Privacy Policy

Overview

Welcome to Direct Doctors. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to safeguarding the information you share with us.

At Direct Doctors, we are committed to protecting your privacy and strictly adhere to the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which govern the collection, use, disclosure, quality, and protection of personal information. Additionally, we uphold the health privacy principles set forth by State and Territory legislation. Our business encompasses the Direct Doctors platform, along with our websites and app (collectively referred to as the "Websites"), providing secure access to digital health services. These services include online medical certificates, telehealth, and video consultations with registered medical professionals (Partner Doctors). At present, users are able to submit requests for medical certificates, allowing them to obtain official documentation for medical reasons. This service facilitates the process for individuals who need to provide proof of medical conditions or treatments, whether for work, universities.

We understand the importance of your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This privacy policy outlines the types of information we collect, how we may use and share it, and the steps we take to keep it secure. Personal data refers to any information or opinion about an individual who is identified or can be reasonably identified, regardless of whether the information is true or recorded in a material form. Special provisions apply to the collection, use, and sharing of sensitive personal data, which includes details about health, racial or ethnic background, political opinions, membership in political, professional, or trade associations, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, and criminal history.

Please be aware that our Websites may include links to third-party sites. These links are offered for your convenience and may not always be current or maintained. We can only guarantee the privacy practices and security measures of our own Websites. We recommend that you review the privacy and security policies of any external sites you visit.

Personal Information

We collect your personal information through various interactions, such as visits to our websites, use of our platform, telephone calls, emails, chats, and both written and verbal communications. The specific personal data we gather varies based on the type of interaction and may include:

  1. Personal Identification and Contact Details: This includes your name, address, phone number, and email.

  2. Health Information: This encompasses your health history, current conditions, future health data, telehealth services, as well as pharmacy prescriptions and referrals. This information may be provided by you through the platform or websites, or shared by a partner doctor or provider during the course of delivering services.

  3. Sensitive Information: This may include details such as your gender assigned at birth and whether you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

  4. Government Identifiers: This refers to identifiers such as Medicare numbers and individual healthcare identifiers.

We may also collect non-identifiable data through cookies on our websites, including information such as browser type, operating system, and other websites visited. This data does not contain personal information and cannot be used to identify you individually.

We may collect personal data about patients, their representatives (such as next of kin or caregivers), healthcare providers including Partner Doctors and Partner Providers, as well as job applicants, employees, contractors of Direct Doctors, and third parties who provide services to Direct Doctors.

We primarily gather personal information about you as a patient through your use of the Platform and/or Websites, your interactions with us, any individual who shares information about you with your consent, and any Partner Doctor or Partner Provider delivering services to you via the Platform.

For Partner Doctors or Providers, we may also collect personal information regarding your skills, qualifications, and experience. Additional details will be provided in the Contractor Agreement or other agreements during registration.

Personal data may also be obtained from third parties, such as Google, Facebook, or Apple, if you use these platforms to log in to the Platform.

Use and Disclosure of Your Personal Data

We collect, retain, use, and disclose personal data for a range of purposes, such as facilitating communication, maintaining records, ensuring the functionality of our Websites and Platform, enabling Partner Doctors and Partner Providers to deliver healthcare services, complying with legal requirements, and assisting government or law enforcement agencies, among others.

By providing your email address and/or telephone or mobile phone number, you consent to us contacting you for any of these purposes.

As a patient, the health data you provide will be utilized solely for the purpose of :

  • Delivering services,
  • Managing our Platform and Websites,
  • Complying with legal requirements, and assisting government or law
  • Providing pertinent information to government authorities when required.
  • Enforcement agencies, among other relevant uses.
  • In situations where there is an immediate threat of harm, Partner Doctors may disclose information to emergency services.
  • Relationship Management:
  • Market Research:
  • Record-keeping
  • Communication
  • Notifications

If you do not supply the requested personal data, it may hinder our ability to deliver the requested products or services. We may also de-identify, use, and retain your personal data (excluding any eScript data) for the analysis of Platform and Website usage, as well as for service improvement.

Sharing of Information

To carry out our operations and support our services, including the Direct Doctors Platform, websites, and other offerings, we share your personal data with our affiliated corporations as specified in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). This may also include sharing information with third parties such as:

  • Entities we collaborate with to achieve our goals include data storage providers, IT support services, payment system operators, targeted online advertising providers, and delivery partners.
  • Partner doctors and providers offering services through the platform, allowing them to deliver the products and services you request.

We do not disclose your personal information to unrelated healthcare providers or pharmacists without your explicit consent. However, we may share limited personal information with financial auditors for compliance purposes, and we strive to anonymize this information whenever feasible.

Partner doctors and providers must take appropriate measures to safeguard personal information, following additional guidelines set by their professional regulations.

In the case of a sale, merger, or any transfer of control over our company, the Platform, or the Websites to a third party, we reserve the right to share your personal data with that third party without prior notice or consent. Additionally, we may transfer our agreements with you to the new entity. We may also disclose de-identified data to third parties for the purposes of assessing service quality and conducting clinical research.

Personal Data Storage

To protect against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, we have established appropriate physical, electronic, and administrative measures to secure the personal data we collect. We utilize Transport Layer Security (TLS) to maintain the confidentiality and security of user information. Currently, we plan to store data on servers in Australia, which minimizes the likelihood of your personal data being disclosed outside the country. By using the Platform, you agree to this method of storing your personal data.

Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

Like many website operators, we use a common technology called "cookies" on our site. Cookies are small files that your browser stores on your computer's hard drive, allowing us to track your navigation patterns during each visit. The cookies used on our website do not collect any personally identifiable information; they are intended solely for our internal management purposes.

While most browsers accept cookies by default, you can usually change your browser settings to prevent them from being saved. Please be aware that disabling cookies may limit the services we can provide to you.

Marketing and Advertising

By signing up for the Platform, you consent to the use of your personal information for marketing and promotional purposes, unless you choose to opt out. We may send you information about products, services, or offers that we believe may be of interest to you, using the communication method you selected through the Platform.

To enhance our marketing efforts, we utilize third-party vendor remarketing services, such as Google’s 'Customer Match' and Facebook’s 'Custom Audience', to display targeted ads. If you have provided us with your contact information and have not opted out of direct marketing, we may share this information with these third-party vendors for remarketing purposes.

Please rest assured that we do not sell or disclose your information to third parties for their own marketing initiatives. If you wish to opt out of our marketing communications, you can do so at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our messages or by contacting our privacy officer using the contact details provided at the beginning of this privacy policy.

Your Privacy Rights

  • You have the right to request a copy of your information in a format that is easily reusable or transferable to another person or a trusted healthcare provider.
  • You can request that we correct or update your information.
  • If you have any concerns or complaints regarding your privacy or the handling of your personal data, please feel free to express them. We will take your complaint seriously and aim to investigate it, providing a response within 14 days.

Policy Updates

This privacy policy is effective as of November 2024. We periodically update this policy, so we encourage you to visit our Websites for the most current version. By continuing to use the Websites and the Platform after any changes are made, you accept the modified terms of this privacy policy. Last updated: November 2024.