...

For a quality improvement activity to be undertaken within a general practice, where the primary purpose is to monitor, evaluate or improve the quality of healthcare delivered by the practice, ethics approval is not required.
Clinical audits using a tool such as the Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) (see Criterion 3.1.1 Quality improvement activities) or 'plan, do, study, act' cycles undertaken within a general practice as part of a quality improvement activity do not require ethics approval. For example, a practice wishing to determine how many of its pregnant patients are given advice on smoking cessation, or how many patients with heart failure are prescribed ACE inhibitors and beta blockers, may complete an audit on their practice data.
In general, a practice's quality improvement or clinical audit activities for the purpose of seeking to improve the delivery of a particular treatment or service would not be considered a directly related secondary purpose for information use or disclosure. In other words, it is likely the practice would need to seek specific consent for this use of patients' health information for clinical audit activities.
To ensure patients understand and have reasonable expectations of quality improvement activities, practices are encouraged to include information about quality improvement activities and clinical audits in the practice policy on managing health information. Ideally, express consent for these activities will be obtained upon patient registration.
Source:http://www.racgp.org.au/your-practice/standards/standards4thedition/practice-management/4-2/confidentiality-and-privacy-of-health-information/

Checklist for Practices

• Our practice has Best Practice Software, Medical Director, Genie, Communicare.
• I know what billing system we have installed.
• I am able to install software on the main computer, or server.
• If needed I know the password to install software on the server.
• I have the contact details of our IT person and if needed I can contact them to obtain passwords.
• If our IT contact is unavailable I understand that another call may be needed to
• If using Best Practice, I am aware that a browser password may be required.

Important Phone Numbers

PENCS Pen CS Support 1800 762 993 support@pencs.com.au help.pencs.com.au
Best Practice Support 1300 40 1111 www.bpsoftware.net support@bpsoftware.net
Communicare 08 6212 6900 communicare@healthconnex.com.au
Genie Solutions 07 3870 4085 support@geniesolutions.com.au
Zedmed 1300 933 000
Practix www.isofthealt.com
Medical Director 1300 788 802 www.medicaldirector.com
Medinet 1300 723 938
MMEx 08 6250 9170 info@isahealthcare.com
Medtech32 1800 148 165 support@medtechglobal.com

Sydney North Health Network 02 9432 8200 or Deb
Capital Health Network 02 6287 8099 or Eleanor Whitehead 02 6287 8048.

Topbar Usernames

...