Patient Information

Everything you need to know before visiting Eastwood Village Medical Practice. Whether you’re a new patient, booking an appointment, looking for information about fees and billing, or preparing for your visit, you’ll find helpful resources here to make your experience as smooth and convenient as possible.

What You Need to Know

Eastwood Village Medical Practice operates a mixed billing model. Billing arrangements may vary depending on your doctor and the type of consultation.

Some of our doctors offer bulk billing for eligible patients on weekdays, while most consultations are privately billed. On Saturdays, all consultations are privately billed, with the exception of children aged 18 years and under and adults aged 75 years and over, who remain eligible for bulk billing.

For patients without a valid Medicare card, or for services not covered by Medicare, consultation fees are payable at the time of your appointment.

As a cashless practice, we accept EFTPOS, HICAPS, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and secure HotDoc payments where available.

If you have any questions about our fees or are experiencing financial difficulty, please speak with our friendly reception team before your appointment. We are happy to discuss your options wherever possible.

Consultations are available by appointment. You can easily book online on HotDoc or call our friendly reception team to find a time that suits you.

We also offer a number of same-day appointments for patients with urgent medical needs.

Standard Consultations

Standard Consultations are usually 15 minutes, for 1 simple or minor issue such as repeat scripts and referrals, common cough and cold, general health check-up and etc.

Longer Consultations

Longer consultations are available for complex health issues, multiple concerns (more than 1 minor issue), GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP), or mental health care plans. Please let our reception team know if you need extra time.

Walk-Ins

While walk-ins may be accommodated when possible, booking ahead ensures you can see your preferred doctor at your preferred time.

Telehealth Consultations

Our doctors offer telehealth consultations. However, you will need to satisfy any of the following requirements:

  1. Registered for MyMedicare with us to satisfy the established clinical relationship requirement for telehealth consultations, OR

  2. Patients who are not registered for MyMedicare with us will continue to require a face-to-face visit in the previous 12 months with their GP and/or practice to be eligible for telehealth consultations.

We are delighted to welcome new patients to Eastwood Village Medical Practice. Whether you’re new to the area or looking for a trusted GP in Eastwood, our experienced team is committed to providing compassionate, personalised healthcare in a modern, supportive environment.

To help us provide you with the best possible care, we recommend arriving 10–15 minutes before your first appointment to complete a New Patient Registration Form, if you have not already completed it online.

Please bring the following to your first appointment:

  • A valid Medicare card (if applicable)
  • Photo identification (such as a driver’s licence or student card)
  • A list of your current medications, allergies, and any relevant medical information

For your safety and to ensure the highest standard of care, all new patients are required to attend their first appointment in person. This allows your doctor to review your medical history, understand your healthcare needs, and establish an ongoing doctor–patient relationship from the outset.

Transferring Your Medical Records

If you have previously been treated by another GP or medical practice, we can assist with transferring your medical records to Eastwood Village Medical Practice. Simply complete and sign our Medical Records Transfer Form, either at reception or through our secure online form before your appointment.

Once we receive your authorisation, we will contact your previous practice to arrange the secure transfer of your medical records. Having access to your health history helps us provide safe, informed, and continuous care from your very first visit.

We look forward to welcoming you and partnering with you on your healthcare journey.

Home visits may be available at the discretion of your treating doctor. Doctors may perform home visits when appropriate, and if time allows. However, they are generally restricted to those who are a regular patient of our doctors and are too frail or ill to get to the surgery. Please call reception on 02 9858 2277 to discuss any home visit need.

If you require after-hours care, please phone 13 74 25 (13 SICK HOME GP) and follow the instructions for the after-hours service. For all emergencies, please attend the closest Emergency Department at Ryde Hospital or call 000.

A contact list of translator and interpreter services and services for patients with a disability is readily available to our reception team. These include:

  • Auslan services 1300 AUSLAN

  • Translation and Interpreter Service (TIS) Doctors Priority Line 1300 131 450

If you require a translator or sign language interpreter, kindly inform one of our friendly Reception team to connect you to these services.

Cancellation Policy

At Eastwood Village Medical Practice, we understand that unexpected circumstances can arise. If you are unable to attend your appointment, we kindly ask that you let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the appointment to another patient who may be waiting for medical care.

Cancellation Notice

Please provide at least 4 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. This allows us to accommodate other patients and minimise delays in accessing healthcare.

Late Cancellations & Missed Appointments

Appointments cancelled with less than 4 hours’ notice, or appointments where a patient does not attend without notifying us, may incur a late cancellation or non-attendance fee.

Outstanding Fees

Any outstanding cancellation or non-attendance fee must be paid in full before a future appointment can be booked.

Why We Have This Policy

Every missed appointment represents an opportunity for another patient to receive timely medical care. By providing adequate notice, you help us make appointments available to others and enable us to continue delivering efficient, high-quality healthcare to our community.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and thank you for helping us care for all of our patients.

Routine Requests

Need a repeat prescription or specialist referral? Eligible existing patients can conveniently submit a Routine Requestonline through HotDoc without booking an appointment.

Routine Requests are suitable for eligible repeat prescriptions and referrals that do not require an immediate clinical review. Every request is carefully assessed by your regular GP and is subject to clinical approval.

Repeat Prescriptions

Request a repeat prescription for medications that have previously been prescribed by your regular GP.

Your doctor will review your request to determine whether it is clinically appropriate to issue a repeat prescription. If a consultation is required to ensure safe and appropriate care, your request may be declined and you will be asked to book an appointment.

Repeat Specialist Referrals

Request a repeat referral to your existing specialist or allied health provider if you are continuing your current treatment or follow-up care.

If your clinical circumstances have changed, or your GP determines that a review is required, you will be advised to book a consultation before a new referral can be issued.

Processing Time

Routine Requests are generally processed within 1–3 business days. To avoid interruptions to your care, please submit your request well before your medication runs out or your referral expires.

Important Information

  • No consultation is required to submit an eligible Routine Request.
  • Fees start from $30. Medicare rebates do not apply.
  • Available to eligible existing patients of Eastwood Village Medical Practice.
  • All requests are reviewed by your GP and are subject to clinical assessment and approval.
  • Submission of a Routine Request does not guarantee that a prescription or referral will be issued.
  • Routine Requests are not suitable for urgent medical needs. If your request is urgent, please contact the practice or book an appointment.
  • Certain medications, including Schedule 8 (controlled) medicines and medications requiring regular clinical review or monitoring, cannot be issued through a Routine Request and will require a consultation.

Routine Requests offer a convenient way to obtain eligible repeat prescriptions and specialist referrals online while ensuring your care remains safe, appropriate, and personalised.

Practice Policies

At Eastwood Village Medical Practice, we are committed to providing clear, respectful, and confidential communication with our patients. We encourage open communication and will always do our best to respond to your enquiries promptly while protecting your privacy and ensuring safe, high-quality healthcare.

Telephone Calls

Our reception team is available during practice hours to assist with appointments, general enquiries, and administrative requests. If your doctor is unavailable, a message will be taken and forwarded to them. Where appropriate, your doctor will return your call as soon as practicable. Urgent calls will always be prioritised.

Email Communication

Email should only be used for non-clinical and administrative enquiries, such as appointment requests, billing enquiries, or general practice information.

To ensure your safety, we do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment via email. If you require clinical advice or have concerns about your health, please book an appointment with your GP. Emails are not continuously monitored and should never be used for urgent or emergency medical matters.

SMS Communication

We may contact you by SMS to send appointment reminders, recalls, test result notifications, health reminders, or other important practice information. Please ensure we have your current mobile phone number so you can receive these communications.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Your personal and health information is handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. We take reasonable steps to protect your privacy and maintain the confidentiality of your health information.

Medical Emergencies

If you require urgent medical attention, please call Triple Zero (000) immediately or attend your nearest Emergency Department. Electronic communication, including email and SMS, should not be relied upon for urgent medical care.

Our goal is to provide timely, respectful, and secure communication while ensuring you receive safe, personalised healthcare.

For privacy and accuracy, test results are not provided over the phone by reception staff.

Your doctor will advise you on how to review your results, which may involve a follow-up appointment or telehealth consultation. Urgent or abnormal results will be followed up promptly by your GP.

At Eastwood Village Medical Practice, we are committed to preventive healthcare and helping our patients stay on top of their health. As part of this commitment, we operate a Recall and Reminder System to notify patients when they may be due for important health checks, screening tests, vaccinations, or follow-up appointments.

From time to time, you may receive a phone call, SMS, email, or letter from our practice reminding you about preventive healthcare services or recommended follow-up care relevant to your individual health needs.

Participation in our Recall and Reminder System is voluntary. If you prefer not to receive recall or reminder communications from our practice, please let your doctor or a member of our reception team know. We will update your preferences accordingly.

Our Recall and Reminder System is designed to support your ongoing health and wellbeing by encouraging timely preventive care and continuity of care.

Our practice abides by the ten National Privacy Principles and ensures personal health information is held in strict confidence and only available to members of staff and authorised individuals.
We take your privacy very seriously and for this reason we:

  • will not give out patient details or medical information over the phone or email
  • will not disclose medical information to your partner or other family member unless specifically agreed
  • will not disclose medical information of a child aged 14 or over to a parent unless specifically agreed

Please note that according to legislation and Medicare rules a child aged 14 or over may attend a GP alone and consent to normal medical treatment without the parents knowledge or consent.

Please advise our reception staff of any change of details as soon as possible. This is very important so we can contact you if necessary for any health-related matters.

We are always open to feedback from you about our service. We take your concerns, suggestions and complaints very seriously so that we can improve and become a better practice.

Please feel free to talk to your doctor or our receptionists. If you prefer to write to us, please email us at [email protected] or leave a note at the reception.. Our practice will endeavour to respond to any suggestions within 24 – 48hours of receipt.

However if you wish to take the matter further and feel that you need to discuss the matter outside of the surgery there are several options available including contacting the (a) The Medical Registration Board (b) AMA or (c) Health Care Complaints Commission. You may ask our staff to provide the details of these organisations, or refer to see online information: www.hccc.nsw.gov.au.

Eastwood Village Medical Practice Privacy Policy  

Current as of: 4 August 2025

Introduction

Our practice is committed to best practice in relation to the management of information we collect. This practice has developed a policy to protect patient privacy in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (‘the Privacy Act’).  Our policy is to inform you of:

  • the kinds of information that we collect and hold, which, as a medical practice, is likely to be ‘health information’ for the purposes of the Privacy Act;
  • how we collect and hold personal information;
  • the purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information;
  • how you may access your personal information and seek the correction of that information;
  • how you may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with such a complaint;
  • whether we are likely to disclose personal information to overseas recipients;
  1. When and why is your consent necessary? 

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

  1. Why do we collect, use, store, and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

  1. What personal information is collected? 

The information we will collect about you includes your:

  • names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
  • medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
  • Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
  • healthcare identifiers
  • health fund details
  1. Can you deal with us anonymously? 

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

  1. How is personal information collected? 

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

  1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
  2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. Information can also be collected through electronic transfer of prescriptions (eTP), My Health Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary, and deidentified information via the local primary health network as part of the Australian Government Quality Improvement Practice Incentive Program.
  3. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.
  4. In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:
  • your guardian or responsible person
  • other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
  • your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).
  1. Various types of images may be collected and used, including:
  • CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purpose
  1. When, why and with whom do we share your personal information? 

We sometimes share your personal information:

  • with third parties for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
  • with other healthcare providers (e.g. In referral letters)
  • when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
  • when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
  • to assist in locating a missing person
  • to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
  • for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
  • When it is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
  • When it is provision of medical services, through electronic prescribing, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

Only people who need to access your personal information will be able to do so. Other than providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, the practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We do not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

  1. Will your information be used for marketing purposes?

The practice will not use your personal information for marketing any goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying the practice in writing.

  1. How is your information used to improve services?  

The practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services offered to patients through research, analysis of patient data for quality improvement and for training activities with the practice team

We may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. If we provide this information to other organisations patients cannot be identified from the information we share, the information is secure and is stored within Australia. You can let reception staff know if you do not want your de-identified information included.

  1. How are document automation technologies used? 

Document automation is where systems use existing data to generate electronic documents relating to medical conditions and healthcare.

The practice uses document automation technologies to create documents such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information.

These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software, Best Practice.

All users of the medical software have their own unique user credentials and password and can only access information that is relevant to their role in the practice team.

The practice complies with the Australian privacy legislation and APPs to protect your information.

All data, both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance.

  1. How are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes used? 

Some independent practitioners in the practice uses an AI scribe tool to support GPs take notes during their consultations with you. The AI scribe uses an audio recording of your consultation to generate a clinical note for your health record. The practice AI scribe service is Heidi Health.

Heidi Health:

  • does not share information outside of Australia
  • destroys the audio file once the transcription is complete.
  • removes sensitive, personal identifying information as part of the transcription

The practice will only use data from our digital scribe service to provide healthcare to you.

The independent practitioner will seek patient consent at each consultation. The patient will be offered the option to decline the use of the AI scribe.

  1. How is your personal information stored and protected? 

Your personal information is stored as electronic records. Eastwood Village Medical Practice stores all personal information securely.

Our electronic format is securely backed up by our servers onsite.

Eastwood Village Medical Practice does not participate in saving real-time audio/visual recording, duplication, and storage of a consultation, including those via Telehealth or those conducted remotely. If this is required as case-by-case basis informed consent will be obtained prior to the consultation.

Our staff are trained and required to respect and protect your privacy. We take reasonable steps to protect information held from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. All staff and contractors have signed the confidentiality agreement.

  1. How can you access and correct your personal information at the practice? 

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

The independent practitioners and practice staff acknowledge patients may request access to their medical records. All requests from patients on accessing and correcting personal information must be put in writing via mail or email.  Please provide this to our receptionist, and the relevant independent practitioner(s)/practice will respond within a reasonable time (up to 30 working days). A fee of minimum $66 will apply for us to provide a hard copy of your records.

The practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. Sometimes, we will ask you to verify your personal information held by the practice is correct and current. You may request we correct or update your information. To do this please contact via phone or email to [email protected].

 

  1. How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at the practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with the resolution procedure.

Please mail or bring in a letter to: Eastwood Village Medical Practice. Attn: Practice Manager, Shop 2, 7 Rutledge Street Eastwood NSW 2122. Phone (02) 9858 2277, Fax (02) 9858 4326. We will aim for turnaround time of up to 30 days, where a written reply will be provided by the relevant independent practitioner and/or practice staff to address your complaint. Please write your reply address and contact phone number in your letter to facilitate this process. Alternatively, you may email to [email protected] with a title that includes Attn: Practice Manager.

If you do not feel we have resolved your issue, you may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will require you to give them time to respond before they investigate.  For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) on 1300 363 992.

  1. Policy review statement 

Our privacy policy is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with current obligations.

If any changes are made:

  • They will be reflected on the website.
  • Significant changes may be communicated directly to patients via email or other means.

Please check the policy periodically for updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Our practice has a zero tolerance policy for any form of aggressive or intimidating behaviour, verbal or physical.

Any person acting in an aggressive or intimidating manner in person will be asked to leave the premises immediately, or if this occurs over the phone, the phone call will be ended immediately.

Our practice may no longer continue to provide ongoing medical care to any person who engages in any form of aggressive or intimidating behaviour and their medical records will be transferred to another medical practitioner nominated by the patient.

For the Health and Well being of our Patients, the practice has a strict non-smoking policy. Smoking or vaping is not allowed within the practice or in the immediate vicinity. Your adherence to this policy would be appreciated.

Eastwood Village Medical Practice – AI Use Policy  

Current as of: 15 August 2025

Purpose

This policy outlines the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems at Eastwood Village Medical Practice (EVMP) by staff and independent contractors to meet the professional and legal obligations. AI tools are implemented to support clinical decision-making, streamline administrative tasks, and improve patient care — not to replace professional judgment.

Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All employed clinical and administrative staff
  • Independent contractors, including GPs, allied health professionals, and consultant
Types of AI used at EVMP

AI systems may be used in the following categories:

  • Generative AI (including AI Scribes):
    • Text-based systems (e.g., ChatGPT) for non-clinical writing, policy drafting, or summarisingde-identified clinical information
    • Voice-to-text or transcription tools that document patient encounters (AI Scribes)

Only approved systems that comply with Australian privacy law may be used.

Use of AI

– General Use Guidelines

  • AI must be used to assist, not replace, human judgment.
  • Any output from an AI system must be reviewed by the user before clinical or operational use.
  • Use is permitted only for purposes approved by EVMP, after careful review of that tool’s privacy approach, and only within the limits of the user’s professional role and training.
Use of Patient Data in AI systems
  • All use of patient data with or by AI tools must comply with:
    • EVMP’s Privacy Policy
    • The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
    • Any state-specific legislation related to health data

Patient identifiable information must not be entered into public or non-approved AI platforms.

Principles for Responsible AI Use

When using AI, EVMP aligns with the following principles, adapted from AHPRA and National Boards ethical frameworks:

A. Accountability

Staff and contractors must apply human judgement to any AI output and remain accountable for all decisions, actions, or documents generated with AI support. If using an AI scribe, the practitioner is responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, and clinical relevance of record before it is finalised.

B. Understanding

All users must understand the capabilities and limitations of the AI tools they use. At a minimum, users must:

  • Review the product information about an AI tool, including how it is trained, tested, intended use, limitations, and unsuitable clinical contexts.
  • Understand how data is stored, where it is located, and whether it is used to retrain the AI

C. Transparency

Patients must be made aware when AI is used in their care (e.g. AI scribes), and practitioners must be transparent in how AI informs clinical decisions, and explain how the AI works, including its data collection and use of personal information.

D. Informed Consent

If AI tools record, transcribe, or assist in patient documentation, informed consent must be obtained from patients before use. This is particularly important in AI models that record private consultations as there may be legal implications if consent is not obtained before recording. The AI scribe should include an explicit consent requirement as an initial step before proceeding.

E. Ethical and Legal Compliance

All AI use must comply with relevant medical, ethical, and legal obligations, including proper documentation, informed consent, and professional boundaries. Users must ensure patient confidentiality and privacy of patient as required by privacy and health record legislation, by confirming that any data collected, stored, used and disclosed meets legal requirements, and patient’s privacy is not inadvertently breached. Users need to be aware if patient data is used/recorded to train AI model for future patients, and whether any identifiable patient data is retained in the learning database.

Procedures to Ensure Compliance and Safety

Aligned with AHPRA’s five principles:

A. Accountability

  • Treat all AI scribe output as a draft and review it for accuracy during or immediately after the consultation.
  • Only clinical staff and contractors may access Heidi Health.
  • Each user must have their own account — shared logins are not permitted.

B. Understanding

Before an approved AI tool is used with patients, all staff and contractors must complete training covering:

  1. How AI scribes support patient care as a supplementary tool
  2. How the AI scribe records and transcribes consultations
  3. How the AI scribe complies with Australian privacy law, including:
    • How data is collected and stored
    • Whether data is de-identified
    • How long data is retained
    • Whether it is stored in Australia
  4. How to inform patients and obtain consent for AI use

C. Transparency and Informed Consent

Patients will be informed about AI use in their care through:

  1. An AI scribe use statement in the new patient registration form
  2. A signed consent form (paper or digital) before each consultation where AI is in use, with a copy saved to the patient’s file

D. Ethical and Legal Compliance

  1. All approved AI tools must comply with Australian privacy law, the EVMP Privacy Policy, and the Cyber Security Policy in force at the time.
  2. The Practice Manager or Practice Principal will regularly review procedures and clinical notes to ensure patient safety and data accuracy.
Approval Criteria for an AI tool to be used in the Practice

Before approval, EVMP will assess:

  1. Whether the AI provider collects or retains any data
  2. Whether data is identifiable or de-identified/redacted
  3. If data is retained:
    • Is it encrypted?
    • Can EVMP access it?
    • How long is it held?
    • Is it stored in Australia or overseas?
    • Are there proposed secondary uses of the data?
    • What cyber security measures are in place?
    • What is the provider’s breach response process, including notification and disengagement procedures?
Current approved AI tools in use
  1. Heidi Health – AI scribe for clinical documentation

Approval Rationale:

Heidi Health only stores transcripts and notes. As patient speaks, Heidi transcribes patient’s words, and the audio immediately goes *poof*. No audio recordings are ever saved, ensuring there’s no hidden playback. EVMP has set a mandatory timeframe for all data to be deleted within 3 days.

Data is de-identified, and Heidi Health does not have access to patient’s information. Before Heidi processes a session, they strip all data of personal identifiers, so it can’t be traced back. Patient’s data remains protected, and Heidi does not and will not contact patients for any purposes

Heidi Health’s servers stay strictly in Australia, keeping everything in line with data localisation requirements under regulations like GDPR. All patients’ information stays in Australia, protected by robust framework of Australia’s Privacy Laws. Heidi Health takes zero-tolerance approach to third-party access.

Heidi Health does not use any of patient’s data to train their AI.

To mitigate data breaches, Heidi implements the best-in-class infrastructure – think ISO27001, SOC2 and Cyber Essential compliant, while also being penetration tested every year. The architecture of their data storage also ensures that patients’ protected health information (PHI) is de-identified and processed separately to the rest of the transcript. All users, free or paid, are insured and receive the highest standard of compliance.

In the event of a data breach, Heidi Health follows a strict incident response protocol in compliance with ISO27001 and SOC2 obligations. Users will be promptly notified via email and in-app notifications. Heidi Health is committed to provide comprehensive support to affected users, including guidance on mitigating potential impacts and assistance with any necessary reporting to regulatory bodies.

2. MBSPro – AI scribe for clinical documentation

Approval Rationale:

MBSPro only retains patients’ data for 3 days as they purge patient data from their system every 3 days, so no data is stored long-term. The patient consultation audio recording is not stored. The transcription, summary and clinical documentation are automatically deleted from the servers securely after 72 hours.

All data is encrypted with Automated Encryption Standard 256 (AES-256). MBSPro uses HTTPS/TLS (TLS1.2 or above) to encrypt all system communications to guarantee the confidentiality of your data.

Voice-to-text servers are located within Australia, and no audio data is processed or stored outside of Australia.

MBSPro does not use patient’s data to train any models.

Every instance of data access is logged with audit trails, and robust intrusion detection systems.

MBSPro will take all reasonable steps to notify us in writing if we become aware of any actual, threatened or suspected data breach.

Monitoring and Reporting
  • The Practice Manager and Practice Principals may monitor AI use to ensure compliance.
  • Any suspected misuse, privacy breach, or patient concern must be reported immediately to the Practice Manager.
  • Breaches of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment.
  • Independent contractors are fully responsible and legally liable for their own AI use, including any privacy breaches, under Australian privacy law and their service agreement.
Policy Review Statement

This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it reflects the current processes and procedures of EVMP and current legislation requirements.

Our practice is mindful that even if patients have provided electronic contact details, they may not be proficient in communicating via email and patient consent needs to be obtained before engaging in electronic communication via email. Communication with patients via email is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy.

‘Social media’ is defined as online social networks used to disseminate information through online interaction.

Regardless of whether social media is used for business related activity or for personal reasons, the following standards apply to members of our practice team, including general practitioners.

Practitioners and team members are legally responsible for their postings online. Practitioners and team members may be subject to liability and disciplinary action including termination of employment or contract if their posts are found to be in breach of this policy.

Useful Tips + Resources

Taking an Active Role in Your Healthcare

At Eastwood Village Medical Practice, we believe that informed and engaged patients achieve the best health outcomes. Taking an active role in your healthcare can help you make confident decisions, improve communication with your healthcare team, and support your long-term health and wellbeing.

Here are some simple ways you can take charge of your health:

  • Be actively involved in your own healthcare and wellbeing.
  • Speak up if you have any questions or concerns about your health or treatment.
  • Learn more about your condition, treatment options, and how to manage your health.
  • Keep an up-to-date list of all medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking.
  • Follow up on your test results and ensure you understand what they mean.
  • Discuss your options if you need to be referred to a specialist or admitted to hospital.
  • Ask questions so you understand any planned surgery or medical procedure, including the benefits, risks, and expected recovery.
  • Confirm your treatment plan with your GP and specialist to ensure everyone involved in your care is aligned.
  • Understand your ongoing care before leaving hospital, including medications, follow-up appointments, and any care you need at home.

Your health is a partnership. By working closely with your doctor and healthcare team, you can make informed decisions and take positive steps towards better health.

Additional Resources

Children’s Health
Women’s Health
Men’s Health
Family Planning
Immunisation
Travel
Chronic Disease
Mental Health