healthdirect (1800MEDICARE) helpline collection notice

This notice outlines how Healthdirect Australia Ltd will collect, use, protect and share your information when you engage with the healthdirect helpline service (also known as 1800MEDICARE nationally and NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).

When you dial 1800MEDICARE we collect information about your call from our telephony provider, Telstra, including the date and time of call, relevant state and region locations, and a partially redacted phone number. We use this information to ensure service quality, including through reporting and analytics; and to help facilitate customer care support, where required. Please note that this information is collected, even if you do not end up connected to the healthdirect helpline. 

With your consent, Healthdirect Australia Ltd collects and uses personal and health information to provide you with health advice and triage services, including facilitating your access to healthcare. If you do not wish to disclose your identity, the following option(s) are available to you:

• You can engage with the service by using a pseudonym, such as a nickname, alias or description that is not your real name.
• You can request that we proceed with the interaction without disclosing an identity (please note that we will still collect a limited subset of information to facilitate your call, for example, your postcode and phone number).
• You can request that your call recording be turned off when your call connects with the triage nurse

However, please be aware that by withholding some or all of your personal or sensitive information, there may be limitations to the services that we are able to provide to you, such as limitations on our ability to provide specific health information and advice, or for us to refer you to other services.

If you do not wish to disclose your identity, please advise the call agent answering your call.

We generally collect this information directly from you. Occasionally, we may collect information about you from people or sources other than yourself (for example, a family member). If you do not provide this information, we may only be able to provide limited healthcare services to you.

• your name and date of birth;
• sociodemographic information, such as your age and sex, dependants, occupation and postcode;
• contact details, such as your email address and phone number;
• sensitive health information about your illnesses, symptoms you have experienced, any disabilities or other health services you are receiving or will receive in the future, any medications that you may be taking, and where clinically relevant, sensitive information about your ethnic background or sexual practices;
• recordings of your audio and video calls.

If you do not wish to have your audio or video call recorded, please advise our staff as soon as you speak to them.

Your information is primarily used to provide you the healthdirect helpline services (also known as 1800MEDICARE nationally and NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria), including facilitating your access to healthcare, including disclosing your information to another health practitioner or health service involved in your care, where relevant; and the sending of information in the form of a personalised summary of advice and information to you via SMS, where you have requested it.

The information that you provide to us is also collected and stored as a health record.

We may also use this information for internal purposes, including quality assurance, service improvements and staff training.

Consistent with facilitating your access to healthcare, Healthdirect discloses your personal and health information to other healthcare providers, where required.

With your consent, we also disclose your personal and health information to:

• companies that conduct surveys for us to seek your feedback on the service you've received. If you do not wish for your information to be sent to our survey partners, please tell our staff as soon as you speak with them.

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.

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.