LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This website and affiliated newsletters provide general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this website, blog, newsletters, and in any linked Facebook and Instagram accounts, are not intended and should not be construed as personal medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, they should consult with a general practitioner or appropriate health care worker.
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this website or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 000 immediately.
The views expressed on this website and blog have no relation to those of any academic institution or practice with which the author is affiliated.
PRIVACY
Songbird Osteopathy is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. You are entitled to know what personal information is held about you; how and under what circumstances it may be disclosed; when consent is required for these purposes; and how it is stored. We will discuss these matters with you at the time your health information is collected while attending this practice.
This Privacy Policy applies to this website, as well as any data we may collect across partnered sites like Cliniko and Mailchimp.
By accessing our website, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and you consent to our collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.
LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
As part of our goal to promote health and wellbeing, we may provide links to other websites or applications. However, we are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by those websites or the information or content they contain. Therefore, this Privacy Policy does not apply to your use of a third-party website accessed by selecting a link via our website. We encourage our users to read the privacy statements of other websites before proceeding to use them.
INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect both “Non-Personal Information” and “Personal Information” about you. “Non-Personal Information” includes information that cannot be used to personally identify you, such as anonymous usage data, general demographic information we may collect, referring/exit pages and URLs, platform types, preferences you submit and preferences that are generated based on the data you submit and number of clicks.
“Personal Information” includes information that can be used to personally identify you, such as your name, address and email address. In addition, we may also track information provided to us by your browser or by our mobile application when you view or use the Service, such as the website you came from (known as the “referring URL”), the type of browser you use, the device from which you connected to the Service, the time and date of access, and other information that does not personally identify you. We use this information for, among other things, the operation of the Service, to maintain the quality of the Service, to provide general statistics regarding use of the Service and for other business purposes. We track this information using cookies, or small text files which include an anonymous unique identifier. Cookies are sent to a user’s browser from our servers and are stored on the user’s computer hard drive. Sending a cookie to a user’s browser enables us to collect Non-Personal Information about that user and keep a record of the user’s preferences when utilizing our services, both on an individual and aggregate basis. We may use both persistent and session cookies; persistent cookies remain on your computer after you close your session and until you delete them, while session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies can be removed by following your Internet browser help file directions. If you choose to disable cookies, some areas of the website may not work properly.
"Personal information" also includes Medical-specific Information recording during the consultation and any consultation notes written. We collect this information to make a medical diagnosis of your condition. Your health information is confidential and handled in accordance with the practice’s privacy policy and is consistent with Commonwealth and State/Territory law.
Relevant information relating to your presenting complaint will be recorded and stored on Cliniko, a patient management software. Such information is password-protected and kept secure for up to 7 years from your last consultation. Click here to see Cliniko's privacy policy. Any paper documents are shredded after uploading to Cliniko or stored safely for 7 years if a hard copy is still required.
Privacy laws apply to children as well as adults. Under the Privacy Guidelines, a child's right to privacy of their health information may at times restrict access by parents/guardians to that same information.
If you choose to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, you will be asked to opt in when filling in your contact details during a consultation. You will also get a welcome email from Mailchimp to confirm your subscription. Only your name and email address will be recorded and kept in a mailing list at Mailchimp. This information is password protected and secure according to Mailchimp's privacy policy.
For online or Telehealth appointments, no recording of the session is made. We use a video function inside of the Cliniko patient management software and it is secure. Click here to see Cliniko's privacy policy.
Financial information is processed through the Hicaps system but this information is not stored. Any online payments are done via Internet banking and governed by the privacy policy of your bank or your use of their website and applications.
HOW WE USE AND SHARE INFORMATION
Medical-specific Information: Osteopaths must keep clinical records. It is a government requirement, and information about your medical and family health history is needed to provide accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment. We will only seek information that is relevant to your health. This information is generally collected directly from you or otherwise with your consent. However, from time to time we may receive information from others (for example, X-ray images and referrals from other practitioners). When this occurs, we will wherever possible make sure you know we have received this information. Where necessary, we will obtain your consent on a case by case basis to share relevant medical information with another health professional to aid diagnosis or management.
Medical Information collected from you can include a verbal case history, examination and treatment notes, exercise plans, referral letters, diagnostic imaging and attendance certificates. This information is stored in the cloud on our patient management software Cliniko and is protected by 2 factor authentication.
Some information about you may be provided to Medicare or your private health insurer, if relevant, for billing and rebate purposes. This information generally does not include your detailed clinical records but may depend on the terms of your insurance policy. Generally, Worksafe and TAC require patients treated under those schemes to agree their health information can be shared with the scheme and its insurers.
There are circumstances where a health practitioner is legally required to disclose information. An example of this is a subpoena or other mandatory reporting requirements.
It is necessary for us to keep your health information for as long as is required by law (generally 7 years after your last consultation, but longer in some circumstances). We will inform you if we intend to transfer your clinical records to another osteopath or clinic, or if we sell or close this clinic.
Non-Personal Information: In general, we use Non-Personal Information to help us improve the website and customise the user experience. We also aggregate Non-Personal Information in order to track trends and analyse use patterns of the website. This information is collected and stored by Google Analytics.
HOW WE PROTECT INFORMATION
We implement reasonable precautions and follow industry best-practice in order to protect your Personal Information and ensure that such Personal Information is not accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed. We take every step to ensure that the Personal Information we collect is accurate and up to date. Please notify us of any relevant changes in your Personal Information so that we can update it accordingly.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING THE USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Medical-specific Information: You have the right to access your information. You may ask to view the information or ask for a copy of a part or of the whole record. You are not required to give reasons, but you may be asked to clarify the scope of the request. Often a request will need to be in writing. Access to some information may be limited in some circumstances, but in such an event we will advise you of the reasons. At your request, your health information held by this practice will be made available to another health service provider.
Personal Information: You have the right to prevent us from contacting you for marketing purposes at any time. When we send a promotional communication to a user via Mailchimp, the user can opt out of further promotional communications by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in each promotional e-mail.
Patients are automatically sent emails and SMS reminders of upcoming appointments. You have a right to opt out of these reminder emails or SMS at any time, please contact us at info@songbirdosteopathy.com.au to request a change.
OUR POLICIES TO HANDLE DATA & PRIVACY BREACHES
A data breach is where there has been an unauthorised access or loss of the Personal Information collected by us and this is likely to resort in serious harm to the individuals affected. If there is a data breach and your personal information collected is directly at risk, you will be notified within 72 hours of discovering the breach. You will be informed of what information is at risk and what action we are taking, or have taken, to rectify the breach. We are required by law to notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OIAC). There will be a review of internal procedures to prevent a recurrence.
HAVE SOME QUESTIONS?
If you have any concerns about the privacy of your information, please get in touch with us at info@songbirdosteopathy.com.au. If you are still dissatisfied, contact the OAIC or call 1300 363 992.
CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF USE
Songbird Osteopathy reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use at any time. If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will post these changes on this page so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it. Any such modifications become effective upon your continued access to and/or use of the Service five (5) days after we first post the changes on the website or otherwise provide you with notice of such modifications. It is your sole responsibility to check this website from time to time to view any such changes to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to any changes, if and when such changes may be made to this Privacy Policy, you can cease access to this website.
Last Updated: This Privacy Policy was last updated on Oct 24 2023.
This website and affiliated newsletters provide general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this website, blog, newsletters, and in any linked Facebook and Instagram accounts, are not intended and should not be construed as personal medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, they should consult with a general practitioner or appropriate health care worker.
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this website or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 000 immediately.
The views expressed on this website and blog have no relation to those of any academic institution or practice with which the author is affiliated.
PRIVACY
Songbird Osteopathy is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. You are entitled to know what personal information is held about you; how and under what circumstances it may be disclosed; when consent is required for these purposes; and how it is stored. We will discuss these matters with you at the time your health information is collected while attending this practice.
This Privacy Policy applies to this website, as well as any data we may collect across partnered sites like Cliniko and Mailchimp.
By accessing our website, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and you consent to our collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.
LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
As part of our goal to promote health and wellbeing, we may provide links to other websites or applications. However, we are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by those websites or the information or content they contain. Therefore, this Privacy Policy does not apply to your use of a third-party website accessed by selecting a link via our website. We encourage our users to read the privacy statements of other websites before proceeding to use them.
INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect both “Non-Personal Information” and “Personal Information” about you. “Non-Personal Information” includes information that cannot be used to personally identify you, such as anonymous usage data, general demographic information we may collect, referring/exit pages and URLs, platform types, preferences you submit and preferences that are generated based on the data you submit and number of clicks.
“Personal Information” includes information that can be used to personally identify you, such as your name, address and email address. In addition, we may also track information provided to us by your browser or by our mobile application when you view or use the Service, such as the website you came from (known as the “referring URL”), the type of browser you use, the device from which you connected to the Service, the time and date of access, and other information that does not personally identify you. We use this information for, among other things, the operation of the Service, to maintain the quality of the Service, to provide general statistics regarding use of the Service and for other business purposes. We track this information using cookies, or small text files which include an anonymous unique identifier. Cookies are sent to a user’s browser from our servers and are stored on the user’s computer hard drive. Sending a cookie to a user’s browser enables us to collect Non-Personal Information about that user and keep a record of the user’s preferences when utilizing our services, both on an individual and aggregate basis. We may use both persistent and session cookies; persistent cookies remain on your computer after you close your session and until you delete them, while session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies can be removed by following your Internet browser help file directions. If you choose to disable cookies, some areas of the website may not work properly.
"Personal information" also includes Medical-specific Information recording during the consultation and any consultation notes written. We collect this information to make a medical diagnosis of your condition. Your health information is confidential and handled in accordance with the practice’s privacy policy and is consistent with Commonwealth and State/Territory law.
Relevant information relating to your presenting complaint will be recorded and stored on Cliniko, a patient management software. Such information is password-protected and kept secure for up to 7 years from your last consultation. Click here to see Cliniko's privacy policy. Any paper documents are shredded after uploading to Cliniko or stored safely for 7 years if a hard copy is still required.
Privacy laws apply to children as well as adults. Under the Privacy Guidelines, a child's right to privacy of their health information may at times restrict access by parents/guardians to that same information.
If you choose to subscribe to our quarterly newsletter, you will be asked to opt in when filling in your contact details during a consultation. You will also get a welcome email from Mailchimp to confirm your subscription. Only your name and email address will be recorded and kept in a mailing list at Mailchimp. This information is password protected and secure according to Mailchimp's privacy policy.
For online or Telehealth appointments, no recording of the session is made. We use a video function inside of the Cliniko patient management software and it is secure. Click here to see Cliniko's privacy policy.
Financial information is processed through the Hicaps system but this information is not stored. Any online payments are done via Internet banking and governed by the privacy policy of your bank or your use of their website and applications.
HOW WE USE AND SHARE INFORMATION
Medical-specific Information: Osteopaths must keep clinical records. It is a government requirement, and information about your medical and family health history is needed to provide accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment. We will only seek information that is relevant to your health. This information is generally collected directly from you or otherwise with your consent. However, from time to time we may receive information from others (for example, X-ray images and referrals from other practitioners). When this occurs, we will wherever possible make sure you know we have received this information. Where necessary, we will obtain your consent on a case by case basis to share relevant medical information with another health professional to aid diagnosis or management.
Medical Information collected from you can include a verbal case history, examination and treatment notes, exercise plans, referral letters, diagnostic imaging and attendance certificates. This information is stored in the cloud on our patient management software Cliniko and is protected by 2 factor authentication.
Some information about you may be provided to Medicare or your private health insurer, if relevant, for billing and rebate purposes. This information generally does not include your detailed clinical records but may depend on the terms of your insurance policy. Generally, Worksafe and TAC require patients treated under those schemes to agree their health information can be shared with the scheme and its insurers.
There are circumstances where a health practitioner is legally required to disclose information. An example of this is a subpoena or other mandatory reporting requirements.
It is necessary for us to keep your health information for as long as is required by law (generally 7 years after your last consultation, but longer in some circumstances). We will inform you if we intend to transfer your clinical records to another osteopath or clinic, or if we sell or close this clinic.
Non-Personal Information: In general, we use Non-Personal Information to help us improve the website and customise the user experience. We also aggregate Non-Personal Information in order to track trends and analyse use patterns of the website. This information is collected and stored by Google Analytics.
HOW WE PROTECT INFORMATION
We implement reasonable precautions and follow industry best-practice in order to protect your Personal Information and ensure that such Personal Information is not accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed. We take every step to ensure that the Personal Information we collect is accurate and up to date. Please notify us of any relevant changes in your Personal Information so that we can update it accordingly.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING THE USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Medical-specific Information: You have the right to access your information. You may ask to view the information or ask for a copy of a part or of the whole record. You are not required to give reasons, but you may be asked to clarify the scope of the request. Often a request will need to be in writing. Access to some information may be limited in some circumstances, but in such an event we will advise you of the reasons. At your request, your health information held by this practice will be made available to another health service provider.
Personal Information: You have the right to prevent us from contacting you for marketing purposes at any time. When we send a promotional communication to a user via Mailchimp, the user can opt out of further promotional communications by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in each promotional e-mail.
Patients are automatically sent emails and SMS reminders of upcoming appointments. You have a right to opt out of these reminder emails or SMS at any time, please contact us at info@songbirdosteopathy.com.au to request a change.
OUR POLICIES TO HANDLE DATA & PRIVACY BREACHES
A data breach is where there has been an unauthorised access or loss of the Personal Information collected by us and this is likely to resort in serious harm to the individuals affected. If there is a data breach and your personal information collected is directly at risk, you will be notified within 72 hours of discovering the breach. You will be informed of what information is at risk and what action we are taking, or have taken, to rectify the breach. We are required by law to notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OIAC). There will be a review of internal procedures to prevent a recurrence.
HAVE SOME QUESTIONS?
If you have any concerns about the privacy of your information, please get in touch with us at info@songbirdosteopathy.com.au. If you are still dissatisfied, contact the OAIC or call 1300 363 992.
CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF USE
Songbird Osteopathy reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use at any time. If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will post these changes on this page so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it. Any such modifications become effective upon your continued access to and/or use of the Service five (5) days after we first post the changes on the website or otherwise provide you with notice of such modifications. It is your sole responsibility to check this website from time to time to view any such changes to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to any changes, if and when such changes may be made to this Privacy Policy, you can cease access to this website.
Last Updated: This Privacy Policy was last updated on Oct 24 2023.