Patient Information, Privacy & Consent

1. Your Rights as a Patient

We respect your right to:

• Be treated with courtesy, dignity and without discrimination.
• Receive clear information about proposed treatment, expected benefits, material risks, limitations and reasonable alternatives.
• Ask questions and take time to make decisions.
• Accept, decline or stop a treatment at any stage.
• Have your privacy, comfort and personal boundaries respected.
• Discuss accessibility, communication or cultural needs.
• Raise a concern or provide feedback without affecting your access to respectful care.

We aim to communicate in plain language and encourage you to tell us if an explanation is unclear.

2. Informed Consent for Treatment

Before acupuncture, cupping, electroacupuncture, heat therapy or other proposed techniques, your practitioner will explain what is planned and discuss relevant benefits, risks and alternatives.

Your consent is voluntary and ongoing. You may ask for a technique to be adjusted or stopped at any time. You may also decline a particular treatment without needing to give a reason.

What might be discussed?

• The reason a treatment is being recommended
• What the procedure involves and what sensations you may experience
• Common temporary effects, such as mild soreness or bruising after acupuncture, or temporary marks after cupping
• Relevant uncommon or serious risks and any precautions specific to your health
• Other available options, including no treatment or referral for medical assessment
• Your comfort, positioning, clothing and privacy needs

For acupuncture, rare but serious risks can include infection, nerve injury or pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Heat-based therapies can cause burns if not used appropriately. Herbal medicines can cause adverse effects or interact with medicines and supplements.

Consent to one technique does not automatically mean consent to every other technique.

3. Privacy During Your Appointment

Your consultation takes place in a professional clinical setting. We aim to protect your dignity and privacy during discussion, assessment and treatment.

Only areas needed for assessment or treatment should be exposed, and appropriate draping is used. Please tell your practitioner if you are uncomfortable with positioning, clothing adjustments or any aspect of care.

You may ask questions about the presence of another person during your consultation. Any support person or chaperone arrangement should be discussed in advance where practical.

4. What Health Information Do We Collect?

To provide appropriate care, we may collect information such as:

• Your name, contact details and appointment information
• Your symptoms, health history and relevant diagnoses
• Current medications, supplements and allergies
• Relevant examination findings, investigations and referral information
• Treatment plans, consent discussions and clinical progress notes
• Payment and eligible health insurance claiming information
• Communications relating to your care

We seek information relevant to your treatment and clinical safety. Please let us know when important details change.

5. How Is Your Information Used and Protected?

Health information is used primarily to assess, provide, document and coordinate your care, and to manage related administrative obligations.

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, misuse, loss or disclosure. Access to clinical records is limited according to legitimate care and operational needs.

We may use electronic practice-management, booking and communication systems to support clinic operations. Relevant third-party providers may process information on our behalf subject to applicable privacy and security arrangements.

For specific details about collection, storage, overseas disclosures (if any), access requests and complaints, please refer to our current Privacy Policy. This page is an overview and does not replace that policy.

6. Sharing Information With Other Healthcare Professionals

Coordinated care may involve communication with your GP, specialist, physiotherapist, aged care manager or another treating professional.

Where appropriate, we will discuss relevant information sharing with you and obtain consent when required. Information may also be disclosed where permitted or required by law, including in circumstances involving a serious threat to health or safety.

We aim to share only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

Learn About Referrals & Collaborative Care

7. Accessing or Correcting Your Records

You may contact the clinic to request access to personal information held about you or to ask for a correction if you believe information is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.

Requests are handled in accordance with applicable Australian privacy and health-records requirements. We may need to verify your identity, and some legal exceptions or administrative arrangements may apply.

Please contact us using the details below rather than sending sensitive medical information through public social media messages.

8. Appointment Communication and Online Forms

Our online booking process may include appointment confirmations, reminders and patient registration forms.

Please complete registration information accurately and tell us about any important medical changes before treatment. If you have concerns about submitting information electronically, contact the clinic to discuss available alternatives.

If you need to change or cancel an appointment, please contact us as early as practical. Any applicable booking conditions should be reviewed during the appointment process.

View Fees & Appointment Information

9. Safety, Clinical Boundaries and Referrals

Chinese Medicine and acupuncture may be considered alongside appropriate medical care, but they do not replace necessary medical assessment, prescribed medication, surgery or rehabilitation.

We may recommend further medical review if symptoms or examination findings suggest that another assessment is needed. Seek urgent medical care for emergency symptoms such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, stroke-like symptoms or rapidly progressive neurological problems.

We welcome discussion of your treatment preferences and will explain when a requested treatment may not be clinically suitable.

10. We Value Your Feedback

We value your feedback and welcome any questions about your appointment, treatment or experience at our clinic. We are happy to listen, provide clarification and respond to your enquiries.

Please feel free to speak with us during your visit or contact us by phone or email.

Contact Our Clinic

Ethan Zhang Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
129B Goodwood Road
Goodwood SA 5034

Phone: 0433 161 121
Email: ethanztcm@outlook.com
Website: www.ethanztcm.com

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This page provides general patient information and is not a substitute for the clinic's formal Privacy Policy, individual informed-consent discussion or legal advice. Please confirm all linked website paths and clinic-specific policies before publication.