Privacy & Personal Information Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality
St. Joseph’s Home care (SJHC) is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding personal information in our custody or control.
SJHC complies with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information. All personal health information contained in patients’/clients’ records under the control or custody of SJHC shall be regarded as confidential and available only to authorized users.
Your Health Record
Your health record includes information relevant to your health including your date of birth, contact information, health history, family health history, details of your physical and mental health, record of your visits, the care and support you received during those visits, results from tests and procedures, and information from other health care providers.
With limited exceptions, you have the right to access the health information we hold about you, whether in the health record or elsewhere.
You can request a copy of your record. A copy will be provided at a reasonable fee. In rare situations, you may be denied access to some or all of your record (with any such denial being in accordance with applicable law). To request access, please contact SJHC’s Privacy Officer;
Ellen Silverglen
Manager of Operations, Risk and Privacy
905-522-6887 ext. 2229
Confidentiality
We take steps to ensure that anyone who performs services on behalf of SJHC respects your privacy rights and only uses or discloses your personal health information for permitted purposes.
We collect, use and disclose/share your health information to:
- Provide quality care to you
- Provide care reminders to you
- Coordinate your care with your other health care providers including through shared electronic health information systems such as Ontario Health Teams and local, regional and provincial programs to provide you quality patient care
- To plan, evaluate and monitor the services we provide to you
- For research, quality improvement activities (such as sending patient experience surveys) and statistical analysis of data purposes
- For any other purpose that may be identified to you before or at the time the information is collected
- To educate our staff and students
- Respond to or initiate proceedings
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
- Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law
Where your consent is required for any collection, use or disclosure of your personal health information, you may withdraw or withhold consent by contacting SJHC’s Privacy Officer.
Security and retention
SJHC takes all reasonable steps to protect the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We protect the personal information within our custody or control with appropriate organizational, technological and physical safeguards.
We store personal information in electronic and physical files that are secure, and our security measures include secure on- and off-site storage, restricted access to records and data processing equipment, password protocols, and encryption and security software. We conduct audits and monitor compliance with our privacy practices.
SJHC employees and agents are required to sign an individual confidentiality and privacy commitment and to undergo comprehensive privacy education and training. Employees who violate our Privacy Commitment will be subject to our normal performance management process.
You have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario if you think we have violated your PHIPA rights. The Commissioner can be reached at:
Information and Privacy Commissioner / Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
416-326-3333