookies through your browser settings, although this may affect some website functions.
8. Online bookings and third-party services
Healthlink Care may use third-party providers for services such as:
- Online appointment bookings
- Practice management
- Electronic payments
- SMS and email communications
- Website hosting
- Analytics
When using these services, your information may be processed by those providers in accordance with their own privacy and security practices.
Where reasonably practicable, Healthlink Care selects providers that maintain appropriate privacy and security safeguards.
9. Overseas disclosure
Some technology or service providers used by Healthlink Care may store or process information using servers located outside Australia.
Where overseas disclosure occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is handled appropriately and in accordance with applicable privacy obligations.
10. Accessing or correcting your information
You may request access to personal or health information we hold about you.
You may also ask us to correct information that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
In some circumstances, access may be limited or refused where permitted by law. If this occurs, we will generally explain the reason.
To request access or correction, please email:
healthlinkcare.reception@gmail.com
11. Privacy complaints
If you have concerns about how Healthlink Care has handled your personal or health information, please contact us first so we can investigate the matter.
Privacy enquiries and complaints can be sent to:
healthlinkcare.reception@gmail.com
We aim to respond to privacy concerns within a reasonable period.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also be able to contact:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
www.oaic.gov.au
or
Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC NSW)
www.ipc.nsw.gov.au
12. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, technology or legal obligations.
The latest version will be published on our website.
13. Contact us
Healthlink Care
Castle Hill, NSW
Website: www.healthlinkcare.com.au
Email: healthlinkcare.reception@gmail.com
For privacy enquiries, requests for access to information or complaints, please contact us using the email address above.