Privacy Notice
The Georgian Nurse Practitioner Led-Clinic is compliant with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of all personal health information (PHI) to which it is entrusted. We are dedicated to collecting, using and disclosing PHI responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide.
Our Information Practices
We collect personal health information about you directly from you or, in cases where a substitute decision maker has been appointed, from the person acting on your behalf. The personal health information that we collect may include; your name, date of birth, address, health history, record of your visits to the Georgian Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic and the services you received during those visits. We also collect and use personal health information about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits us to do so, such as labs, hospitals, pharmacies, diagnostic imaging centres, etc. Some of this information is collected using electronic means, such as Ontario Lab Information System and Hospital Report Manager.
Our administrative policies and procedures, security measures and safeguards seek to ensure that, with limited exceptions allowed by law, only those who need your personal health information for direct care or administrative purposes are authorized to access your record of personal health information. Our clinic uses an electronic medical record system to collect and use your personal health information. We protect that system and your information with multiple technical safeguards, including but not limited to strong password policies, limiting user access to need-to-know information only, up-to-date anti-virus protection, and secure firewalls.
We may collect, use and disclose your personal health information for the following purposes:
- Provide quality health care;
- Communicate with your health care providers and/or other health care institutions for continuity of care;
- Plan, administer and manage our internal operations, and conduct risk management activities;
- Conduct quality improvement activities;
- Teach, conduct research (only under strict rules overseen by a research ethics board) and compile statistics;
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
- Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law.
Consent for Collection, Use and Disclosure of Information
It is your right to limit or withdraw your consent for the collection, use and disclosure of your personal health information, however a client’s instruction cannot prevent us from recording information that is required by law, professional standards or our practice. Withdrawal of consent can be for part or all of your record, or for specific electronic means of collecting, using or disclosing your information. Please discuss with the clinic’s privacy appointee (contact details below).
To Access or Correct Your Information
With very limited exceptions, you have the right to access or correct your personal health information. To exercise this right, please contact the clinic’s privacy appointee indicated below.
Contact Information
For more information, to review our policies in full, or to voice questions or concerns about our privacy and information practices, please contact Kevin MacLeod, Executive Director at 5 Quarry Ridge Road, Suite 306 Barrie ON L4M 7G3 or by email at feedback@georgiannplc.ca.
You have the right to make a complaint about our information and privacy practices to the Information and Privacy Commissioner at:
Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400 Tel: 416.326.3333
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8 Toll-Free: 1.800.387.0073