healthdirect digital care pathways collection notice

This notice explains how Healthdirect Australia Ltd (Healthdirect) collects, uses, protects and shares your information when you access virtual healthcare services through our digital platforms. This notice is intended to provide transparency across Healthdirect digital care pathways, including but not limited to:

• the Symptom Checker
• Queensland Virtual Emergency Care Services
• NSW Virtual Emergency Service, which include referral to virtualKIDS (for NSW children aged 15 and under) and virtualADULTS (for NSW residents aged 16 and over).

This notice should be read together with the Healthdirect Privacy Policy, which explains how we manage information across all Healthdirect services.

Healthdirect collects and uses personal and health information to provide you with health advice and triage services. Our healthcare digital care pathways collect personal and sensitive information to:

• provide you with health information, digital triage, guidance and care pathway recommendations
• facilitate your access to virtual healthcare or third-party service providers by sharing this information with the healthcare service provider that you have requested access to
• create and maintain a record of your interaction with Healthdirect digital tools, for example, Healthdirect's Symptom Checker
• monitor, evaluate, maintain and improve our digital services, care pathways and user experience
• meet our legal, regulatory, clinical safety and accountability obligations.

Some of our digital care pathways are designed for use by children and young people aged 15 and under (for example, NSW virtualKIDS). Where a child or young person wishes to self-refer through our digital care pathways, we recommend that a parent, guardian or trusted adult be with them for support.

By completing the self-referral process, the child or young person, and their accompanying parent, guardian or trusted adult, acknowledge that the child's information will be collected, used and disclosed as described in this notice.

As a parent, guardian or trusted adult, your presence is required when a child or young person self-refers through our digital care pathways. You may also complete the self-referral process on their behalf where appropriate.

Where a child or young person is assessed by the receiving clinician as having sufficient maturity and understanding to make their own healthcare decisions, they have a right to confidentiality in relation to the information they provide during the virtual consultation. In these circumstances, Healthdirect may not be able to share that child's health information with a parent or guardian without the child's consent.

If you are a parent or guardian and have concerns about information your child has provided through our services, please contact us using the details at the end of this notice. We will work with you to the extent permitted by law and in the best interests of the child.

We generally collect information directly from you during your interaction with Healthdirect digital care pathways. Occasionally, we may collect information from a representative or other authorised source (for example, a family member or referring health service) where appropriate. Additionally, we automatically collect limited information when you use our websites, apps and digital services, including through cookies and analytics technologies. This information helps us understand how our digital services are used and how we can improve them. Providing information is voluntary. However, if you choose not to provide certain information, we may be unable to offer specific digital tools, pathways or referrals.

The following list includes the different types of information that we may collect from you, during your interaction with Healthdirect's digital care pathways or when you provide your information as part of registering to access a virtual healthcare service provider, including:

• your name, date of birth and contact details (for example, email address, phone number)
• socio-demographic information (for example, age, postcode)
• sensitive health information including:
  • illnesses, symptoms you have experienced, any disabilities, health concerns and self‑reported health details
  • other health services you are receiving or will receive in the future
  • medications you may be taking
  • where clinically relevant, sensitive information about your ethnic background or sexual practices
• government-issued identifiers such as your Medicare number, Veteran Card details and other healthcare identifiers
• where a parent, guardian or authorised representative completes a self-referral form on behalf of another person (such as a child), the representative's name and contact details in addition to the patient's personal and health information
• technical and usage information, including:
  • information about how you interact with our digital services (such as page interactions, timestamps, and navigation paths)
  • device, browser, and session information
  • a pseudonymous identifier that helps us understand how users move through our digital services.

We use your information to:

• provide health advice and triage services
• facilitate referrals and access to virtual healthcare pathways
• support continuity of care with health services (for example, Queensland and NSW Health departments).

We may also use your contact details to invite you to provide feedback about your experience with the 1800MEDICARE (GP) service. This helps us understand how our services are performing and where improvements can be made.

If selected, you may:

• receive an SMS survey, or
• be invited to remain on the line after your interaction with 1800MEDICARE (including GP services) to complete a survey.

Participation is voluntary, and you may choose not to take part or opt out of receiving feedback requests at any time.

Feedback is generally used in de-identified or aggregated form for service monitoring, reporting and improvement activities. Any identifying information used to send survey invitations is handled securely and kept separate from survey responses.

Healthdirect may share your information:

• with healthcare service providers or partners you choose to engage with through a digital care pathway. Healthdirect acts as a connector in your healthcare journey. By engaging with our services, you acknowledge that your information will be shared with relevant health services and providers as part of delivering care (for example, where we refer you to a jurisdictional virtual healthcare service)
• where you access a virtual care pathway through the Symptom Checker, your personal information, contact details and triage outcome are securely shared with the relevant state or territory health service to facilitate your virtual consultation. Once received, your information is managed in accordance with applicable state or territory health privacy legislation
• with service providers who support the operation, hosting, analytics or improvement of our digital services. We may also disclose information to companies that conduct surveys for us to seek your feedback on the service you have received. Survey partners are bound by confidentiality and privacy obligations
• where required or authorised by law.

Where you are referred to a virtual care service through a Healthdirect digital care pathway, your consultation will take place via the Healthdirect Video Call platform. The information you provided through the Symptom Checker and self-referral form is made available to the healthcare service provider delivering your consultation.

Any additional information you share during the video consultation (for example, further clinical details discussed with the treating clinician) is collected and managed by the healthcare service provider, not by Healthdirect. The provider's own privacy obligations and policies will apply to information exchanged during the consultation.

You may withdraw from a digital pathway at any time before submitting your information. Once your information has been shared with an external healthcare service provider, Healthdirect may not be able to require that provider to delete your information if you later withdraw consent. In these circumstances, you will need to contact the provider directly.

Healthdirect has an obligation to ensure that the personal and sensitive information that you provide is appropriately protected from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. We retain information in accordance with legal, regulatory and health record‑keeping obligations.

• Healthdirect Privacy Policy: healthdirect.gov.au/privacy-policy
• Queensland Health — privacy information: health.qld.gov.au/global/privacy 
• New South Wales Health — privacy information: health.nsw.gov.au/pages/privacy.aspx
• Other jurisdictional virtual care services: Links to partner privacy pages will be provided when you are referred to those services.

Please note that privacy policies of virtual care service providers may differ from Healthdirect. Once you enter a partner service, their privacy policy will apply to the management of your information.

Our Privacy Policy for members of the public explains in more detail how we process personal information, including how you can access or correct information we hold about you and how to contact us.

If you are a child or young person and have questions about how your information is being used, or if you would like to access, correct or remove your information, you can contact us at support@healthdirect.org.au or call 1800 022 222. You are welcome to have a parent, guardian or trusted adult help you with this, but you do not have to.