Consultation

Privacy Policy

Collection of Personal Health Information

We collect personal health information about you, directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf.  The personal health information that we collect may include, your name, date of birth, address, health history, records of your visits and information about the care received at the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC).  Occasionally, we collect personal health information about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so, or if the law permits.

We promise that:

  • Your records will be handled securely and confidentially
  • Your records will only be shared with authorized health care providers/systems

We strive to ensure that:

  • You are involved in decisions about your care and choose whether to share your information
  • Your health care providers have the right information at the right time
  • Your questions or complaints are addressed

Uses and Disclosures of Personal Health Information

SLMHC may use or disclose personal health information about an individual for the following purposes, in accordance with SLMHC Privacy Policy PR.9.5 for:

  • the delivery of patient care and services at the SLMHC
  • planning or delivering programs or services that SLMHC provides
  • purposes of risk management to improve or maintain the quality of care of programs and services
  • educational opportunities for our students (medical, nursing, clinical, etc.)
  • practices to protect, dispose, or modify personal health information or to conceal identity
  • purposes of obtaining consent
  • purposes related to legal proceedings
  • purposes of obtaining payment, or reimbursing payment claims
  • research conducted by SLMHC
  • fundraising activities to improve our services and programs
  • disclosure to other health information custodians involved in providing your healthcare
  • purposes of contacting a relative, friend or substitute decision maker if you are unable to give consent
  • compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
  • purposes permitted or required by law

Privacy, Confidentiality and Security

SLMHC promises that your personal health information and records will be handled securely and confidentially.  We have policies and procedures in place to protect your personal health information and conduct regular audits and investigations to monitor compliance with our privacy practices.

You may(subject to legal exceptions):

  • access your personal health record
  • correct your personal health record
  • withdraw your consent for use and disclosures 
  • file a complaint or express a concern
  • enquire about additional information

Who to Contact for More Info

SLMHC Privacy Officer

Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre
1 Meno Ya Win Way
P. O. Box 909
Sioux Lookout, Ontario P8T 1B4

Tel: (807) 737-6551
Fax: (807) 737-6265
privacy@slmhc.on.ca

OR

Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8

Tel: 1(800) 387- 0073 (Toll Free)
Tel: (416) 326- 3333 (Toronto area)
Fax: 416-325-9195
info@ipc.on.ca

Privacy FAQs:

What health information do we have about you?

Your health record includes your full name, sex, date of birth, address, next of kin, phone number and Health Insurance Number.  It also contains your medical history and reports from your doctors and specialists.  Your record may include personal or family information that you (or your family) have told your doctor or nurse.  Your record may be on paper or in a computer, or both.

Who can look at your personal health information?

Doctors, nurses and other health care workers who are treating you can look at your health record on a ‘need to know’ basis.  This is true if the treatment takes place here, or somewhere else.  Reasons we would share certain parts of your record include:

  • If you are referred to another specialist.  Why?  Because he or she will need to see what services you have already had before recommending a plan of care.
  • If you have home nursing or nursing station services.  Why?  Because the northern nurse or case manager may need to check your records to find out about your condition and what medicines you are taking.
  • If you have a biopsy.  Why?  Because a doctor could use information in earlier reports to help him or her interpret the results of the test.

We will send your family doctor and/or the doctor who referred you to us, copies of the notes made by your health care workers.

Are there other reasons why we may use, or share your personal health information?

We use the information from your health record to help us plan and manage health services.

We regularly review care given at the hospital to be sure we are providing the best care we can. This means we review what learners have put on your record, compile statistics to plan new services and review ourselves to be sure the right services were provided. 

How do we allow researchers to use your personal health information?

We provide only the minimum information needed for the research.  We do everything we can to make sure that the researcher cannot identify you as an individual.

If we agree to give them the information, the researchers have to agree in writing to use the information only for the reasons approved by the Research Review and Ethics Committee.  They also have to agree to protect your privacy in the same way that we would.

How do we protect your personal health information?

We have detailed privacy principles, policies and procedures that everyone here has to follow.  These are based on the Ontario Health Information Protection Act.  You can ask us to send them to you, or read them on the internet at www.slmhc.on.ca.

Can you see the personal health information that we have about you?

You can ask to look at your health record.  Your health care provider will help you.

Can you correct the personal health information that we have about you?

If you find any mistakes in your health record, you can ask us to correct them.

Can you ask that your personal health information not be shared?

You can ask us not to share certain parts of your health information with certain people.  For example, you can ask us not to share some highly personal information with an outside provider, e.g.; a nursing station or home care.

Will you be asked for consent to use any of your personal health information?

Under the provincial privacy legislation we are allowed to use your health information for continuing care.  We may also use your health information for research, surveillance or administrative purposes

In these cases, clear rules restrict how we use your information; i.e., we must ensure that no identifying data is reported