Legal and Policies

Privacy Policy

Introduction

Family Tree Osteopathy is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients. This policy outlines how we handle personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records Act 2001 (VIC).

Information We Collect

We collect health information strictly necessary to deliver compliant, high-quality osteopathic assessment and treatment. This includes:

  • Personal contact details and demographic data.

  • Comprehensive clinical history, symptoms, medical diagnoses, and imaging reports.

  • Billing, private health insurance details, and transaction histories.

This data is stored securely via our practice management software, Cliniko.

Use and Disclosure

Your health records are used primarily for clinical management, treatment planning, and continuity of care. We will not disclose your personal information to third parties without your express consent, except:

  • For clinical referrals to your GP, maternal health nurses, or other specialists involved in your care.

  • To a Private Health Insurer or 3rd Party that have funded all or part of the payment for appointment when requested.

  • When required or authorised under Australian law (such as subpoena or mandatory reporting mandates).

Data Security

We take all reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is protected from misuse, loss, or unauthorised access. Records are stored securely in a dedicated Practice Management Software (Cliniko) with encrypted data protection. All external digital hardware and administrative tools are password-protected and encrypted

AHPRA & National Law Compliance

In accordance with Section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, Family Tree Osteopathy maintains a strict non-commercial policy regarding patient praise. We do not publish, host, or request patient testimonials on this website or any marketing materials associated with the practice.

Access and Corrections

You hold a legal right to request access to your health records or seek corrections to outdated information by contacting the clinic directly in writing.

Informed Clinical Consent & Child Safety Policies

The Consent Process

Consent is an active, ongoing, and dynamic dialogue between Madelaine Traeger and the patient. Consent will be obtained verbally before any physical assessment, or manual techniques/treatment are performed. Additional consent will be discussed for specific higher risk techniques such as High-Velocity joint manipulation. Patients retain the absolute right to refuse treatment or withdraw consent at any point during a consultation

Understanding Common Side Effects & Clinical Risks

Osteopathic care is a hands-on manual therapy designed to address structural, joint, and muscular restrictions. While Osteopathy is generally considered a lower intervention and lower risk approach to healthcare, there are potential side effects and rare clinical risks that can lead to serious complications and side effects. It is important to know this prior to your assessment and treatment so you can make a fully informed choice.

Adverse Post-Treatment Responses:

Following a hands-on osteopathic treatment, it is common to experience mild, temporary physical responses, though most responses are transient in nature some people may experience exacerbation of the condition.

Examples of responses post-treatment include:

  • Soreness & Stiffness: Mild muscle soreness, localised tenderness, or physical stiffness similar to the feeling after exercise (DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). These transient responses typically resolve independently within 24 to 48 hours and require no intervention.

  • No Response or Improvement of condition: While many patients experience relief following osteopathic treatment, some conditions may require multiple sessions before a noticeable change occurs. In some instances, a condition may show no response or improvement. Generally if no response is seen within 3 sessions, further intervention or referral is discussed.

  • Worsening of condition: Patients may experience an increase in symptoms or soreness for up to 48 hours post treatment. If your condition significantly worsens, lasts longer that 48 hours or causes you concern, please contact the clinic so we can provide guidance.

Rare but Serious Clinical Risks:

As with any physical or medical intervention, rare and serious complications can occur. While Madelaine Traeger utilises thorough pre-treatment screening to identify underlying risk factors, you should be aware of the following material risks associated with specific manual therapy techniques:

  • Neurovascular Risks & Stroke (Cervical Manipulation): High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude (HVLA) joint manipulation of the neck (often referred to as a "joint click / joint cracking") carries an extremely rare but serious risk of arterial injury or stroke. This occurs due to strain on the vertebral arteries (Cervical Artery Dissection). Current clinical data estimates this risk to be exceptionally rare, but it is a recognised medical complication.

  • Rib Fractures & Localised Trauma: Firm structural techniques, chest wall mobilization, or thoracic treatment carry a rare risk of rib fracture or severe local tissue strain. This risk is elevated in individuals with underlying medical conditions including bone density issues, such as osteoporosis.

  • Nerve Irritation & Increased Symptoms: Irritation to local nerve pathways, resulting in temporary numbness, tingling, or a short-term increase in your presenting structural symptoms. In severe cases this can result in ongoing nerve symptoms.

Our Pre-Treatment and In-Room Protocol

  • Maddi will discuss the treatment, benefits, and material risks with you in the room before proceeding, including alternative options (such as low-force modifications, at-home management strategies, choosing no treatment, or possible referral to doctors or other health professionals for further intervention)

  • You will be asked for verbal consent prior to treatment being performed, and additional consent when performing some specific techniques such as HVLA ( joint manipulation ).

Your Absolute Clinical Rights:

  • You maintain the absolute right to ask questions about your diagnosis and treatment plan at any time.

  • You have the right to request modifications to any manual technique or to withdraw your consent and stop treatment immediately at any stage during a consultation.

Informed Consent for Infants and Children

At Family Tree Osteopathy, your child’s comfort, safety, and well-being are our absolute priorities. Treatment approaches for infants and children are fundamentally different from adult care. We generally utilise low-pressure, and low-force techniques. Techniques involving high force or joint manipulation are never performed on babies or children.

Adverse Post-Treatment Responses & Rare Risks

  • Discomfort or Unsettled Behaviour: Some infants or children may appear slightly more unsettled or experience mild discomfort for 24 to 48 hours following a session. Older Children may report instances of transient muscle or joint soreness. If any of this soreness lasts longer than 48 hours or you have concerns then please contact the clinic for guidance.

  • Unfavourable Tissue Responses: There is a rare risk of mild, localised bruising.

  • Post-Care for Oral/Tongue Tie Stretching: If treatment includes specific stretching of oral/tongue wounds (e.g., post-frenectomy care), there is a temporary risk of minor bleeding, localised discomfort, or feeding disruption immediately following the treatment.

Our Pre-Treatment and In-Room Protocol

  • Maddi will discuss the treatment, benefits, and material risks with you and your child in the room before proceeding, including alternative options (such as at-home management strategies, choosing no treatment, or possible referral to doctors or other health professionals for further intervention)

  • You will be asked for verbal consent prior to treatment being performed.

Comfort & Flexible Treatment Adaptations

Where possible, to support children’s comfort, we adapt and change our treatment approach. This means treatment may not look like a traditional adult sessions:

  • Infants: May be treated while being held, rocked, standing up, or while feeding.

  • Toddlers & Young Children: Are frequently treated on the floor on a mat while playing with toys, rather than on the treatment table. Children can also be treated while sitting on parents laps if uncomfortable or nervous

Pausing Treatment

If at any time an infant or child displays increased distress, unsettled behaviour, or prolonged crying, treatment will be paused to give your child a break, and the opportunity to settle. If the child continues to show signs of distress, the treatment can be ceased at the discretion of either the parent or practitioner.

Parental Responsibility Information:

In accordance with the Family Law Act 1975 and AHPRA professional standards, Family Tree Osteopathy operates under the following guidelines for separated families:

  • Equal Shared Parental Responsibility: Unless provided with a court order stating otherwise, the practice operates under the presumption of equal shared parental responsibility.

  • Authority to Consent: Either parent or legal guardian may provide consent for a minor’s osteopathic treatment.

  • Right to Information: Both parents are legally entitled to inquire about the child’s treatment, access clinical notes, and receive appointment details unless a specific Court Order or legally binding Parenting Plan is provided that restricts these rights.

  • Dispute Resolution: If a dispute arises between parents regarding the necessity or nature of treatment, services may be suspended until a joint agreement or court direction is provided to ensure the child's best interests are prioritised.

Child Safety and Mandatory Reporting

Statement of Commitment

Family Tree Osteopathy is committed to providing a culturally safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all children and young people including children with a disability.

Practitioner Requirements

  • WWCC: The practitioner maintains a current Victorian Working with Children Check.

  • Mandatory Reporting: As a registered osteopath in Victoria, Madelaine Traeger is a legally Mandated Reporter. If a reasonable belief exists that a child is at risk of physical or sexual abuse, it is a professional obligation to notify the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Child Protection or Victoria Police. While patient confidentiality is a cornerstone of our practice, patient confidentiality is secondary to the immediate safety of a child.

Chaperone & Supervision Policy

To ensure a safe environment, a parent or legal guardian must remain in the treatment room at all times during the consultation for any patient under the age of 16.

Informed Financial & Cancellation Policy

Pricing Transparency

To eliminate transaction friction our fees for every service are clearly published on our online booking engine and booking confirmations.

Private Health Rebates

Family Tree Osteopathy provides streamlined HICAPS and software processing via Cliniko for private health insurance extras (where eligible through your fund). Where we are temporarily unable to process your rebate directly through HICAPS, a fully paid tax invoice will be issued so you can claim independently with your health insurer

Medicare Chronic Disease Management (CDM) / Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Plans

Family Tree Osteopathy does not offer bulk billing for EPC / CDM Plans. The ultimate financial accountability rests solely with the patient

  • Appointments must be paid IN FULL on the day of your appointment.

  • If you hold a valid GP referral, we can process the standard Medicare rebate directly back to your nominated savings or cheque account

  • Please remember to bring your physical EFTPOS/debit card to your session, as Medicare systems do not allow automated rebate routing to digital phone wallets.

WorkCover / TAC / NDIS / DVA

Family Tree Osteopathy operates on a pay-on-the-day basis and does not offer direct clinic billing for WorkCover, TAC, NDIS or DVA. Because your insurance or funding arrangement is an agreement between yourself and the provider, The ultimate financial accountability rests solely with the patient.

Any specific coverage outcomes, claims adjustments, or rejection of claims remain the responsibility of the account holder and not Family Tree Osteopathy.

  • Appointments must be paid IN FULL on the day of your appointment.

  • We will provide you with a detailed, compliant tax invoice containing all necessary provider numbers and item codes so you can lodge your independent reimbursement claim directly with the relevant third party.

24-Hour Cancellation & "No-Show" Policy

We understand it is not always possible to give much notice in certain circumstances; however, we aim to support as many patients in our community as we can, and short-notice cancellations heavily impact a solo practitioner clinic.

  • Cancellations or appointment rescheduling requests must be made at least 24 business hours prior to your appointment time

  • Following an initial courtesy warning, subsequent cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice, or failure to attend a scheduled appointment ("No Show"), may incur a fee of up to 50% of the standard appointment consultation fee.

Cookies Policy

What are Cookies?

Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help our website function efficiently and provide us with insights into how visitors interact with our content.

How We Use Cookies

  • Essential Cookies: Critical for our platform's functionality, including securely managing your online booking integration through Cliniko.

  • Analytical Cookies: We use anonymised Google Analytics data to track website traffic patterns and improve performance without capturing identifying personal information.

Managing Cookies

You can choose to disable cookies through your browser settings; however, please note that some features of the site (like online booking) may be affected.