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SJHC / About Us/ Privacy

Privacy

Your Privacy and Personal Health Information

Your privacy and the privacy of your personal health information (PHI) is important to St. Joseph’s Home Care (SJHC).


SJHC complies with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information. SJHC is a provider of health and social services to the public and meets the PHIPA definition of a “health care custodian.”
All personal health information contained in patients’/clients’ records under the control or custody of SJHC is confidential and available only to authorized users. Subject to specific limitations and exceptions, patients/clients (or their legal representatives) may access their own personal health information contained in records under the custody or control of SJHC following the process outlined below.

Collection and Use of PHI

SJHC only collects the PHI required to provide the highest level of care. We will also request consent to share PHI with other care givers, government entities and for our own internal quality reviews. If we require information for other purposes, we will request additional consent. Consent is obtained directly from our clients, or, where required, from a Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) or other legal representative and may be revoked or amended at any time via written request.

Retention and Disposal

SJHC stores PHI in an electronic medical record system as well as in physical documentation that is kept in client homes or the locked offices of our program managers. All documentation is retained for 10 years after the last date of care or, in the case of children, for 10 years after they turn 18. Care has been taken to ensure our records storage and disposal partner meets all legislative security requirements to prevent unauthorized parties from gaining access to the information. 

Security of PHI

SJHC takes its role in the protection of PHI very seriously. In keeping with the requirements of PHIPA, our security practices incorporate physical, administrative and technical methodologies.

Our methods of protection include the following measures:

  • Physical:
    • locked filing cabinets
    • restricted access to offices
    • Password protected entrances
  • Administrative:
    • confidentiality agreements
    • initial and annual training of all staff
    • roles based restricted access
  •  Technological
    • passwords
    • access controls
    • encryption
    • firewalls and government standard cyber security standards

All client information is kept securely in SJHC’s client database (PROCURA), and/or locked paper client chart/files, if not in client homes.

How to Access your PHI
  • A Request for Access form can be obtained from any of SJHC’s management staff or privacy officer
  • All requests will be responded to within 30 days (or up to 60 days upon extension).
  • An individual will be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of their PHI and have it amended according to the current legislation.
  • An individual may be required to provide sufficient information to permit SJHC to provide an account of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal health information. The information provided will only be used for this purpose.  SJHC may choose to make sensitive medical information available through a medical practitioner.
  • When an individual demonstrates the inaccuracy or incompleteness of personal health information to the satisfaction of SJHC, and depending upon the nature of the information challenged an amendment may be made involving the correction, or addition of information that will be included as an addendum to the health record. Clinical opinions will not be deleted. 
  • In certain situations, SJHC may not be able to provide access to all the personal health information about an individual. Exceptions may include information that is prohibitively costly to provide, information that contains references to other individuals, information that cannot be disclosed due to legal, security or commercial proprietary reasons and information that is subject to solicitor-client or litigation privilege.
Questions, Concerns or Complaints

SJHC’s Privacy Officer:
Ellen Silverglen, Manager of Operations, Risk and Privacy
esilverglen@stjhc.ca
170 Ogilvie Street, 2nd Floor
Dundas ON  L9H 0C6
905-522-6887  Extension 2229

 

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
info@ipc.on.ca
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto ON  M4W 1A8
Toll Free:  1-800-387-0073