Privacy policy

About this policy

Lakeview Eyecare (Robert McQualter Pty Ltd, ABN 49 126 850 851) ("we", "us", "our") is an independent optometry practice at Shop 18, 102–114 Gladesville Boulevard, Patterson Lakes VIC 3197.

We take your privacy seriously. As a health service provider we must follow the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles, and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), including the Health Privacy Principles. This policy explains how we handle the personal information of our patients, parents and guardians, and people who use our website.

What information we collect

We only collect information we need to look after your eyes and run the practice. This may include:

• Personal details: name, date of birth, address, phone, email, Medicare and health fund details, and details of a parent, guardian or emergency contact.
• Health information: your eye health and vision history, examination and test results (including images such as retinal photographs, OCT scans and visual field results), prescriptions, general health, medications and family history. For children's vision assessments this can include development, learning and school information.
• Other health providers: the name and details of your GP or anyone who referred you.
• Purchases: what you've bought from us and payment records. We don't keep full card numbers.
• Website information: what you send us through our online forms, and basic technical information such as your IP address and browser type.

Health information is "sensitive information" under privacy law, and we only collect it with your consent or where the law allows. You can make a general enquiry without giving your name, but we can't provide eye care without identifying you.

How we collect it

• From you directly: in person, by phone or email, when you book an appointment, and through our forms and questionnaires (paper and online).
• From a parent or guardian, when the patient is a child.
• From the tests and equipment used during your examination.
• From other people with your consent, or where the law allows, such as your GP, a referring practitioner, Medicare or your health fund.

Why we collect and use it

• To examine, diagnose and treat your eyes, prescribe and fit glasses and contact lenses (including orthokeratology), and order your eyewear.
• To manage appointments and send reminders and recall notices.
• To process payments, Medicare claims and health fund claims.
• To answer your enquiries and fill your orders.
• To meet our professional, legal and insurance obligations, and to keep improving the quality and safety of our care.

We don't sell your personal information.

Who we share it with

We only share your information when it's needed for your care, for a purpose you'd reasonably expect, with your consent, or where the law requires or allows it. This may include:

• Other health professionals involved in your care, such as your GP or an ophthalmologist.
• Medicare (Services Australia) and your health fund, to process claims, including on-the-spot health fund claiming.
• Optical laboratories and suppliers, who need your prescription and measurements to make your glasses or contact lenses.
• Service providers who help us run the practice, such as our practice management software, appointment booking and reminder system, email and SMS services, IT support, and our online shop and payment provider. They may only use your information to provide their service to us.
• Others where the law requires or allows it, for example a court order, or to lessen a serious threat to someone's health or safety.

Medicare numbers

We use your Medicare number only to claim Medicare benefits for you and to identify you to Medicare. We don't use it as our own patient identifier or disclose it for any other purpose.

Children

For children, we usually collect information from a parent or guardian, who can also ask to see or correct it. As children get older, we may also talk with them directly about their care and their privacy.

Our website

Online forms

You can use forms on our website, for example to contact us, order contact lenses or complete a patient questionnaire. What you submit is emailed to the practice, and the website itself doesn't keep a copy. Some forms ask for health information or let you attach documents, and we treat everything you send with the same care as your patient records.

Our website is hosted in Australia, and all pages use an encrypted (HTTPS) connection.

Cookies

Our own pages only use a cookie on our forms, to protect them from spam and misuse. We don't use analytics or advertising tracking.

Services from other companies

Some features of our website, such as online booking and chat, our online shop, videos and maps, are provided by other companies. They may collect information and set their own cookies under their own privacy policies. Our online booking and appointment reminder system keeps your details in Australia.

Our website also links to other websites. We aren't responsible for their privacy practices.

Overseas disclosure

Some of the providers we use for email, website features and our online shop store or process information outside Australia, mainly in the United States and Canada. We choose reputable providers and take reasonable steps to make sure they protect your information. Your patient records stay in Australia: they are kept on our own systems at the practice and backed up only to servers in Australia.

How we store and protect it

We keep your information in secure electronic systems and, where we have paper records, in secure locations at the practice. Access is limited to staff who need it, protected by passwords, and all our staff are bound by confidentiality. Our records are backed up regularly to secure servers in Australia.

We keep health records for at least as long as the law requires: at least 7 years after your last visit, and for information collected while a patient was under 18, at least until they turn 25. We usually keep electronic records beyond these minimum periods. Once a minimum period has passed, we may securely destroy or de-identify records.

Data breaches

If a data breach is likely to cause serious harm to anyone, we'll notify the people affected and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as required by the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

Accessing and correcting your information

You can ask to see or get a copy of the information we hold about you. Ask at reception, by phone or by email. We'll need to confirm your identity, and we'll respond within 30 days. Making a request is free. If preparing copies takes a lot of time, we may charge a reasonable fee, and we'll tell you the cost first. If we can't give you access, we'll explain why in writing.

If you think something we hold is wrong, out of date or incomplete, tell us and we'll correct it. If we don't agree a change is needed, you can ask us to add a note to your record with your view.

Reminders and marketing

Appointment reminders and recall notices are part of your care. We send reminders by SMS or email, and recall notices by SMS, email or post. We ask every patient for permission before sending newsletters or special offers, and you can opt out at any time by replying STOP, using the unsubscribe link, or contacting us.

Complaints

If you're concerned about how we've handled your information, please contact our Privacy Officer (details below). We'll acknowledge your complaint within 7 days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you're not satisfied with our response, you can contact:

• the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: oaic.gov.au, 1300 363 992
• the Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria): hcc.vic.gov.au, 1300 582 113

Contact us

Privacy Officer: Robert McQualter
Lakeview Eyecare, Shop 18, 102–114 Gladesville Boulevard, Patterson Lakes VIC 3197
Phone: (03) 9772 9255
Email: reception@lakevieweyecare.com.au

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version is always on this page, with the date it was last updated.