Tego offers competitive premiums, unparalleled quality of cover and 24/7 support backed by Australia’s top medico-legal advisers. As a risk area covered by Medical Indemnity Insurance, it is important you understand the privacy and regulatory requirements when it comes to storing information on the cloud. Patient health information has traditionally been stored either in a file or on a local drive. But now with the emergence of the cloud as the major storage solution… it’s important to know what is required of you when using the cloud.
The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Act) regulates management and use of personal information (which includes health information) in Australia. Doctors practising privately and organisations that provide a health service or hold health information are required to comply with the Act and the Australian Privacy Principals (APPs) and are classified as APP Entities. See: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2014C00076.
In respect to using the cloud and transferring personal patient information, the patient must give their approval. As a standard, doctors and their medical practices include on the patient information collection form.
Medical Indemnity Insurance Australia
Australian Medical Indemnity Insurance providers acknowledge there are important issues to address before choosing the cloud to store your patient’s personal information. Here are just a few that you need to check on:
- Does your cloud provider comply with the Act and APPs?
- Do you have a system in place to regularly monitor the cloud provider’s performance?
- Does your personal (including health) information remain in your ‘effective control’?
- Does your cloud provider have a defined purpose of storage of data and also you provide you with total access?
- Does your cloud provider have the proper insurance, like cyber insurance;
- Can the information be stored on international servers?
Medical Practice and Medical Indemnity Insurance
While most medical practice and medical indemnity insurance policies respond to privacy and cloud exposes, it is important you understand the requirements cloud and cyber security.
In Conclusion
Tego Insurance offers medical indemnity insurance for medical practitioners. We have a profound understanding of the Australian medical profession and the ever-changing healthcare industry. It’s this expertise that allows us to provide leading cover with more choice, innovation and greater flexibility. Contact us to find out more.
All content on this page has been written in a generic way, and has not been presented with any knowledge of your personal objectives or financial needs.
This publication is general in nature and is not comprehensive or constitute legal or medical advice. You should seek legal, medical or other professional advice before relying on any content, and practice proper clinical decision making with regard to individual circumstances. Persons implementing any recommendations contained in this publication must exercise their own independent skill or judgment or seek appropriate professional advice relevant to their own particular practice. Compliance with any recommendations will not in any way guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients and others coming into contact with the health professional or practice. Tego Insurance Pty Ltd is not responsible to you or anyone else for any loss suffered in connection with the use of this information.