Privacy Policy
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals with respect to their personal information, including their personal health information, and to providing individuals with access to their information.
This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and disclose your personal information. It also describes how we comply with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 and the Municipal Freedom of Information Act, which set out our obligations and your rights regarding your personal information that we collect, use, and disclose.
Accountability
The Board of Health of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is the institution accountable for the personal information that we collect, use, and disclose under the Municipal Freedom of Information Act. The Medical Officer of the Board of Health of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is the health information custodian of the personal health information that we collect, use, and disclose under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 .
How We Collect Your Personal Information
We may collect your personal information in the course of providing our services. If we collect your personal information, we will collect it either directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf.
Before or at the time we collect your personal information, we will explain the purposes for which we are collecting it. We will only collect the information we require to fulfill the purposes we identified at the time of collection.
What Personal Information We Collect
The personal information we collect may include, for example, your name, date of birth, employment information, health information, and any other information that you provide to us.
Using and Disclosing your Personal Information and Disclosure
We use your personal information to:
- treat and care for you
- provide public health services
- arrange payment for specific clinical services (such as services covered by OHIP)
- comply with our legal obligations, including under the Immunization of School Pupils Act
- fulfill any other purposes permitted or required by law
In some cases, we may de-identify your personal information. When we de-identify personal information, we remove any information that a) identifies you or b) for which it is reasonably foreseeable in the circumstances that the information could be used, either alone or with other information, to identify you. We use de-identified information to:
- conduct risk management and quality improvement activities
- plan, administer, and manage our programs and services
- teach, conduct research, and compile statistics
- comply with our legal and regulatory requirements
- fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law
- We may disclose your personal information:
- where we have your consent
- where we are required to do so by law
- where we merge with another entity
If we receive an inquiry or order demanding the disclosure of your personal information, we will ensure that the inquiry or order is valid and disclose only the information that is legally required.
Chatbot
We have implemented a chatbot on our website to help make information regarding our services readily accessible to you. When using our chatbot, please do not input any personal information into a chat session.
Information typed into a chat session will be accessible to limited Health Unit personnel. Health Unit personnel will not use or disclose any personal information typed into a chat session except:
- In cases where the chatbot provides an incorrect answer to a user’s, Health Unit personnel may use the information in the chat session to correct the chatbot and ensure that its answers are accurate; or
- In cases where the chatbot provides an answer that poses a risk to a user, Health Unit personnel may use the information in the chat session to correct the chatbot and prevent it from providing similar answers in the future.
Consent and Authority
We will only collect, use, or disclose your personal information with your consent or where we are required or permitted to do so by law (such as for public safety purposes).
Where our staff requests your consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information, they will do so either verbally, in writing, or electronically.
In certain cases, when you access our clinic services (such as our sexual health, immunization, or counseling services), we may assume that you consent to our staff sharing your personal information with other health care providers that are involved in your care.
You are permitted to withhold or withdraw your consent at any time. To withdraw your consent, please speak to your health care provider, or please contact us using the email address or telephone number below. Please note that if you choose to withhold or withdraw your consent, this may limit or delay the services that we are able to provide to you.
Protecting and Retaining Your Personal Information
We have implemented reasonable safeguards to protect your personal information against theft, loss and unauthorized use or disclosure. As part of our employment contracts, employees, volunteers, students and service providers are bound by confidentiality obligations, and are familiar with the procedures that must be taken to safeguard personal information. We also conduct audits and complete investigations to monitor and manage compliance with our stated policies.
We will retain your personal information for the time required for the fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, unless we are required by law to keep your personal information for a longer period of time.
Accessing and Correcting Your Information
Your Right of Access
If you want to access your personal information you may make an informal request to a specific health unit service or program that collected your personal information.
Access to your Personal Information: If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, or you wish to make a formal request, please forward your request in writing to the health unit Privacy Officer - [email protected]. There are certain circumstances where the Health Unit may deny you access to your personal information or to a part of the record of your personal information. If this is the case, we will provide you with a letter explaining our decision to withhold your personal information. If you are not satisfied with the decision, you may make a complaint to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Access to Other Records: If you would like to request access to a Health Unit record that does not include your personal information, please complete the: Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) – Access/Correction Request form and forward to the health unit Privacy Officer - [email protected]. We will make every effort to respond to your formal request within thirty (30) days. In some cases, we may require an extension of up to thirty (30) days. The health unit may charge a fee to recover the costs of accessing and providing your records.
Correcting Personal Information
We will make every reasonable effort to keep your personal information accurate and up to date. If you believe that the personal information we have about you is not accurate or complete, you may make a request to have it corrected. The Health Unit must correct an incomplete record, but we are not required to change documented professional opinions or to correct records that were not created by Health Unit employees.
Responding To Your Privacy Concerns
For more information about our information practices or to raise a concern you have regarding your information privacy or access contact:
The Office of the Privacy Officer
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
15 Sperling Drive
Barrie ON
L4M 6K9
Tel: 705-721-7520
Fax: 705-721-1495
You may also file a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, located at:
2 Bloor Street east, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON
M4W 1A8
Tel: 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073
Fax 416-325-9195
