Fees are payable upon consultation. For current fees please enquire at time of booking.
Collection
The practice will need to collect personal information, such as:
- Name, address, date of birth and contact details
- Medicare card, where available, for identification and claiming payment from Medicare Pension card or healthcare card details DVA card details (Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Medical information including medical history, allergies, medications, immunisations, adverse events, family history, social history & risk factors
A patient’s information may be stored in the practice in various forms:
- Electronic records
- Visual images such as X-Rays, CT scans and Photos
The practice procedure for collecting and updating patient information is as follows:
Reception staff will ask all new patients to fill out a new patient registration form when they arrive for their first appointment. Frequenting patients will be asked to confirm their details such as, name, date of birth, address and contact details upon each visit to ensure the correct patient record is being added to the appointment list. Please advise reception if your details have changed or need updating.
During consultations the doctors or practice staff will collect further information such as medical history, medications, allergies, and adverse events.
Personal history may also be collected from the patient’s carer, guardian, or responsible person (where practicable & necessary) or from any other involved healthcare specialist.
The practice stores all personal information securely in either electronic or hard copy format. The practice takes steps to ensure all stored information is retained in a secure environment that is only accessible to doctors, practitioners & staff of the practice. The practice has strict backup procedures in place to ensure security for patient’s data at all times.
Test Results
It is the policy of the Armidale Specialist Centre that results are not given out over the phone.
Our practice prefers to address all health issues in person and therefore results can only be obtained in a consultation.
Your doctor will advise when results are expected to arrive at the practice. In the event of clinically significant results, you will be contacted as soon as possible to make a follow up appointment to discuss the results with your doctor.
Please ensure that you advise reception to any change to your contact details.
Privacy
When speaking to staff over the phone, for privacy reasons, we will ask for specific details such as name, address and date of birth to correctly identify you. Correct patient identification ensures we deliver the correct treatment, care & results specific to you.
We are committed to provide our patients with high quality healthcare and to achieve this it is essential that we have an up to date and accurate health record.
We require all new patients to submit a new patient registration form prior to their appointment.
Complaints
The practice takes complaints & concerns about the privacy of patient’s personal information very seriously.
Patients have the right to complain & where possible patients & others are encouraged to raise concerns directly with the Practice Manager or Director who are trained to make sure patients of the practice feel confident that any feedback or complaint made will be handles appropriately & within a timely manner.
All feedback received will be kept confidential at all times.
All complaints received are reviewed by Practice Manager Jodie Sauer. Any actions required to minimise the circumstances from happening again are documented and signed off on completion. We believe that most complaints can be responded to and resolved at the time the patient (or other people) such as carer, relative or friend makes the complaint known to the practice. The practice will acknowledge the complaint as soon as possible once received.
The practice will respond and seek to resolve any complaints received within 30 days. If a resolution of the matter is to take longer than 30 days, an update of the resolution activities will be provided to the patient, with an anticipated revised time frame for resolution.
Complaints can be submitted in writing addressed to jodie@armidalesc.com.au or by filling out a feedback form located in the contact section of this site. Alternatively, complaints can be submitted in writing directly to the practice.
If the matter cannot be resolved, the patient may wish to contact the NSW Health Complaints Commissioner.
Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC)
Telephone: (02) 9219 7444 / 1800 043 159 (Toll Free in NSW)
Web: www.hccc.nsw.gov.au
Use and Disclosure of Information
Personal information will only be used for the purpose of providing medical services and for claims and payments, unless otherwise consented to by the patient. If your doctor has referred you to a specialist, we may release information to the referred practice to help gather information regarding your health status. If you do not consent to this, please advise your doctor when being referred. Our clinic is committed to following patient confidentiality and safeguarding your personal information. We will not disclose your personal information to any other company until consent from the patient is obtained.
The practice will not disclose personal information to any third party other than in the course of providing medical services, without full disclosure to the patient other than in the course of providing medical services, without full disclosure to the patient or the recipient, the reason for the patient information transfer and full consent from the patient.
The practice will not disclose personal information to anyone outside Australia without need (i.e. in the case if overseas medical emergencies) and without patient consent.
Exceptions to disclose personal information without patient consent are where the information is:
- Required by law
Necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent.
By appointment only
Referral from your GP is required.
The team at the Armidale Specialist Centre is dedicated to providing the highest quality specialist services to our community.
Please contact us on (02) 6771 2618 during our opening hours.