Privacy Statement

 

Privacy Policy Statement

 

Please note: We have now retired the My Digital Health platform, so much of the below is no longer applicable / relevant.

The following is an outline of the approach taken by Federation University Australia to privacy that arises when you visit the My Digital Health platform and agree to the Terms of Use and thereby providing us with information.

We respect the privacy of individuals and advise that a substantial proportion of data you provide us is ‘health information’ or ‘personal information’. We do not share your information to third parties, except as required by law or in the accordance with the Victorian Privacy & Data Protection Act (2014) and any other applicable privacy legislation.

If you have any concerns about the privacy of information supplied to us, you can use the My Digital Health Contact Us facility or contact the University Privacy Officer via email (privacyofficer@federation.edu.au) or telephone (+61 03 5327 9021).

Provision of information is voluntary but if the requested information is not provided you may not be able to use the My Digital Health programs and related resources.

 

Information collection

 

We gather information in two ways:

 

  1. Through technology related to our My Digital Health platform

This can occur through the capture of information in our access logs. This information is non-personal and normally just records your internet address. We use this information for statistical purposes.

On occasions cookies may be used to assist your access to resources on our site such as electronic databases. The use of cookies is essentially restricted to easing your access and overcomes the need to re-enter passwords many times during a visit.

 

  1. Through your active provision of information to us

This occurs when you create a My Digital Health  account and complete any online form, integrate and sync your fitbit wearable device data into the platform or communicate with us (e.g., video-chat) through the My Digital Health platform, including the use of any digital health program Child Sites. Each time you interact with us, new information may be added to your record. Although we employ high IT security standards, all online activities are never completely secure and are submitted at your own risk. In all such instances, you choose what information you provide and you choose whether or not to submit the information. However failing to submit certain information may limit your access to the services of the My Digital Health platform.

 

Use of information

 

We use personal information or health information obtained on through My Digital Health platform and Child Websites to:

  • to undertake research;
  • improve our site and program(s);
  • respond to a request or feedback from you;
  • assist your access to particular resources;
  • to communicate health outcomes (aggregate, non-identifiable data) issues or health initiatives to third parties, and in scholarly publications
  • to manage, monitor, plan and evaluate our services (including teaching and training purposes);
  • to analyse trends and demographics to assist us to improve our program(s); and
  • to facilitate our internal operations, including to fulfil our legal requirements, and for quality assurance and management purposes.

 

We may disclose your personal information or health information to external bodies such as:

  • Federation University for research and quality assurance purposes;
  • Service providers and consultants engaged by us to provide support services such as information technology support personnel;
  • Commonwealth and State government agencies and departments as required;
  • Police, medical, hospital and other personnel as necessary in the event of a crisis or emergency requiring urgent attention; and
  • To other parties, as required by law.

 

Where information is disclosed or published for research or scholarly purposes, all reasonable efforts will be made to de-identify the personal or health information in accordance with the NH&MRC’s National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) and the Australian Code of Responsible Conduct of Research (2007).

 

Your information is protected

 

We take all possible steps to protect your information which we hold (including your personal information or health information) from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

We use professional and industry standards for the security and protection of information collected. For example, information submitted within the My Digital Health platform is secured using a 256-bit encryption Secure Sockets Layer and Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) software and protected by encryption and firewall technology. We take all reasonable steps to hold information securely in electronic or physical form. We also store information in access controlled premises and in electronic databases requiring logins and passwords.

Your personal and health information will be held securely for a minimum of 5 years.

 

Use of cookies

 

The My Digital Health platform and Child Websites use website visitor analytics software. This software anonymously tracks how users interact with the websites, including where they came from, what they did on the websites and whether they completed any transactions on the websites.

The websites record and logs the following information for statistical purposes:

  • the user’s server address;
  • the users top level domain name;
  • the date and time of access to the site;
  • pages accessed and documents downloaded;
  • the previous site visited;
  • the type of browser software in use.

 

A cookie does not identify you personally but it does identify your computer. If you are uncomfortable with the concept of cookies, you can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie and this will provide you with an opportunity to either accept or reject it in each instance. Speak to your normal source of internet advice (such as your internet service provider) if you require help setting up these options.

 

Consenting to participating in the digital health program evaluation studies through the My Digital Health platform.

 

The My Digital Health platform invites account holders a selection of digital health resources and programs, should they meet the eligibility criteria. Before you are able to participate in one of the digital health program evaluation trials, you must first read through and electronically consent to the terms as outlined in the Plain Language Information Statement, before you can commence the study requirements. The Plain Language Information Statement describes the digital health research study being undertaken and has been approved by at least one Ethical Research Review Committee. You can also view the Plain Language Information Statement for each particular evaluation study by using the permanent footer contained within the digital health program that you consented to undertake. Once you have consented, any information that you provide via the digital forms, as well as your online behaviours (e.g., when and how many times you log in) (while logged on), will be recorded and stored by the My Digital Health platform website.

By continuing to use the My Digital Health platform or Child Websites, you accept the Terms of Use (from the My Digital Health parent website), the associated Plain Language Information Statement (if you consented to participate in one of the Child Websites digital health program study’s) and Privacy Statement. Your use of the My Digital Health platform and Child Websites and any dispute arising out of such use of this My Digital Health Platform and Child Websites is subject to the laws of the Victoria, Australia.

 

Information changes, information access and deletion

 

As we have retired the My Digital Health platform, your My Digital Health account no longer exists.

However, you can use the Contact Us facility to request a copy of your data. The My Digital Health Data Protection Officer or Federation University Privacy Officer shall attend to your request on a confidential basis within thirty (30) days of the request being received.

Any request for change or deletion of information will only be undertaken to the extent that it is no longer required for our ethical, legal or contractual record keeping requirements worldwide. Changing or access to your personal data may be refused under certain circumstances (e.g., preserving data records or denial of access is authorised or required by law). In addition, as per the Plain Language Information Statement’s, your data will be completely destroyed in a secure and safe manner sometime into the future (e.g., based on ethical requirements).

 

Feedback

 

You can also use the Contact Us form to inform of us of any technical issues, feedback/comments or complaints regarding the My Digital Health platform.

 

Your responsibilities

 

Age

Access and use of the digital health program evaluation studies offered through the My Digital Health platform are permitted to those 18 years and above. The eligibility criteria set out in each respective Plain Language Information Statements is that you are 18 years or older. Part of providing your consent to participate the digital health program evaluation study it that you meet this eligibility criteria.

 

Consent to digital health research study

In order to sign up for any one of the digital health research studies you must first electronically consent to the terms as outlined in the respective Plain Language Information Statement’s and provide truthful information.

 

Password

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your My Digital Health account password and shall be responsible for all uses via your registration and/or login whether authorised or unauthorised by you. You must inform us of any unauthorised use of your account.

 

Confidentiality of your data

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any data you download onto your computer.

 

Last Updated: 23/08/2022