Sharbot Lake Family Health Team
Privacy Policy
The Sharbot Lake Family Health Team is committed to upholding patient privacy
and to protecting the confidentiality of the health information we hold.
Commitment to Privacy
Protecting your privacy is an important aspect of Sharbot Lake Family Health Team (SLFHT)’s operations. The appropriate collection, use and disclosure of patient’s personal health information is fundamental to our day to day operations and to your care. We strive to provide you with excellent medical care and service, which includes treating your personal health information with respect. Each member and employee of the practice must abide by our commitment to privacy in the handling of personal information.
In Ontario, your health information is protected by the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). It sets out the rules that healthcare providers must follow when collecting, using and sharing your health information. In addition, it outlines your rights to confidentiality and access to your information, and allows healthcare providers to share your health information with other providers (such as the hospital or specialists) when it is used to provider care to you.
What is Personal Health Information?
Personal health information means identifying information about an individual relating to their physical or mental health (including medical history), the providing of health care to the individual, payments or eligibility for health care, organ and tissue donation and health number.
Accessing your health information
You have the right to see your medical records. You may also obtain copies of your records. Please see the receptionist to request your records. Please speak to your health care provider is you have any concerns about the accuracy of your records.
Sharbot Lake Family Health Team will not share your personal health information with your family members, friends, or employer unless you specifically ask us to do so. You may ask your provider to note your request in your medical record so everyone on the team will know that we can share your health information with that person anytime until you withdraw the request.
For those unable to make their own healthcare decisions, a substitute decision maker may be appointed. For children, this is may be a parent, parents or caregiver. Once an adolescent is able to make their own informed decisions about medical care, their parent will no longer have access to the health information without the patient’s consent.
The 10 Principles of Privacy
- Accountability
We take our commitment to securing your privacy very seriously. Sharbot Lake Family Health Team has an established Privacy Policy which is reviewed annually by all physicians, health care providers and staff. - Identifying Purposes: Why We Collect Information
We ask you for information to establish a relationship and serve your medical needs. We obtain most of our information about you directly from you, or from other health practitioners whom you have seen and authorized to disclose to us. We will obtain your consent if we require to use your information for any other purpose. - Consent
You have the right to determine how your personal health information is used and disclosed. For most health care purposes, your consent is implied as a result of your consent to treatment, however, in some circumstances your express (written or verbal) consent may be required. - Limiting Collection
We collect information by fair and lawful means and collect only that information which may be necessary for purposes related to the provision of your medical care. - Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
The information we request from you is used for the purposes defined; we will seek your consent before using the information for purposes beyond the scope of the posted Privacy Statement. - Accuracy
We endeavor to ensure that all decisions involving your personal information are based upon accurate and timely information. While we will do our best to base our decisions on accurate information, we rely on you to disclose all material information and to inform us of any relevant changes. - Safeguards: Protecting Your Information
We protect your information with appropriate safeguards and security measures. Our computer systems are password-secured and constructed in such a way that only authorized individuals can access secure systems and databases. - Openness: Keeping You Informed
If you have any additional questions or concerns about privacy, we invite you to contact us and we will address your concerns to the best of our ability. The SLFHT Privacy Policy was most recently updated in April 2012. - Access and Correction
With limited exceptions, we will give you access to the information we retain about you within a reasonable time, upon presentation of a written request and satisfactory identification. - Challenging Compliance
We encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have about your privacy or our Privacy Policy. We will investigate and respond to your concerns about any aspect of our handling of your information. More information about the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) can be found here:
Personal Health Protection Act 2004
If you have questions, concerns or requests regarding the privacy of your personal health information, please contact the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team at 613-279-2100