HouseCall Patient Consent, Privacy and Terms

Important Information About Your HouseCall

Please read this document prior to your HouseCall appointment time. Your healthcare provider will ask if you have read this information and understand it at the start of your consult.

You will be sent a link via email or SMS to the waiting room prior to your appointment. Click the link and go to the waiting room 5 minutes before your appointment time. In preparation for your consult it's a good idea to:

• Write down what you want to discuss
• Read the information below about consent
• Choose a private, well-lit location
• Use a hands-free device if you can
• Use WiFi if possible, and make sure no one else is streaming information while you are having your consult i.e. if someone is watching a video on the same WiFi network your video quality may poor

Consent to Participate in a Telehealth Consultation

HouseCall uses video and/or phone consultations to interact with patients. If a consultation in-person is preferred, please click here for a list of The Doctors medical centres. By booking a HouseCall you agree the following:

• I agree to have a video consultation with a HouseCall doctor (myself or patient name provided)
• I agree to the terms in HouseCall Patient Consent, Privacy and Terms
• I agree not to record or have any other person record or take photographs of the consultation
• I agree that I am physically located in New Zealand at the time of the consult
• I authorise the HouseCall doctor to access any relevant health information from clinical information sharing services (such as Testsafe or YourHealthSummary) which may include results from public hospitals, community laboratories and radiology providers, and community pharmacies. I understand I can withdraw this consent at any time before or during the consultation
• I authorise my (the patient’s) consult records to be sent to my usual GP (unless ticked otherwise)
• I agree to the clauses in HouseCall Patient Consent, Privacy and Terms around ACC claims
• I agree I have legal authority to give consents on the behalf of the patient (if other than myself)

In these terms "Telehealth" refers to virtual visits that take place between patients and health practitioners via communications technology, this could be either telephone, video, or another method. And "Health practitioner" refers to doctors, nurses or other chosen medical professionals the HouseCall is with.

Benefits

• A safe and convenient way to receive healthcare even though the health practitioner is in a different location
• No transport, traffic or parking issues, no childcare or taking time off work
• Easily fits in with everyday life

Limitations and Risks

• The health practitioner will not be able to do a full physical exam
• The health practitioner may still ask you to have an in-person visit after this appointment, which will be fully explained
• We have taken the upmost measures we possibly can, but in rare circumstances, security protocols may fail, and we may be unable to maintain full privacy

Privacy and Confidentiality

• The laws that protect your medical information also apply to telehealth. The information disclosed by you during the consultation is generally confidential. Exceptions to confidentiality laws include the requirements to protect a patient or the public from serious harm, report abuse or neglect of children, elderly, or people with disabilities.
• To protect the privacy of both you and the health practitioner, recording of consults is prohibited.
• You are entitled to have a support person present for the consultation. We do ask that the practitioner is informed of all other individuals present for the appointment. Anyone else present are also prohibited from recording any part of the consultation.

Rights

• The rights that apply to in-person consultations also apply to telehealth. You may withdraw the consent to a telehealth consultation at any time before or during the consult without affecting the right to future care or treatment.

Consent to Release Patient Information

• A record of the consult notes from the HouseCall will automatically be sent to your usual GP (where provided). You are able to decline this at the time of booking your appointment
• If the consult involves an ACC claim you must:
• authorise HouseCall to lodge the claim with ACC
• declare that you have provided true and correct information and will tell ACC if the situation changes
• authorise records to be collected or disclosed to ACC to help determine cover for this claim, determine what entitlements are, or for research purposes (such as injury prevention, or assessment and rehabilitation)

Disclaimer

•  HouseCall health practitioners are all physically located within New Zealand and can only provide video or phone consultations legally to patients physically located within New Zealand at the time of the consultation.

Contingency Plan

• In the event you become unwell or have a medical event during the HouseCall, the health practitioner will call local emergency services and provide your location
• In the event of a technology failure or poor video quality, the health practitioner will make reasonable attempts to contact you on the phone number provided
• In the event you and/or the health practitioner determine that a physical examination or in-person consultation is required, the HouseCall will end, and you will be referred to an appropriate medical centre or facility
• In the event of a privacy breach by you and/or others present (for example if the health practitioner becomes aware of another person in the room or an unconsented recording taking place) they have the authority to end the HouseCall without a refund

After the consult

• You should ensure you understand the management plan and next steps
• We value your feedback. You may be sent a short survey as we constantly strive to improve our services. If you want to share feedback outside this survey click here to tell us more