Privacy Policy

Your Rights 

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When it comes to any health or personal information, you give us, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record 

• You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.

• We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

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Ask us to correct your medical record

• You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.

• We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

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Request confidential communications

• You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. 

• We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

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Ask us to limit what we use or share

• You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.

• If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

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Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information

• You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.

• We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

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Get a copy of this privacy notice

•  You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.

• We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

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File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

• You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us directly at: Wellness Advice Now naturopath@wellnessadvice.com.au

• If you feel your concerns were not taken seriously, you can file a complaint with my professional association, The Australian Traditional Medicine Society with whom I am a registered member (#13976). 

• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

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For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care

• Share information in a disaster relief situation 

• Include your information in a hospital directory

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission or agreed via tick box:

• Marketing purposes

• Sale of your information

• Most sharing of personal counselling notes

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If you are a subscriber and you change your mind, you can unsubscribe and you can tell us not to contact you again.

Uses and Disclosures

We will only use or share your personal and private information in the following ways.

If we are treating you :

We may use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.

Example: Writing to your disclosed doctor or another health practitioner working with you about your overall health condition with your permission.

In running our organization in a professional manner

We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services. 

Bill for your services

We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health insurers or other entities.

Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services. 

Compliance with the law

We may share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law..

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

• We can use or share health information about you:

• For workers’ compensation claims

• For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official

• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law

• For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Responsibilities

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• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected personal data and health information.

• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.

• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

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