YOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
You have the right to:
Treatment and care in a safe environment.
You have the right to feel safe, clean and comfortable while attending Compass Fertility premises. You have the right to raise any concerns with our staff, and if you are not satisfied with the response, you may request assistance from a Manager.
Participate in making decisions about your treatment and care.
You should be fully involved in decisions about your care and be given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss treatments so you can understand what is happening. If you are a patient capable of giving informed consent you also have the right to refuse treatment.
Participate in decisions and receive information about your discharge from Compass Fertility.
You should be involved in determining when you are fit to be discharged from Compass Fertility IVF following a procedure. You may discharge yourself against your clinician’s advice, however, you may be asked to sign a form accepting responsibility for your decision.
Information about which Compass Fertility staff will provide your care.
You have the right to be kept informed about the identity and qualifications of staff responsible for your care. You may refuse the presence of a health worker not directly involved in your care.
Information about your health care and, if you wish, a second medical opinion.
You are entitled to be fully informed about your treatment. You should be given enough time to ask questions, get more information and talk to family and friends before making any decisions. If you are unsure about your treatment, you are entitled to obtain a second opinion, at your own expense, from another qualified health professional.
Treatment with respect, dignity and consideration for privacy.
As far as possible, we always attempt to provide care and treatment in surrounding that allow privacy. You should be treated in a manner that respects your individuality. You are also expected to treat our staff with respect and consideration.
Compass Fertility’s staff comply with ISO 15189:2003 (AS 4633-2004) requirements and are aware of the ethical considerations associated with the handling of biological material. Compass Fertility has policies in place to manage the handling and disposal of biological material in a careful and respectful manner within the requirements of regulation and legislation.
If necessary, to have access to an accredited interpreter.
You are entitled to use an interpreting service for essential information such as admission, and discussions about your medical history and treatments. If you need an interpreter during your care, please inform our staff as soon as you can. The interpreter may come in person or be accessed via the phone.
Services provided in a culturally sensitive way.
You have the right to be treated in a way that respects your culture and beliefs. Where possible Compass Fertility will make every effort to meet your needs. If you have any concerns, you should speak to one of our staff.
Information on steps Compass Fertility takes to improve the quality of care.
Compass Fertility are always trying to improve our quality of care. Sometimes patients or family members can see ways that services can be improved. If you have ideas about how services could be improved, please let our staff know.
An opportunity to discuss any questions or complaints you may have concerning your stay at Compass Fertility.
If you have a question or a complaint, speak to your Fertility Nurse Carer or Senior Nurse Manager. We want to solve problems quickly, but need to be told about the problem first. If your problem cannot be resolved by talking to either of these two individuals, please direct your issue to the Practice Manager. The Practice Manager will then allocate your issue to the Managing Director for resolution. Your treatment will not be adversely affected because a complaint has been made.
Make a complaint to an independent complaints organisation.
It is always best to try to resolve your complaint with us directly. If you have tried this and are still unsatisfied, you can make a complaint to the Health Services Commissioner. The Commissioner can assist in the resolution of your complaint.
Access to your health records and confidentiality for your personal information.
Compass Fertility respects your right to privacy. Therefore, we are committed to managing your health information in a respectful way by adhering to the privacy principles contained within the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 and the Health Records Act 2001.
Personal Information
We collect the personal information that you provide. This includes your names, addresses, phone numbers and billing information.
Compass Fertility staff may use this information for telephone enquiries, mailing newsletters, technology updates, customer satisfaction surveys and research studies.
Your information may be provided to third parties buy only for the purpose in which you supplied it, eg to the hospital or day surgery prior to admission or to receive the IVF Friends Support Group monthly newsletters.
Compass Fertility has strict policies with respect to who has access to your information.
Medical Records
Health information about you is stored in physical and electronic files called Medical Records.
These records are used by health professionals to guide them in making decisions about treatment/s offered to you.
Your past medical history is vital to this decision making process and health providers are encouraged to maintain and share medical information to ensure continuity of care.
When not in use, the physical medical records are stored in the Medical records Departments or off-site in secured long-term storage facilities.
Medical records are maintained for a minimum of 7 years
Compass Fertility has strict policies with respect to who has access to your information.
Disclosure of your health information.
Your medical history will be shared with our IVF doctors and service providers such as pathology and ultrasound.
In an attempt to improve patient care and safety, you medical record nay be inspected for clinical audit by external bodies such as the Infertility Treatment Authority (ITA), the Reproductive Technologies Accreditation Committee (RTAC) and the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
De-identified information is shared with national bodies such as Health Insurance Commission (HIC), the Infertility Treatment authority (ITA), the National Perinatal Statistics Unit (NPSU) and RTAC.
Health funds also receive information relating to treatment/s you received.
Compass Fertility may be required by law or by regulatory bodies to release your information.
These bodies have strict policies relating to access and use of your health information that protect your rights.
Additional information
If you require access to your medical records or wish to be removed from mailing lists or need clarification about information contained in this document, please contact us by phone on: 02 6175 9000
or email to: info@compassfertility.com.au
or write to the Privacy Officer, Compass Fertility, Suite 1, 9 Sydney Avenue, BARTON ACT 2600
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
You have the responsibility to:
Work with our team of health professionals by providing relevant information about your health and circumstances that may influence your treatment or recovery.
Many things affect your health, such as your medical history, general health, social circumstances and emotional well-being. Our staff can only provide the most appropriate care if they know all the relevant information about your health and circumstances.
For the best possible health outcome, both parties need to share information openly