1. Introduction

At Sapphire Coast Ultrasound, we are committed to protecting your personal information and ensuring your privacy is respected. This policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your information when you visit our website or use our services.

By accessing our website or engaging our services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Personal details – Your name, date of birth, contact details (phone number, email, address).

• Medical information – Details relevant to your ultrasound referral, imaging results, and medical history.

• Billing & payment details – Medicare details, concession cards, private health insurance details, and payment information for services not bulk billed.

• Website usage data – Information about how you use our website, including IP address, browser type, and interaction with our site (collected via cookies).

3. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• When you book an appointment (via phone, email, or online booking systems).

• When you submit an ultrasound referral or medical history information.

• When you visit our website, we may use cookies and analytics tools to track site activity.

• When you interact with our team (via phone, email, or in person).

4. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use personal information to:

• Provide ultrasound services and process bookings.

• Communicate with you about your appointment and results.

• Send reports to your referring doctor or healthcare provider.

• Process payments and manage billing (including Medicare claims).

• Improve our website and patient experience.

• Meet legal and regulatory requirements in healthcare.

We only collect the information necessary to provide our services, and we do not use your data for marketing without your consent.

5. How We Store & Protect Your Information

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, misuse, loss, or disclosure. This includes:

• Secure medical records systems for patient data.

• Encryption and password protection for digital storage.

• Restricted access to personal data (only authorised staff can access it).

If your data is no longer required, we securely destroy or de-identify it in accordance with Australian privacy laws.

6. Who We Share Your Information With

We may disclose your personal information to:

• Your referring doctor or healthcare provider to provide results and imaging reports.

• Medicare and health insurers for billing and claims processing.

• Third-party service providers such as IT support and secure storage providers, only where necessary.

• Regulatory authorities if required by law.

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information for marketing or third-party use.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information – You can request a copy of the information we hold about you.

• Correct inaccurate information – If your details are incorrect, we will update them upon request.

• Request deletion of data – In some cases, you may request that we delete or de-identify your information.

• Opt out of certain data collection – You can manage cookies and website tracking preferences.

To make a privacy-related request, please contact us using the details below.

8. Cookies & Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to improve user experience and website performance. These tools collect non-identifiable data such as:

• Pages visited and time spent on our website

• Browser type and device used

• General location (IP-based tracking)

You can disable cookies through your browser settings if you prefer not to be tracked.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or business operations. Any updates will be posted on our website with the effective date of the change.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or need to request access to your personal information, please contact us:

Sapphire Coast Ultrasound
Phone: (02) 6494 9223
Email: admin@sapphirecoastultrasound.com

Last Updated: 14 March 2025