Privacy Policy

Introduction

Dr Ales Aliashkevich and his neurosurgery practice (“we”, “our”, “us”) are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information including:

• Name, address, and contact details
• Date of birth and gender
• Emergency contact information
• Insurance and Medicare details
• Referral information from healthcare providers

Health Information

We collect health information including:

• Medical history and current health conditions
• Treatment records and surgical outcomes
• Diagnostic imaging and test results
• Medications and allergies
• Family medical history where relevant

How We Collect Information

We collect information through:

• Patient registration and consultation forms
• Direct consultations and examinations
• Correspondence with healthcare providers
• Medical imaging and diagnostic reports
• Website contact forms and online bookings
• Telephone and email communications

Use of Information

We use your information to:

• Provide appropriate medical care and treatment
• Maintain accurate medical records
• Communicate about appointments and treatment
• Process insurance claims and Medicare rebates
• Coordinate care with other healthcare providers
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Improve our services and patient care

Disclosure of Information

We may disclose your information to:

• Healthcare professionals involved in your care
• Pathology and radiology services
• Hospitals and surgical facilities
• Insurance companies for claim processing
• Medicare Australia for rebate processing
• Referring doctors and specialists
• Service providers that host the website, protect forms from abuse, deliver email, and provide the practice mailbox

Note: We will only disclose information when necessary for your care or when required by law, and we will always seek your consent where possible.

Website Forms and Email Delivery

Contact, callback, and electronic referral forms may contain personal information and sensitive health information. When a form is submitted, the website sends its contents through Resend, our contracted email-delivery provider, to the practice inbox at info@mineuro.com.au. Resend acts as a service provider for delivery; authorised practice staff receive and use the message to respond, arrange care, or process the referral.

Form submissions are not stored in a separate patient database by this website. Copies may be held temporarily by the delivery service and then retained in the practice mailbox or transferred to the patient record where clinically relevant. Mailbox and clinical-record copies are retained only for operational, clinical, legal, and professional-recordkeeping needs, then securely deleted or de-identified when no longer required.

Forms are transmitted to the website and email provider using encrypted connections. Email is not a secure clinical portal, however, and replies can pass through the sender’s and recipient’s email providers. Do not use a website form for emergencies or include information that is not reasonably necessary for the inquiry or referral. For an alternative submission method, call 03 9008 4200.

Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the information and service, including:

• Secure electronic medical record systems
• Encrypted connections for website form transmission and email delivery
• Access controls and user authentication
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Staff training on privacy and data protection

Data Retention

We retain information only for as long as needed for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet clinical, legal, insurance, and professional obligations. Website-form emails that become part of clinical care may be transferred to the patient record. Adult medical records are typically retained for at least 7 years from the last entry, while records for a person who was under 18 at the last entry are typically retained until that person turns 25. Administrative emails that do not need to form part of a clinical record are deleted when no longer required.

Your Rights

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

• Access your personal and health information
• Correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of information (subject to legal requirements)
• Restrict how we use your information
• Object to certain uses of your information
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Data Breaches

In the event of a data breach that may cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as required by the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

International Transfers

Some website and communications providers, including Resend and their infrastructure providers, may process or store form-delivery data outside Australia, including in the United States or other locations in which they operate. Cloudflare may also process security and network information through its global network. We take reasonable steps when selecting and using service providers and limit the information sent to what is needed to operate, secure, and respond through the service.

Website and Cookies

The website does not currently use Google Analytics, advertising cookies, or social-media tracking plugins. It stores a theme preference in your browser and may use essential security technologies supplied by our hosting or anti-abuse provider. Because no optional cookies are currently deployed, the website does not display a cookie-consent banner. See our Cookie Policy for the current details.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your privacy, you may lodge a complaint with:

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website and we will notify patients of significant changes where required by law.