Privacy Policy

This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions policy.

Introduction

  • Astoria Clinic has adopted this Privacy Policy in accordance with the APS Code of Ethics privacy laws.

  • This Policy specifies how Astoria Clinic handles Personal Information, which we collect to conduct our Services.

  • While delivering our Services and communicating with the public, Astoria Clinic may also collect information about Individuals who do not use our Services.

  • Capitalised words in this Policy are defined terms. Defined terms are explained at the end of this Policy.

Collecting information directly from people

Astoria Clinic collects Personal Information directly when an Individual:

  • contacts Astoria Clinic by telephone, fax, email, Facebook or any other form of communication;

  • gives Astoria Clinic his or her information in person, on paper, or in electronic form, including an online inquiry, a GP referral and new client intake form;

  • sends Astoria Clinic a message through SMS or a third-party app;

  • subscribes to our website;

  • Astoria Clinic also collects Personal Information directly when:

  • Astoria Clinic’s analytics service may log details about website visits; and

  • Astoria Clinic’s website places a cookie on an Individual’s device or store Individuals’ I.P. addresses.

Collecting information from third parties

With an Individual’s explicit permission, Astoria Clinic records and collects Personal Information about Individuals from third parties when:

  • psychologists manage records about an Individual using our Services;

  • third parties (such as medical doctors) give Astoria Clinic access to files containing Personal Information;

  • Astoria Clinic is given written or verbal information from a family member, teacher, medical practitioner or health practitioner, EAP, a referring agency, or any other referral source; and

  • parents and guardians provide information about their children or children in their care.

Types of information that Astoria Clinic collects and holds

Using processes described in this Policy, Astoria Clinic collects the following categories of Personal Information about Individuals:

  • Content – may include whatever Personal Information is included in the content Individuals share when using Astoria Clinic’s Services;

  • Identity Information – may include name, signature, date of birth, nationality, license & registration details, Medicare details, private health insurance member details, family details, employment details, educational information;

  • Contact Information – may include email address, social media profile, telephone & fax numbers, residential and postal addresses;

  • Internet Data – webpage views, IP address, referring web site addresses, browser type, operating system, domain name, access times and other data typically collected by analytics services like Google.

Sensitive information

Privacy laws categorise certain types of Personal Information as “sensitive information”, including information (that is also Personal Information) about an Individual’s:

  • racial or ethnic background;

  • political opinions;

  • religious beliefs or affiliations;

  • philosophical beliefs;

  • criminal activity or records; and/or

  • sexual orientation and/or practices;

  • as well as Health information about an Individual, including:

  • any information or opinion about the Individual’s health and mental health status, health services provided, or wishes regarding health care; and

  • information collected to provide, or in providing, a health service of any kind.

Astoria Clinic collects health information from Individuals in providing our Services. If Individuals disclose other sensitive information to psychologists, this may be included in records created by psychologists and sometimes managed by Astoria Clinic. Individual psychologists, not Astoria Clinic, take final responsibility for recording other sensitive information disclosed to them during appointments (i.e., case notes or other records). Astoria Clinic may step in to manage such information if psychologists cease to act in association with Astoria Clinic and/or their ethical requirements and may be required to hand over records to Astoria Clinic upon termination.

How ASTORIA CLINIC stores Personal Information

Astoria Clinic holds and stores Personal Information using:

  • Storage Services – third party data storage services including, but not limited to, Google email and apps, Healthkit (practice management software), and any other applications or software used for business operations;

  • Astoria Clinic Devices – devices, such as mobile phones, operated by contractors and employees of Astoria Clinic’s business; and

  • Paper Files – printed paper and files.

You may change your details at any time by advising us in person or in writing via email.

Security

Astoria Clinic will take reasonable precautions to protect Personal Information from unauthorised access. This includes measures to secure Astoria Clinic’s physical facilities and electronic networks. Astoria Clinic secures Personal Information that Astoria Clinic collects with requirements and agreements between Astoria Clinic and employees and contractors.

Astoria Clinic limits access to personal information to those with a valid and legitimate reason for using that information. Astoria Clinic information storage includes security measures such as passwords, pins, encryption, session expiries, SSL network encryption, SSL certificate and website transmission encryption, the use of reputable vendors (e.g., Google and Healthkit), two-factor authentication, and physical destruction of paper documents once electronically uploaded.

Deleting your information

Astoria Clinic will only delete Personal Information when considered appropriate under relevant state and national laws.  Astoria Clinic’s deletion process includes:

  • Astoria Clinic identifying all digital records relating to the individual and delete them from these digital storage media; and

  • Astoria Clinic identifying any paper records relating to the individual and shred these onsite or personally de-identify them.

Records relating to adult clients will be kept for seven years following the date of last contact and records regarding children are to be kept until the child attains the age of 25 years.

Astoria Clinic has certain obligations under Australian laws to retain some client information for a prescribed period of time (seven years or once the person turns 25, whichever occurs first).

Why data is held, used and disclosed

Astoria Clinic’s handling of Personal Information includes holding, using and sometimes sharing the Personal Information so that Astoria Clinic can:

  • facilitate the creation of appointments with psychologists;

  • manage records about Individuals’ appointments, psychological health and treatment;

  • offer surveys or questionnaires;

  • transact with Individuals and process payments;

  • facilitate Medicare and health insurance claims;

  • assess and improve their Services; and

  • provide secure access to their Services.

For more information on when Astoria Clinic shares Personal Information, see below.

Disclosing Personal Information

Astoria Clinic shares Personal Information with others in the following ways:

  • facilitating the sharing of information about inquiries, bookings, processing Medicare rebates, invoices and payments;

  • sharing information with other health practitioners, parents/guardians, teaching staff, governmental institutions including Medicare and private healthcare insurers; and

  • sharing information with administration staff and business service providers.

Information requests: Family court orders and parent plans

Astoria Clinic has a process for verifying the identify of any person requesting information in relation to a person under 18, if they are not the parent or caregiver that has initiated the engagement of our services.  Astoria Clinic need to verify that person’s right to access information about a child with written evidence, to ensure that we only share information with people who are appropriately authorised to access this information about a child.

Astoria Clinic’s requirements for processing information requests are:

  1. We need to receive copies of the following documents via email or post, from people that have not personally initiated the engagement of a child with our services, before we are able to communicate any information in relation to a person under 18 who is accessing our services:

  • A clear scanned copy of your driver’s license or passport so we have evidence of your identity;

  • A full copy of the family court order with your personal details as they appear on your proof of identity. Please indicate which section/s or clause/s describe accessing health information in relation to the child mentioned in the order;

  • A letter from you stating your full name, date of birth, the child’s name and date of birth, your relationship to the child, and that you wish to request a written summary of health information in relation to this child, as well as the purpose for this request. Please note, we only provide written summaries in response to these requests.

  1. This summary is not an assessment or a report, as we have a company policy to not provide assessments or reports for family court and custody related purposes.

  2. We are bound by our professional code of ethics to maintain confidentiality of the child and the parent who has engaged treatment from us. As such, the summary will not contain records or transcripts of information any parties have communicated in confidence. The overview will discuss the findings of any assessments conducted, interventions provided, and recommendations that the treating psychologist has made regarding the child.

Note: All information requests must meet the requirements stated above, and if they don’t, we will not be able to provide information in relation to any person under 18. Further emails or calls from anyone requesting information will not remove the need to follow the processes outlined above, and any such communications will be ignored or reported to authorities if they are persistent or harassing in any way.

Access to Personal Information

When Astoria Clinic uses the services of third party businesses in order to provide our Services, they may gain access to Astoria Clinic data, including Personal Information. Such third-party services may include:

  • Hosting – Cloud and web hosting services used by Astoria Clinic such as Google applications

  • Practice Management Software – Healthkit

  • Support – administration staff and contractors, IT support services, web and software development contractors;

  • Business analytics – Google Analytics

  • Payments – our nominated banking institution for EFTPOS transactions and the HiCaps payment system

  • Billing – private health insurers and Medicare

Astoria Clinic will only share Personal Information with these third parties to the extent necessary to perform their functions. These third parties typically have their own privacy and security policies. For more information about this, contact Astoria Clinic using the details listed below.

Contacting us

Individuals can contact Astoria Clinic if they want to access, correct or delete Personal Information, or lodge a complaint to Astoria Clinic by contacting Astoria Clinic Director and Privacy Officer via email: enquiries@astoriaclinic.com.au

Astoria Clinic reserves the right to refuse access or correction where reasonable grounds exist for doing so, such as when providing access would be unlawful or compromise the privacy of another person.

Complaints process

If Individuals have a complaint about privacy, they can contact Astoria Clinic using the email listed above. Astoria Clinic will respond to complaints in writing within a reasonable period (usually 10 business days from the day we receive an email).

Astoria Clinic will try to work with Individuals to resolve complaints entirely within 20 business days, although that period may be longer if it is reasonable to take longer given the nature of the complaint.

If Individuals are unsatisfied with our response, they may refer the complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (http://www.oaic.gov.au).

Amendment

Astoria Clinic may amend this Privacy Policy at our discretion. Individuals who continue to use our Services after receiving notice from Astoria Clinic of such an amendment, agree to be bound by the Privacy Policy as amended.

Definitions

Individual, Individuals – means a natural person, not a business entity or organisation.

Personal Information – means information about an Individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be established, from that information. This includes information like names, telephone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses.

Policy, Policies – means this document, drafted in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Astoria Clinic – means Astoria Clinic and its staff, associates and contractors.

Service, Services – means the following services:

  • managing inquiries from the public;

  • arranging appointments with psychologists, including face-to-face appointments, video-conferencing, telephone appointments, and work, home or school visits;

  • facilitating Medicare and private health insurance claims in relation to appointments;

  • facilitating payment for appointments; and

  • managing the documentation and records associated with appointments.