Your privacy

We collect information such as your name, address, contact details, information about your current and previous health conditions, medications and treatments. We also collect other information such as your Medicare number, the language you speak at home, contact details for your local doctor and any allergies that you may have.

The Women’s collects the health information needed to provide you with the best possible care and treatment. The Women's only collects personal health information necessary to perform our functions. Please let staff members know or contact us when your details, such as your address, telephone or local doctor, change.

We may also use your information for planning, evaluation, quality improvement, research that may include clinical research trials and teaching purposes. If this information is used in reports and publications we remove any data that may identify you.

If you are an inpatient, we may provide general information about your condition to your next of kin or a near relative. Let us know if you have any concerns about this.

After an emergency or outpatient visit or discharge from hospital, we prepare a summary of your visit, your medication needs and any special instructions about your care. This information will be provided to your local doctor or other community healthcare providers that you believe need this information.

Other hospitals or new doctors that you visit may contact the Women’s to obtain information about you so that they can provide treatment for you. We would ask for your written consent before we release information to them. In an emergency situation however, we will release information to facilitate your care.

In some circumstances the Women’s is required by law to release information. Some details about people who have specific conditions (for example, some infectious diseases and types of cancer) must be reported to databases or registers maintained securely by the Department of Health or other health care bodies. Information may also be provided to a court or tribunal when subpoenaed.

Certain information relating to your hospital visit may be forwarded to other organisations, such as the Department of Health and Human Services. This information is summarised and does not identify you. It is used for funding, planning and improving health care quality.

We may also be required to contact Medicare, your Private Health Insurance Company, Travel Insurance Company or the Department of Immigration to verify your eligibility for care as a new patient.

If you are registered with the Australian Government’s My Health Record, the Women’s may upload your discharge summaries and some pathology and radiology reports to My Health Record. If you do not wish to have these clinical documents uploaded, please let us know at the start of your visit.

You have the right to decide not to share your information or to restrict access to your record, however, it may affect our ability to provide you with the best possible care. Talk to us if you wish to limit access to all or part of the information we hold in your EMR.

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 sets out your right to access your medical record and personal information held by the Women’s. If you would like access to your Medical Record you can contact the Freedom of Information Officer. For more information, including application forms for Freedom of Information Requests and applicable fees, see Health Records Requests.

If you identify information that is incorrect or you do not agree with, you have the right to request that it be amended. This can be arranged through the Freedom of Information Officer.

The EMR also enables you to view some of your own health information through our shared patient portal called Health Hub. In most cases, you can view appointments, some test results, clinic notes and correspondence. Please note that not all departments provide these details. Information about Health Hub is available on our website.