Payment & Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
1. Respecting your privacy
Terrace Eye Centre is committed to compliance with the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APP) which apply equally to paper based and digital environments which set out standards for the management of personal information. This policy outlines our personal information management practices. Specifically:
· the kinds of personal information we collect and hold;
· how we collect and hold it;
· the purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose it;
· your right to access and seek correction of it; and
· how you may complain about privacy matters.
There are some matters to which this policy does not apply. These are referred to below (see clause 7 below).
2. What kinds of personal information do we collect and hold?
The personal information we collect and hold is what is reasonably necessary for our business functions and activities. When we collect and hold personal information, it is of the following kinds:
· your personal details such as your name, addresses, telephone numbers, age and gender;
· Medicare number (where available) (for identification and claim purposes);
· Health fund details (as applicable);
· medical information, including medical history, medications, allergies, health history and and other risk factors.
· Accounting records such invoices issued and payments received
3. How do we collect and hold personal information?
Collection of personal information: When we collect personal information about you, we do so by making a record of it. We do this:
· When a booking for a consultation or any procedure is taken;
· During the course of providing medical services; and
· From a patients guardian or responsible person or from any other healthcare specialist.
We take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
Holding of personal information: Personal information we hold is generally stored in computer systems. These may be operated by us or by our service providers. In all cases, we have rigorous information security requirements aimed at eliminating risks of unauthorised access to, and loss, misuse or wrongful alteration of, personal information. Hard copy documents may also be stored on the premises and occasionally may temporarily be taken to other facilities by ophthalmologists. All hardcopies are professionally destroyed.
4. Why do we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information?
When we collect, hold and use your personal information, we do so primarily for providing medical services and for claims and payments. This includes sharing information with other health care providers such as your referring practitioner. Your consent for the financial and privacy obligations are required otherwise treatment will be denied. Some disclosure may occur to third parties engaged by us, such as accreditation or for the provision of information technology. All our third party affiliates are subject to the APP standards.
We will not disclose personal information we collect for purposes other than providing medical services and debt collection.
We may collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information for other purposes which are within reasonable expectations or where permitted by law.
Terrace Eye Centre will not use any personal information in relation to direct marketing to a patient without that patients express consent. Patients may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying the privacy officer by letter or email, (see below).
5. How can you enquire about, access and correct your personal information?
If you wish to access your personal information or have an enquiry about privacy, please contact our Privacy Officer at: [email protected] or by calling us on 07 3831 0101.
Alternatively, you can write to us at: Privacy Officer, Terrace Eye Centre, Level 2, 87 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane Qld 4000.
Before we provide you with access to your personal information we may require some proof of identity. We may charge a reasonable fee for giving access to your personal information if your request requires substantial effort on our part.
Correction: If you need to correct your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer at one of the above contact points.
6. How can you complain about our management of personal information?
If you wish to complain about a breach of the privacy rules that bind us, you may contact our Privacy Officer at one of the above contact points. We may ask you to put your complaint in writing and to provide details about it.
We may discuss your complaint with our personnel and our service providers and others as appropriate.
Our Privacy Officer will investigate the matter and attempt to resolve it in a timely way.
Our Privacy Officer will inform you in writing about the outcome of the investigation. If our Privacy Officer does not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction and no other complaint resolution procedures are agreed or required by law, our Privacy Officer will inform you that your complaint may be referred to the OIAC for further investigation and will provide you with the Commissioners contact details.
7. Other privacy terms and limits of this policy
It is our policy not to share personal information overseas, however service providers from other countries that request your information such as your health fund, will be done in a way which requires observance of strict privacy and security standards.
You generally do not have the option of not identifying yourself by way of anonymity or of using a pseudonym when dealing with us as this is impractical (for example , Medicare) or where the law or a court order provides otherwise. If a health situation exists, information can be collected of the purpose of APP 3, the collection of solicited information.
We have separate policies concerning our employees – this policy does not apply to the personal information of our employees in their capacity as such, however all new employees are trained in the APP’s.
8. IT statement
When you visit our websites, social media pages or mobile applications we may collect information about you using technology which is not apparent to you.
We may provide links to third party websites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices employed by third party websites that are linked from our website.
Some of the security measures used to protect against unauthorised access to our systems and date are: Firewalls, Anti-Virus, transit data encryption, training, security updates, Network monitoring and user access policies.
More information
This privacy policy is current at the date below. We may change it periodically. If we propose to change this policy, we will display at least 2 week’s prior notice of the change on www.terraceeyecentre.com.au
More information about privacy law and privacy principles is available from the OAIC. The OAIC may be contacted at www.oaic.gov.au (email – [email protected]) (Australia).
Last update of this policy: March 2021 Reviewed: March 2023
Methods of Payments
Payment of accounts can be made by EFTPOS or credit card.
- We accept Mastercard, Bankcard, Visa Card or EFTPOS.
- American Express and Diners Club card are not accepted.
- Cash should not be sent via the mail and is not a preferred payment method.
- Cheques should be made payable to the doctor.
- Same day bank account transfers (direct credits) are accepted.
Payment policies for Consultations & Treatments
Payment of fees for consultations and treatment provided at the time of the consultation is payable on the day of the service. If you are unable to pay on the day of service, you should discuss your options with the doctor’s secretary at the time of arrival.
Accounts for surgery fees will normally be handed to the patient on arrival for their first post-operative appointment or they will be mailed within a few days of the surgery. Payment for surgery should be made as soon as the account is received or the account should be forwarded to Medicare or your private health fund without delay. On the receipt of the Medicare or private health fund benefits, patients should forward them to Terrace Eye Centre immediately, together with any “gap” payment payable.