Terms of use
These terms of use were last updated in March 2025.
The VicKey Patient Portal is an online digital service run by Austin Health and enables a patient to access some parts of the health service electronic medical record relevant to that patient. We refer to Austin Health as 'we' or 'us' in these terms of use.
Medical Care
The VicKey Patient Portal is not a tool for requesting or receiving urgent medical attention. In a medical emergency, call 000 or visit your nearest hospital Emergency Department.
Information provided in the VicKey Patient Portal is not a substitute for medical care or medical advice by a qualified healthcare professional. Do not delay or disregard medical consultations because of information provided on the VicKey Patient Portal.
Using the VicKey Patient Portal is not a substitute for the usual means of communicating with your health service about your health, especially if you have concerns or if your condition is getting worse. In these circumstances you should contact your treating department at your health service or contact your GP.
Why terms of use are important?
By having and using an VicKey Patient Portal account, you agree to these terms of use, as amended from time to time.
Changes to terms of use
We may change any of the functionality of the VicKey Patient Portal or make changes to these terms at any time. If those changes affect your rights and responsibilities, you will be notified the next time you access the VicKey Patient Portal.
Who can have an VicKey Patient Portal account?
To have an Austin Health Patient Portal account you must be a natural person and have your own email address. An email address can only be used once to create an VicKey Patient Portal account.
What if I want help to use my VicKey Patient Portal account?
We understand that you may want someone else to administer your VicKey Patient Portal account for you, such as your partner, family member or next of kin. If you give someone else permission to act for you (“your representative”), your representative can set up their own account with access to your VicKey Patient Portal account. This will give your representative full access to all information in your VicKey Patient Portal.
Granting your representative access to your VicKey Patient Portal account does not remove your right to access and control your account. You can change your settings to remove access for your representative at any time.
Privacy and your personal information
We value your privacy and comply with relevant laws to protect the privacy of your information. By having an VicKey Patient Portal account, you agree that we can collect, use and disclose your personal information as set out in the Austin Health privacy notice. Privacy statement.
Your responsibilities
You need to understand your responsibilities when using the VicKey Patient Portal. If you do not comply with your responsibilities, we may lock, suspend or terminate your VicKey Patient Portal account.
You are responsible for your VicKey Patient Portal account and making sure only you can access it. You must not allow someone else to sign in or use your VicKey Patient Portal account and you must keep your VicKey Patient Portal password safe and not share it with anyone else. If you would like somebody else to access your account on your behalf, please see above "What if I need help to use my VicKey Patient Portal account?"
If you do not take reasonable precautions to keep your VicKey Patient Portal details safe or you give someone your log in and password details and they are able to sign in to your account, you are responsible for everything that person does with your account. If you think someone has tried to access your VicKey Patient Portal account, you should change your password.
Do not access another person's the VicKey Patient Portal account
You are not allowed to access another person's VicKey Patient Portal account unless they have given you permission to be their representative and have not cancelled that permission.
What should I do if I have questions about the content I see in the VicKey Patient Portal?
If you see content in the VicKey Patient Portal and have a question about it, you should contact your health service.
The VicKey Patient Portal personal information
If you believe any information displayed in your VicKey Patient Portal is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, you are encouraged to discuss this with your treating clinician at your next visit or write to your health service under the Freedom of Information Act with a request for a correction. Your access to the VicKey Patient Portal does not substitute your right to apply for access to your full medical record under the Freedom of Information Act. For more information, please see: FOI.
Banned uses of the VicKey Patient Portal
You are not allowed to use the VicKey Patient Portal or your VicKey Patient Portal account to:
- allow any other person to use your username or password;
- participate in any illegal or fraudulent activity;
- cause disruption to the VicKey Patient Portal in any way;
- inappropriately access, misuse or disclose any person's personal or health information;
- post or send unlawful, defamatory, offensive or scandalous material; or
- interfere with Austin Health systems, software, information or assets in any way.
When your access can be taken away?
We may lock, suspend or terminate your VicKey Patient Portal account at any time and for any reason. We may close accounts that have not been used after a certain amount of time, after giving written notice via email.
What we are not responsible for
We will continue to improve the VicKey Patient Portal and are committed to keeping your information safe.
However, we are not responsible for:
- making sure the VicKey Patient Portal is error free;
- making sure all information in the VicKey Patient Portal is accurate, complete and available in a timely manner;
- making sure any defects with the VicKey Patient Portal will be fixed;
- making sure you have continuous immediate access to the VicKey Patient Portal;
- any Loss as a direct or indirect result of your use of, or your inability to use, the VicKey Patient Portal or your reliance on the information in the VicKey Patient Portal;
- any Loss as a direct or indirect result of you not accessing a message in your VicKey Patient Portal or your health service not responding to a message from you; and
- any notification delivery failures to your nominated mobile number or email address, telling you to access your VicKey Patient Portal to read a message.
-
In these terms of use, 'Loss' means any loss, damage, cost or expense to any person or property. This includes:
- loss of profits, income or revenue;
- loss or denial of opportunity or delayed opportunity;
- loss of use;
- loss of data;
- embarrassment or damage to reputation; and
- any indirect, remote, abnormal or unforeseeable loss.
To the extent permitted by law you agree that in the event of any problem with the VicKey Patient Portal or any Loss, your sole remedy is to cease using the VicKey Patient Portal.
Links to other websites
Some site pages and interactive content contain links to third party sites we don't manage. Those sites are not within our control. We are not responsible for the content or availability of those sites, their partners, or advertisers. Any link to an external site is provided for your information and convenience only.
Rights we grant you
We give you permission to use the VicKey Patient Portal service on your device, for example, your computer or mobile so long as you comply with these terms of use and any other applicable laws. The permission is in the form of a non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable licence. Austin Health owns all intellectual property in the VicKey Patient Portal and any content on the VicKey Patient Portal.
Your personal devices, for example, your mobile, tablet or computer
You must ensure that your device is sufficiently secure to ensure that your VicKey Patient Portal account is not accessed by unauthorised people.
When you use the VicKey Patient Portal you may be asked for your permission to access certain hardware or software features of your device, for example, your camera. Access to features on your personal device is only to assist you with a particular service. For example, being able to take a picture of a document so you can upload it. When you agree to provide access to a feature on your personal device, that access is limited to only that feature.
Applicable law
The laws of the State of Victoria, Australia apply to these terms of use.
Severability
If a provision of these terms of use is not enforceable for any reason, the provision may be severed from the terms of use. The remainder of these terms of use remains enforceable.