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Personal Health Information Protection Act

A Photo of Health Records

Ontario has a health privacy law, the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which came into effect on November 1, 2004.  This Act has been established to set out rules for the collection, use, and disclosure of information that is collected about patients.  We are required to keep your personal health information safe and secure.  You have the right to know how we may use and give it out and how you can get access to it.  This document is intended to provide you with our privacy practices.

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, for example, your name, date of birth, address, health history, records of your visits to Toronto Grace Health Centre and the care that you received during those visits.  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.

Uses and Disclosure of Personal Health Information

We use and disclose your personal health information to:

  • Treat and care for you,
  • Get payment for your treatment and care (from OHIP, WSIB, your private insurer or others),
  • Plan and administer and manage our internal operations,
  • Conduct risk management activities,
  • Conduct quality improvement activities (such as sending patients satisfaction surveys),
  • Teach,
  • Conduct research,
  • Compile statistics,
  • Fundraise to improve our healthcare services and programs
  • Comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and
  • Fulfill other purposes permitted or require by law.

Your Choices

You may access and correct your personal health records or withdraw your consent for some of the above uses and disclosures by contacting us (subject to legal exceptions).

Our Pledge to Protect Your Personal Health Information

The following are a list of pledges to you that we have made to protect your personal health information:

  • We take steps to protect your personal health information from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure, and disposal.
  • We conduct audits and complete investigations to monitor and manage our privacy compliance.
  • We take steps to ensure that everyone who performs services for us protects your privacy and only uses your personal health information for the purposes you have consented to.

Contact Information

For more information about our privacy protection practices, or to raise a concern you may have about our practices, please contact us at:

Health Records Manager/Privacy Officer
Toronto Grace Health Centre
650 Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2G5
416-925-2251, ext 223
privacy@torontograce.org

You have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario if you think we have violated your rights.  The Commissioner can be reached at:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8
416-326-3333
commissioner@ipc.on.ca

www.ipc.on.ca

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