May I have a copy of my medical certificate?

Indeed, the medical certificate is available for download immediately after the doctor completes the consultation and issues it. You can access it through your patient portal, which is highly secure, or it will be sent to your registered email address.

Which people have access to my records?

Access to your medical records is restricted to you and authorised healthcare and administrative personnel involved in providing and managing your care. We never disclose information to the patient's employers or relatives without the patient's consent.

Will it be possible to obtain the deletion of my data?

You have the right to request that your account be closed; however, your account may be subject to a legally required retention period, which may vary by record type and jurisdiction. They cannot be destroyed right away.

Are there any third parties that buy my data?

Prime Medic ensures that patient data is not sold to third parties, including marketing agencies, insurance companies, or other entities. Your medical information is strictly for your medical care ????????only.

Data Privacy Access Rights for Patient Documents

Introduction

As healthcare becomes increasingly digital, patients are quite rightly concerned about the security of their personal data. If you order a medical certificate from a platform, you may share personal health information related to your consultation, such as relevant dates and symptoms discussed during the appointment. Such data is protected in accordance with applicable Australian privacy and health information laws.

Understanding your data privacy entitlements and access rights to patient documents will help telehealth users. You have rights that protect your medical records, regulate their storage, and also include provisions for the correction of the records.

This article outlines the security measures for patient medical certificates under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Information Commissioner's Office (OAIC) principles, helping you maintain control of your digital health footprint.

Part of this protection is security measures, such as digital signatures. We invite you to learn more about document verification technologies in our Digital Signatures and Verification Systems guide.

How Patient Data Is Secured in Online Consultations

Telehealth providers should not be regarded as mere "websites"; they are medical practitioners providing healthcare services and are therefore subject to very high legal standards.

Encryption and Storage

Data from your session or interaction with a doctor you schedule or have is not sent via unprotected email.

It is sent over encrypted networks (SSL/TLS). This helps protect data during transmission and reduces the risk of unauthorised access, even when monitored.

Data Sovereignty: Trustworthy Australian telehealth platforms use secure data hosting arrangements, often within Australia, to help ensure compliance with Australian privacy and health regulations.

Adherence to the Privacy Act 1988

The Privacy Act has categorised health-related information as "sensitive information". The handling of such data is subject to stricter rules than the handling of general personal data (such as your name or address). Providers must take reasonable steps to protect health information from misuse, loss, or unauthorised access.

You can find a comprehensive overview of our specific measures in our Privacy Policy and Quality Compliance documents.

Who Has Access to Medical Certificates?

People often think that medical certificates, just because they are "online," can be accessed by anyone. This is a common misunderstanding. Admission is under rigorous control.

The Circle of Confidentiality

In most cases, access to your medical certificate is limited to you and authorised healthcare professionals involved in issuing or managing the document.:

Yourself: The certificate is sent to your secure account or mailed to you.
Doctor: The same AHPRA-registered professional who issued the certificate retains it in their medical record within the consultation documentation.

Is It Possible That My Boss Reads My Medical Certificates?

Employers do not have direct access to your patient account or medical records. They can only view the certificate you choose to share with them. Employers may verify a certificate's authenticity using the information you provide, such as a QR code or reference number, without accessing clinical records.

Employers' role is limited to verification. See the certification validation and privacy restrictions guide for more information.

Patient's Rights of Access and Correction to Medical Records

According to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs 12 and 13), you are entitled to view the personal data a medical care provider holds on you and make a request for the change if the data is inaccurate.

1. Access to Information

You may request copies of your medical records or certificates at any time. With a digital platform, the process is often instantaneous; you only need to access and download your documents.

2. Alteration Right

Suppose you detect a mistake, such as an incorrect date of birth or incorrect certificate dates; the latter might occur when the dates are incorrect. Then, you may request that inaccurate or outdated information be corrected in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

Please note: Doctors are not permitted to "remove" clinical records (since they are legal documents), but they can correct or add a note to the file to address incorrect information.

Knowing your legal rights is highly recommended. Study our Legal Compliance webpage or get more details about privacy rights and amendments policy from the articles.

How Prime Medic Maintains Privacy and Confidentiality

Prime Medic has demonstrated a commitment to privacy not only through policies but also by integrating it into our organisational structure.

Bank-Level Security: We use 256-bit encryption for all patient portals.
Consent-Based Model: We keep your health information confidential at all times. We do not share patient information with third parties unless you have provided consent or disclosure is required by law.
Secure Cloud Storage: Our information security practices follow recognised industry standards for data protection.

This technical feature ensures the authenticity of each document. More information on our Quality Compliance standards and Privacy overview is available here.

When You Share Your Medical Certificates with Your Employer or School

You may be asked to provide proof of illness if you are sick and unable to attend work or school. This is the moment when consent is given.

Giving Your Consent

Once you email your certificate to the HR manager, you are effectively granting them access to that document.

Restriction: This consent applies only to the document you choose to share and does not extend to access to your complete medical records. It does not authorise them to call the doctor to ask about your symptoms or to obtain your full medical file.

Canceling Access

Sending a digital file is not like "sending an email that you can take back". However, you can always decide who verifies it. The verification portal typically requires the unique code on the certificate; therefore, only the document's bearer can verify it.

Are you eligible for a certificate? Review the eligibility criteria for a medical certificate. Always be very careful when you are dealing with your own data - take a look at our privacy policy for some