I noticed this last week – and while appreciating the honesty – I was amazed at the level of ‘information scatter’!
What happens to my health information?
When you become a patient of Barwon Health, a record is created containing your name, address, contact details and other information such as the nature of the problem for which you are seeking treatment and the treatment or advice you were given.
Every time you attend Barwon Health as a patient, new information is added to your record. Your record may also be included on Barwon Health clinical databases, where necessary, for your treatment or ongoing care. Barwon Health may also collect information about you from other health services as necessary (pathology results and other relevant clinical referral information) and this information will be added to your record.
Barwon Health is subject to privacy legislation including the Health Services Act 1988 (VIC), and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (VIC).
Why is it important to collect your information?
This information helps healthcare professionals involved in your care with treating you safely and effectively.
What information do we collect?
The information we collect for your record
- Your name, address and contact details, and the contact details of your emergency contact person
- The name of your general practitioner
- Your medical history
- Your medications
- The health problems for which you are seeking advice and treatment
- The plan for your care and management of your health problems
Information that comes from other sources that we add to your record
- Pathology and radiology (test) results
- Referral letters from other health service providers
- Information about your care if you have been transferred from another health service
How is my health information protected and who has access to it?
Your health information is securely stored in both paper and electronic formats, aligned with Victorian privacy legislation. Only authorised personnel have access to the information.
Information stored within Barwon Health’s computer systems is password protected and Barwon Health complies with the international standard for security of information management systems (ISO 27001 – Information Security Management Systems).
Who is your information shared with?
Information we share with others to provide continuity of care
- When you have been admitted to Barwon Health, Barwon Health will send a ‘discharge summary’ to your General Practitioner when you are discharged from hospital. This letter summarises your stay at the hospital, your medication and any special instructions for your doctor.
- Barwon Health will write back to specialists or services who referred you to Barwon Health advising of the treatment you have had.
- Barwon Health is linked with the Commonwealth My Health Record and electronically sends your discharge summaries, pathology results and medications information to My Health Record if you have a registered My Health Record. From 1 February 2019, a My Health Record was created for every eligible Australian who chose not to opt-out by the deadline of 31 January 2019. You can visit myhealthrecord.gov.au or call 1800 723 471 to find out more.
Information we are legally obliged to provide to others
We may also provide information about you to an entity or person outside Barwon Health where Barwon Health is required by law to do so, such as:
- A court or tribunal if your medical record is the subject of a subpoena or summons
- Reporting notifiable diseases to the Victorian Department of Health
- A prescribed Information Sharing Entity or a prescribed Risk Assessment Entity under the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic).
Who else receives information about you?
- Research: Barwon Health is actively involved in clinical research and may share your information with researchers for studies that have been approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee. Also, as a Barwon Health patient you may be asked if you want to participate in research. It is your choice as to whether you want to be involved in research studies. The use of patient information, data or tissue is carefully monitored and must comply with national guidelines and legislation. If you have further questions, you can contact REGI (the Research Ethics, Governance and Integrity Unit) on (03) 4215 3371.
- Barwon Health Foundation: The Barwon Health Foundation raises money for the health service, to help us provide the best possible health care to our community. Barwon Health may provide your demographic information to BH Foundation to be used for contacting you about the hospital’s fundraising work, including asking for a donation. It is your choice as to whether you want to support the Barwon Health Foundation and you can contact The Barwon Health Foundation on (03) 4215 8900 if you do not wish to do so.
- Clinical Registries: Your information may be provided to professional groups.
- Department of Health: Any patient aged 16 and over who has been a patient of a Victorian public hospital has the potential to be randomly selected to participate in the Victorian Healthcare Experience Survey (VHES). If you are selected to participate, you will receive the survey by email or post. It is your choice as to whether you want to complete the survey. For more information click here.
More information
How can I access my health information?
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) you have the right to request access to your medical record and personal information held by Barwon Health. If there is information in the record that is incorrect or you do not agree with, you can request for it to be to be amended under the Freedom of Information Act.
To make a request contact:
Freedom of Information Office, Barwon Health
Phone: (03) 4215 1168
Email: freedom.ofinformation@barwonhealth.org.au
A fee is charged for Freedom of Information requests and certain exemptions from disclosure may apply.
For more information, click here.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 12 May 2021
Here is the link:
https://www.barwonhealth.org.au/patients-visitors/your-rights/what-happens-to-my-health-information
So once in you can see everyone from Fund Raisers to the #myHealthRecord seems to want a suck on the souvlaki and just where is the various bits end up is any-one’s guess.
It is not clear just how much say the random patient is or can be in control of this scatter!
I am sure this is the same – with minor variations – all over the country.
At the very least we should all be aware of what goes on and, when consulting a clinician on more sensitive matters that you may desire are kept private – aim to go private if that makes sense for you!
I note there are some exceptions to this in some States - e.g. in public STI and Drug and Alcohol clinics.
Do you think this is just the ‘price of admission’ or should we have a little more control?
David.
There is only one question: "Do you trust a commercial enterprise with your health data?"
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, do you trust governments?
In fact do you know what governments are up to with your health data?
What with PHN sucking up shed loads from GPs in Australia and the NHS in the UK planning to extract everybody's health records from GP systems and update them each time a patient visits them.
This is what the NHS says:
https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/improved%E2%80%AFcollection-of%E2%80%AFgp-data%E2%80%AFlaunched
Follow @medConfidential on twitter to keep up with the dispute.
IMHO, governments have dug themselves a big hole. People don't trust them these days so they try to do things quietly. This makes people suspicious and trust sinks even lower.
Some of the things they want to do are probably very reasonable, but the millstone they have round their necks get in the way. Ever tried getting out of a hole with a millstone round your neck?
There is a very real lack of understanding of the responsibility in handling data. This in my experience is especially true with PHN’s. data handling and information security awareness is next to zero.
ReplyDeleteI do hope someone is keeping a note of all the bad press the Health Department is getting these days;
ReplyDeleteApart from the exaggerated claims last year that it had "secured" well over 100million doses of several vaccines, then had a shortage,
There's the failure to properly vaccinate those in Aged Care
The mess that is the NDIS
The slow uptake because of vaccine hesitancy
The criticism about a lack of good awareness campaign, leading to hairdressers refusing to deal with people who have had a COVID vaccine.
https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/gold-coast-hair-salon-refuses-service-to-customers-who-have-covid-19-vaccine-c-2878833
Even Dr Swan was in criticism mood on today's Coronacast
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/coronacast/your-amazing-ideas-to-get-australia-vaccinated/13351030
and yeterday's
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/coronacast/your-amazing-ideas-to-get-australia-vaccinated/13351030
News items like this
Australia’s private health insurance industry in a ‘death spiral’, report says
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/20/australias-private-health-insurance-industry-in-a-death-spiral-report-says
and this:
Doctors warn emergency department crisis must be addressed
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/doctors-warn-emergency-department-crisis-must-be-addressed/13351730
where one of the major complaints is a fragmented health system because of the separations between Federal and state and private health care delivery.
The Federal Department of Health is showing itself to be unfit for purpose.
Something like a My Hazard Record
ReplyDeleteG. CarterMay 20, 2021 9:31 AM - you may have sunk an assumption of mine. Are you saying PHN’s whom we now collect, store and use information up to and including sensitive level are not ISO 27001 certified? I would assume this would be mandatory for entities such as those.
ReplyDelete