Privacy
Handbook For The Management Of Health Information In Private Medical Practice
The Handbook was published in November 2002. It was developed as a best practice model to assist medical practitioners in complying with their legal and ethical obligations in relation to the privacy and confidentiality of personal health information.
Introduction
Information regarding the health of individuals collected by medical practitioners and other health professionals has been treated as confidential for almost as long as the health professions have existed. These professional ethical constraints have been reinforced by common law determinations of the civil courts. In many countries, including Australia, law regarding privacy and confidentiality of information, including health information, has been codified in statute law. In Australia, information privacy in the Commonwealth public sector was codified in the Commonwealth Government Privacy Act 1988. The Act was extended to the private sector by amendments which came into force on 21 December 2001.
Similar legislation has been passed in the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria and is under consideration in New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
This Handbook has been developed in response to the extension of the privacy legislation to the private sector, to provide clear guidelines to medical practitioners in private practice regarding the management of health information in medical practice.
The Handbook has drawn on the RACGP Code of Practice for the Management of Health Information in General Practice, 1993; the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988; NHMRC Guidelines approved under Section 95A of the Privacy Act 1988; the Victoria, NSW and ACT legislation; and the NHMRC National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans.
In developing this Handbook the authors have taken a 'best practice' approach to the management of health information based on professionally accepted privacy, confidentiality and research ethics standards. As a result, in some areas, it is both more explicit and more stringent than any current legislation. In adopting this approach, it is recognised that the notion of best practice in relation to the management of health information is an evolving concept, particularly in the context of the new legislative framework. It is intended to review the Handbook once the new legislative requirements have been in force for a time.
Appendix A, Guidelines for security, storage and transfer of personal health information, lists minimum procedures that practices should establish, and also recommends additional procedures.
The Handbook has been developed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in collaboration with the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges and the General Practice Computing Group. A number of organisations including the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP) have commented on drafts of the Handbook and we thank them for their input.
Related files
Handbook For The Management Of Health Information In Private Medical Practice (404 Kb)
Supplement for Victorian Medical Practitioners (150Kb)
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