Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Victorian Specialist Surgery Clinic (we, us, our) is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information. We handle all personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your information, and how you can access or correct it.

This policy applies to all personal information collected through this website (www.vicssc.com.au), our Patient Registration Form, our consulting rooms, and any communications with our practice.

What Information We Collect

We collect personal and health information necessary to provide safe and appropriate surgical and medical care. This may include:

Personal information:

• Full name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email address
• Medicare number, DVA number, private health insurance details
• Next of kin and emergency contact details

Health information (sensitive information):

• Medical history, current medications, and allergies
• Referral letters from your GP or specialist
• Results of blood tests, imaging, and investigations
• Clinical notes, operation reports, and correspondence from other treating healthcare providers
• Information discussed during your consultations, including information recorded using AI‑assisted transcription software (see below)

How We Collect Your Information

We collect your information:

• Directly from you — through our Patient Registration Form, during consultations, by telephone, email, or fax
• From your referring GP or specialist — via referral letters, clinical notes, or secure messaging (HealthLink)
• From other healthcare providers involved in your care (e.g., hospitals, anaesthetists, pathology providers)

Where possible, we collect information directly from you.

Use of AI‑Assisted Transcription

With your written consent (obtained via our Patient Registration Form), we may use AI‑assisted software during your consultations to record and transcribe the conversation. This allows your clinician to focus fully on your care.

Key facts about this process:

• All transcriptions are reviewed and verified by your clinician before being added to your official medical record
• Transcription data is securely stored and accessible only to authorised personnel of this practice
• Your data will NOT be used to train AI models, will NOT be sold, and will NOT be used for any marketing purpose
• All data is stored in accordance with Australian data security standards
• [INSERT AI VENDOR NAME — e.g., "We use [Vendor Name], whose servers are located in [Australia/specify country]. Data is stored for [insert retention period] before being securely deleted."]
• You may withdraw consent to AI transcription at any time without affecting the quality of your care

Why We Use Your Information

We use your personal and health information to:

• Provide surgical consultations, procedures, and follow‑up care
• Communicate with your referring GP and other treating healthcare providers
• Prepare clinical correspondence and procedure reports
• Process billing through Medicare, DVA, private health insurers, TAC, or WorkCover
• Comply with our legal and professional obligations
• Ensure the safety and continuity of your care

Disclosure of Your Information

We may share your information with:

• Your referring GP, specialist, or other treating healthcare providers involved in your care
• Hospitals and day surgery facilities where procedures are performed
• Anaesthetists and other procedural team members
• Pathology and radiology providers
• Medicare Australia, private health insurers, DVA, TAC, or WorkCover (for billing and claims purposes)
• Our secure AI transcription software provider (with your written consent)

We do NOT disclose your information to:

• Third parties for marketing, advertising, or commercial purposes
• Overseas parties, except where your AI‑assisted transcription provider’s servers are located outside Australia [update this clause once vendor is confirmed]

We will only disclose your information beyond the above in circumstances required or permitted by law.

How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal and health information seriously. Our security measures include:

• Secure electronic records with access controls and password protection
• Encrypted email communication for sensitive health information
• Secure messaging via HealthLink for clinical correspondence
• Secure fax and email for referral receipt and clinical correspondence
• Physical security measures at our consulting rooms
• Staff training in privacy obligations

Your information is retained for the period required by law. In Victoria, adult patient records are generally retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last entry (or until age 25 for records relating to a person who was a minor at the time of treatment). Records are securely destroyed after this period.

Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, and to request corrections if it is inaccurate, out‑of‑date, or incomplete.

To make a request:

• Email: reception@vicssc.com.au
• Phone: 03 7040 8170
• Fax: 03 7040 8171

We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe (generally 30 days). We may ask you to verify your identity before providing access to your records. In certain circumstances, access may be declined — for example, where providing access would pose a serious threat to the life or health of another person. If we decline your request, we will provide written reasons.

Website & Cookies

Our website (www.vicssc.com.au) may collect limited, non‑identifiable technical data such as browser type, pages visited, and visit duration through standard website analytics. We do not use this data to personally identify you.

Our website may use cookies (small data files stored on your device) to improve site functionality. You may disable cookies through your browser settings; however, this may affect your experience of some website features.

Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy or the Australian Privacy Principles, you are encouraged to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve your concern:

• Email: reception@vicssc.com.au
• Phone: 03 7040 8170

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

• Website: www.oaic.gov.au
• Phone: 1300 363 992

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal obligations. The current version will always be available on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact our rooms: