Privacy Statement
On-Site Specialists arranges health care, social work, recreational therapy and aesthetic professionals (“Practitioners”) to perform services at long-term care and retirement facilities. On-Site Specialists engages Practitioners to provide treatment to clients on-site, and connects residents, facilities and families with a wide range of services to which they may otherwise not have access. On-Site Specialists is committed to complying with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, which governs the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information in Ontario.
Capacity
An individual is capable of consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal health information if they are able to understand the information that is relevant to deciding whether to consent to the collection, use or disclosure and to appreciate the reasonably foreseeable consequences of giving, not giving, withholding or withdrawing the consent. If the individual is not capable of consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal health information, the individual’s substitute decision maker (usually a relative and sometimes referred to as a POA) may give or refuse consent on the individual’s behalf. This Privacy Statement refers to clients as “you” or “your”, but should be read as referring to the client’s substitute decision-maker if the client is not capable with respect to privacy.
Consent
On-Site Specialists will only collect, use and disclose your personal health information with your express or implied consent. You have the right to withhold and/or withdraw your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal health information at any time. In cases where On-Site Specialists collects, uses or discloses your personal health information without your consent, it will do so only where it is required or permitted to do so by law.
Collection of Personal Health Information
On-Site Specialists collects your personal health information directly from you, or from a person authorized to act on your behalf (such as your substitute decision maker, power of attorney, or guardian).
The personal health information that On-Site Specialists collects may include, for example, your name, contact information, residence, OHIP number and records of your preferred frequency of visits with On-Site Specialists Practitioners and the treatment that you receive during those visits.
Occasionally, On-Site Specialists may collect personal health information from other sources, including other health care providers, insurers or legal representatives, where it has obtained your consent to do so or as otherwise permitted by law.
On-Site Specialists will not collect personal health information if other information will serve the purpose. In addition, we will not collect more personal health information than is reasonably necessary to meet the purpose.
Uses and Disclosure of Personal Health Information
Your personal health information may be shared with Practitioners as required in order to facilitate the scheduling of your appointment. On-Site Specialists uses and discloses personal health information to:
· facilitate and provide services;
· obtain payment for health care services;
· plan, administer and manage its internal operations;
· conduct risk management and quality improvement activities;
· compile statistics;
· comply with legal and regulatory requirements; and
· fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law.
On-Site Specialists may share your personal health information with other health professionals involved in your care, such as your family doctor.
Protection of Personal Health Information
On-Site Specialists recognizes the importance of safeguarding your personal health information and takes all reasonable steps to ensure that your physical and electronic personal health information records are protected against loss, theft or unauthorized access, use or disclosure. In the unlikely event that your personal health information is stolen, lost or improperly accessed, you will be notified immediately.
Access and Correction of Record of Personal Health Information
You have the right to request access to and correction of your record of personal health information. If you would like to access or correct your record, you may make a written request to the Privacy Officer identified below.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about the collection, use, disclosure or protection of your personal health information, please speak to our Privacy Officer, Rhonda Feigelsohn who can be reached at 905-326-9900 EXT 201.
Information and Privacy Commissioner
If we are not able to address your privacy concerns, or if you require further information regarding privacy in Ontario, you may contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at 1-800-387-0073 or info@ipc.on.ca.
On-Site Specialists
October 2019