Privacy Policy

Introduction

Nicola (Nikki) Cummings – Optimal Intake (“we” or “us”) is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (the Privacy Act) and the requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in Schedule 1 of the Privacy Act. Under APP 1, we are required to have a Privacy Policy about how we manage personal information and health information, as defined in the Privacy Act.

Nikki Cummings – Optimal Intake (ABN 41 853 660 996) is committed to providing quality dietetic services. This policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage, collect, and use your personal and health information. It also outlines the circumstances in which we may share this information with third parties.

A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles.

Personal Information is information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Personal information we collect includes:

• name
• address
• gender
• date of birth
• contact details
• email addresses
• phone number(s)

Sensitive Information is a subset of personal information and includes information or an opinion about your:

• racial or ethnic origin
• political opinions
• religious beliefs or affiliations
• philosophical beliefs
• sexual orientation
• health information
• genetic information
• social history
• family medical history
• Medicare number for identification and claiming purposes
• healthcare identifiers
• health fund details

Nikki Cummings will need to collect your personal information for the primary purpose of providing dietetic services to you.

Our primary purpose for collecting, using, holding, and sharing your personal information is to help us work with you toward better treatment outcomes.

We also use the data for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments.

Online Applications

Our online bookings and SMS reminders are facilitated through Halaxy. If you subscribe to this service, it’s necessary for Halaxy to access your personal details. For more information on their privacy and security policy please visit their website (www.halaxy.com).

Telehealth consultations are facilitated via Teams or Zoom. For more information on their privacy and security policy please visit the websites (https://zoom.us) or Teams (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/rooms/data-and-privacy-info).

Why and When Your Consent is Necessary

When you register as a patient of Nikki Cummings – Optimal Intake, you provide consent for us to access and use your personal information. This is so that you can be provided with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we’ll seek additional consent from you to do this.

Dealing With Us Anonymously

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym. This is unless it is impracticable for us to do so, or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

Collection of Personal Information

Nikki Cummings – Optimal Intake may collect your personal through a variety of channels including:

• During in-person consultation(s)
• During telehealth consultation(s)
• Via telephone, facsimile, email, or SMS
• Via our website (https://www.optimalintake.com.au)

When you make your first appointment, your personal and health information will be collected via the online registration form within Halaxy.

Whilst providing dietetic services, we may collect further personal information. Information can also be collected through multidisciplinary team arrangements (GP or Psychologist).

In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:

• Your guardian or responsible person
• Other involved healthcare providers, such as general practitioners, specialists, psychologists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services, and pathology and diagnostic imaging services.
• Your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (as necessary)

Disclosure of Personal Information

Your Personal Information may be disclosed in a few circumstances including the following:

• Third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure (e.g., agreed-upon healthcare providers), where required or authorised by law (e.g., court subpoenas)
• When it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety, or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent.
• To assist in locating a missing person.
• To establish or defend an equitable claim.
• For the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process.

Other than in the course of providing dietetic services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do not consent, you may opt-out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

Sensitive Information

Sensitive information will be used by us only:

• For the primary purpose for which it was obtained
• For a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose
• With your consent, or where required or authorised by law.

Security of Personal Information

Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored and kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.

Access to your Personal Information

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges that patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. We will respond within 30 days and may levy a charge for administrative fees. In order to protect your Personal Information, we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to the practice.

Privacy Policy Complaints and Enquiries

Please contact us if you have any queries or complaints about our Privacy Policy.

Policy Review Statement

This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it is in accordance with any legislative changes and best practices. We will publish it here on our website.