There are multiple ways in which this practice communicates with patients and third parties.
Face to Face – This can be via consultation with your doctor or nurse or interactions with other practice staff.
Telephone– Patients can contact the practice between 8.00am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 8.30am – 1.00pm. Our reception staff may use a triage system to assess the urgency of the patients’ needs and concerns. Our reception staff will also perform a three-point identifier check to ensure the correct patient file is matched to the patient on the phone. Please note, it is often not possible to speak to the doctor at the time of calling. A secure message will be sent to the doctor who will return your call, when possible, exceptions may be made if the matter is deemed to be urgent. A note will be made in the patient’s file.
When correspondence is received from other healthcare providers, it is directly imported into the patients file and then sent through to the doctor to review. This includes results, email, and specialist letters. If the addressed doctor is not available and the correspondence is urgent, another doctor will review and action as necessary.
Fax– Faxes received that are patient related are imported directly into the patient’s file. These are then reviewed and actioned by the doctor. Any urgent patient related faxes are immediately handed to the doctor or if that doctor is not available another doctor in the practice will review the fax. All non-patient related faxes are given to the relevant staff member.
Email & Internet Policy- No images, content, or confidential information from within Clovercrest Family Practice is to be sent via email without express permission from Management.
Employees will not respond to requests for personal and/or clinical information via the internet and will refer these requests directly to management.
Computer and internet usage assigned to an employee’s computer are solely for the purpose of conducting company business. No personal use of computers or internet is allowed within the business.
Patient information may only be sent via email if it is securely encrypted according to industry and best practice standards.
Communication with patients via email is not encouraged by this business.
SMS– SMS messages are sent to remind patients of scheduled appointments, health reminders and health recalls. Please make sure you update the practice if there is a change to your mobile number. Please let us know if you would like to be removed from the SMS list. Patients must be aware that if another person can access their mobile phone, then the confidentiality of these communications cannot be protected by the practice.
Post– For patients who have opted out of SMS, a letter may be sent regarding reminders or recalls. Letters received by the practice are scanned into the patient file and forwarded to the doctor to review.
Website– Our website is updated regularly and contains the practice contact details, location, opening hours and information regarding fees and services offered. Our online booking during office hours and also after-hours doctor service details are also available.
Social Media- No social media is used.
Communicating with patients with special needs– A contact list of translator and interpreter services and services for patients with a disability is maintained, updated regularly and readily available to all staff at reception. These include:
- National Relay Service (NRS) for hearing impaired
- Translation and Interpreter Service (TIS) Doctors Priority Line 1300 131 450