Went to a new clinic today. They asked for my residential address and said they don’t use email, just phone number for contact. I’m uncomfortable giving out my real details.
A couple of questions:
- Can they refuse to treat me if I don’t provide an address?
- Can they refuse to treat me if I don’t provide a phone number?
- Can they refuse to treat me if I insist to provide an email instead of a phone number?
Keen to hear what others in Aus do. Thanks.
Email isn’t really encrypted either, depending.
You have no more control or assurance email will be encrypted than you do SMS. Neither one is - in any way - a secure communication channel.
Which is why no medical provider I’ve dealt with in the last 10 years sends anything sensitive via email (or sms).
They send an email/sms letting you know there’s a message for you, and to go login to their system to retrieve the message or test result.