Private practice comes with professional responsibilities that don’t pause when life does. PracMinders was built by health practitioners who understood that — and wanted to do something about it.
We help you put a lawful contingency plan in place, carry it out when it’s needed, and manage patient health records after practice ends
Without a plan, these responsibilities can fall to your loved ones, leaving them to navigate unfamiliar privacy, health records, and professional obligations during an already difficult time
It’s common to assume a trusted colleague could step in to manage your practice administration or hold your patient records if something unexpected happened to you.
However, these arrangements are not always straightforward from a legal and professional perspective.
Health information is regulated under the Australian Privacy Principles and, in some states, specific health records legislation. While patient information can be used or disclosed for purposes related to the provision and administration of healthcare, including record keeping and continuity of care, any transfer or handling of records must have a clear legal basis, be consistent with patient expectations, and be appropriately documented.
A colleague may be able to assist in certain circumstances — for example, where they are involved in the patient’s care or where the arrangement is properly structured and compliant with privacy obligations. However, without clear authority and documentation, responsibility can shift onto individuals who may not be adequately authorised, insured, or prepared to manage legal and regulatory obligations — particularly in situations involving incapacity, death, or practice closure.
You would never ask a colleague to take a clinical risk. It is just as important to ensure they are not unintentionally exposed to legal risk.
This is why an independent, clearly defined, compliant contingency and record custodianship arrangement is important.
PracMinders doesn’t just document your intentions. We carry them out when it matters.
When support is needed, our team manages bookings, patient communications, and health records through verified procedures — protecting your patients, your estate, and your professional obligations.
Professional, secure, and compliant. Peace of mind for everyone involved.
Not all absences look the same.
Some are sudden and permanent. Others are uncertain, temporary, or still unfolding. Some practitioners are planning ahead for retirement or a planned exit from practice.
PracMinders’ plans are designed to reflect these different realities — providing the right level of administrative support without placing unnecessary burden on colleagues or family members.
You don’t need to predict what might happen. The right structure simply needs to be in place.
Choose the plan that best reflects your situation.
When something unexpected happens, clear systems matter. Here is how PracMinders works — from setup through to activation and beyond.
If you cannot practise, you or a nominated Authorised Notifier can submit a request to activate your Core or Core Plus plan.
We verify the request with security checks and notify you by SMS and email, giving you the opportunity to stop the process immediately if it was triggered in error.
Requests confirmed by 3:00 pm AEST: we cancel and notify all appointments scheduled for the next business day, ensuring patients are informed before their appointment time.
We cancel bookings, block your online calendar, and send administrative notifications to patients about their cancelled appointments, directly through your practice management system.
With Core Plus, we can manage cancellations for a defined period while things unfold. If you recover and return to practice, your contingency plan remains in place for future use.
If it becomes clear that your practice will not reopen, and the relevant legal documentation is in place, we implement practice transition processes — including notifying patients and referrers, providing templates to notify professional bodies, and preparing transition documentation for your estate or legal representatives.
Core and Core Plus plans do not include record custodianship. If ongoing management of patient health records is required after permanent practice exit, that is handled under a separate Legacy Plan — formally entered into by whoever holds legal responsibility for the records.
When a contingency plan is activated and permanent exit is confirmed, we provide documentation outlining patient health record retention requirements and a quote for the Legacy Plan.
Audit logs across your practice management system and our secure storage platform record key activities, providing transparency and accountability throughout.
PracMinders is designed for practitioners who are personally responsible for their own patient health records, administrative systems, and professional obligations.
Whether you run a solo practice, work as a contractor within a group practice, or manage your own caseload independently, our services ensure your responsibilities are handled lawfully if you cannot practise.
This includes psychologists, medical practitioners, allied health professionals, and other AHPRA-registered practitioners working in private practice.
If you are personally responsible for patient health records, Medicare compliance, and professional obligations outside a public hospital system, PracMinders provides structured contingency planning, implementation support, and the option to engage lawful record custodianship.
This includes counsellors, psychotherapists, and other health and wellbeing practitioners who operate in private practice and hold sensitive client information.
Where you are responsible for client records, privacy obligations, and practice administration, PracMinders provides lawful systems to ensure these responsibilities are managed if you cannot practise.
For practitioners who want certainty that bookings, patient notifications, and professional obligations will be handled if they cannot practise.
Both plans include secure verification, professional administrative communications, and formal closure documentation.
Coverage period: 12 months (renewable annually)
Contingency support for serious circumstances where your practice needs to be suspended and, if required, transitioned to permanent closure.
Includes:
Contingency support with the flexibility to manage temporary or evolving circumstances, with the option to suspend your practice for a defined period or transition to permanent closure if required.
Includes everything in Core, plus:
For practitioners managing patient health records after practice ends — or preparing for that now.
Patient health records don’t stop requiring management when a practice closes. These services ensure that responsibility is handled compliantly — with clear authority, documented arrangements, and no burden on family members or colleagues.
For practitioners who want to prepare the administrative groundwork for future record custodianship — before they retire or exit practice.
Documents key practice information and PMS access arrangements with PracMinders, so that if something happens before you formally enter into a Legacy Plan, your loved ones or legal representatives have everything they need to procure one without delay or uncertainty.
Includes:
Legacy Readiness is already included in the Core and Core Plus plans. This standalone plan is for practitioners who want to prepare for future record custodianship without a full contingency plan.
For retiring practitioners, or estates managing records after death or permanent incapacitation.
Provides secure, compliant custodianship of patient health records for the legally required retention period — typically seven years for adult patients. Pricing is calculated per 1000 patients, based on the number of custodianship years required, and is paid once upfront.
Includes:
The Legacy Plan is a separate service and must be formally entered into by whoever holds legal responsibility for the patient health records. It is not automatically included in Core or Core Plus plans.
When something happens to a practitioner, the effects reach far beyond systems and paperwork. PracMinders works for everyone involved.
Receive clear and timely administrative notifications, information about their options, and the assurance that their health information is held securely.
Are spared the administrative burden during an already difficult time, and do not have to navigate unfamiliar professional or legal obligations on your behalf.
Are protected from the legal and privacy risks of being asked to hold or manage records they have no authority over — and are not burdened with wrapping up your practice.
PracMinders works directly inside your practice management system (PMS) to carry out administrative actions.
Contingency Plans and Legacy Readiness Plan
We currently support five practice management systems for our contingency plans and the Legacy Readiness Plan.
Legacy Plan
For the Legacy Plan, we may be able to support a wider range of practice management systems. If your system isn’t listed above, contact us to discuss — we can often accommodate systems that allow bulk export of patient records.
