Privacy Policy

The Guelph Family Health Team’s mission is to champion the development and delivery of high-quality collaborative healthcare that informs and assists our patients to make decisions that maximize their wellness potential. As part of our mission, we are committed to promoting privacy and protecting the confidentiality of your health information. This notice explains your privacy rights and the steps the Guelph Family Health Team takes to protect your Personal Health Information in compliance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).

Our Doctors belong to a Family Health Organization, and they are each health information custodians under PHIPA. For the purposes of privacy obligations, the Guelph Family Health Team and our staff are agents of the Doctors and the Family Health Organization. This means we all follow the same rules and work together to protect your privacy.

YOUR HEALTH RECORD: Your health record includes information relevant to your health including your date of birth, health card number, contact information, health history, family health history, record of your visits, the care and support you receive during those visits, results from tests and procedures, and information from other healthcare providers. Your record at our clinic is our property, but the information in your file belongs to you.

You have the right to access your health record in a timely manner. If you request a copy of your record, one will be provided to you at a reasonable cost. If you wish to view the original record, one of our staff must be present, and a reasonable fee may be charged for this access. If you need a copy of your health record, please contact our Privacy Officer in writing or ask your Physician or care provider who will explain the process. In extremely rare situations you may be denied access to some or all of your record.

OUR PRACTICES: Uses and Disclosure of your Personal Health Information:

• Treat and care for you alongside the healthcare providers that are involved in your care
• Enable you to participate in our programs and services;
• Receive payment for your treatment and care
• Inform funding agencies such as the Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Local Health Integration Networks for health system management purposes;
• Guide the planning and administration of our services and operations;
• Conduct quality improvement activities;
• Ensure we comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
• Conduct research;
• Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law

Our collection, use and disclosure (sharing) of your health information are done in accordance with Ontario law.

YOUR RIGHTS: We make every effort to ensure that all of your information is recorded accurately. You may request to access and correct your Personal Health Information or withdraw your consent for the above uses and disclosure by contacting our Privacy Officer. Your withdrawal of consent may be subject to legal exceptions.

YOUR CHOICES: You have a right to make choices and control how your health information at Guelph Family Health Team is collected, used, and disclosed, subject to a few exceptions. For most healthcare purposes, your consent to use your health information is implied as a result of your consent to treatment, unless you tell us otherwise. We may also collect, use, and share your health information in order to communicate or consult with other healthcare providers about your care unless you tell us you do not want us to do so.

You have the right to ask that we not share some or all of your health record with Guelph Family Health Team staff members or ask us not to share your health record with your external healthcare providers (such as a Specialist). This is known as asking for a “lockbox”. If you would like to know more, ask a member of your healthcare team for a copy of our “Patient Lockbox Information Document: How to Restrict Access to your Health Record”.

There are other circumstances where we are not allowed to assume we have your consent to share information. For example, we must have your permission to give your health information to people who do not provide you with healthcare, like your insurance company or your employer.

We may also need consent to communicate with any family members or friends with whom you would like us to give more detailed information about your health.

If we ask for your consent, you may choose to say no. If you say yes, you may change your mind at any time. Once you say no – we will no longer share your information unless we have your permission to do so. Your choice to say no may be subject to some restrictions and reasonable notice.

SAFEGUARDING 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 and ensure your Personal Health Information is secure
• We take steps to ensure that those who perform services for us protect your privacy and only use your information for the purposes you have consented to

Email Policy

The Guelph Family Health team communicates with patients in several different ways including via email. Email communication has many advantages including that it allows for timely communication of important information.

The Guelph Family Health Team may choose to use email communication for the purpose of sending out appointment reminders, letters, handouts, updates on programs and services, health promotion and other generic notifications. We may share your email information with other health care providers who are providing you with health care. We may also use your email to keep you informed of your referral status when you have been referred to another health care provider. Please note that we have set up safeguards to protect your personal health information from theft, loss, unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal.

While email communication has many advantages, it also comes with a few risks that we want to be sure you are aware of.  Please review the following information carefully – we would like to be sure that you understand and accept these risks before agreeing to communicate with your provider via email:

• Email communication is not considered to be private or secure
• Employers and online services may have a legal right to inspect and keep emails that pass through their system
• Emails are easier to falsify than handwritten or signed hard copies. In addition, it is impossible to verify the true identity of the sender, or to ensure that only the recipient can read the email once it has been sent.
• Emails can introduce viruses into a computer system, and potentially damage or disrupt the computer
• Emails can be forwarded, intercepted, circulated, stored or even changed without the knowledge or permission of the physician or the patient
• An email sender could misaddress an email, resulting in it being sent to an unintended and unknown recipient
• Emails are permanent. Even after the sender and recipient have deleted their copies of the email, back-up copies may exist on a computer or in cyberspace.
• Emails can be used as evidence in court

To mitigate some of these risks, both parties will assume the following responsibilities:

GUELPH FAMILY HEALTH TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES
As an organization, we are committed to respecting the guidelines set out by Personal Health Information Privacy Act (PHIPA).  All Guelph Family Health Team employees and providers have signed and are bound by the clinic’s privacy policy, which outlines the absolute confidentiality of patient information.  As such, we take every measure to secure your privacy and do not use your email address for any reason that has not been outlined above. We will use the minimum necessary amount of personal health information when communicating information to you.

All patient emails are stored on a securely password-protected.  Communication between all electronic devices, used at the clinic, and the clinic’s server are encrypted using “Secure Socket Layer” (SSL) protocols. Firewalls are also used on our systems to prevent unauthorized access to our networks and to stop Spam, viruses, and other unwanted content before they reach our infrastructure and users.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
As the patient, you must ensure that you are providing us with your email address that is private, and not accessed by anyone other than yourself. You should ensure that your email is protected with encryption software, otherwise understand that by not using an encrypted email may increase the risk of your privacy being violated. Should you change your email address, please update the clinic as soon as possible.

Wellness Workshop In-person and Webinar Policy

The Guelph Family Health Team offers Wellness Workshops in a variety of wellness topics.

Our facilitator will strive to provide you with a safe and respectful environment to learn in. However, it is your responsibility to notify the facilitator if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or concerns that will affect your ability to participate. You do NOT have to participate in any activities that make you feel uncomfortable. There are no known risks to participating. Please note that attendance at all FHT workshops is documented.

Please note that the Guelph Family Health Team and/or Guelph Family Health Team staff and volunteers are not liable for any injuries, health complications or allergic reactions that occur during the course.

IN-PERSON CLASS GUIDELINES 
Although our classes are meant to be fun and informal, it is important that all participants respect a few class ‘guidelines’:

• Masking: Public Health Ontario has updated its Infection Control guidance. Therefore, masking for in-person workshops is no longer required or mandatory. Masking is still recommended in some situations, as outlined in the Ontario screening tool. If you come to an in-person class sick, you may be asked to wear a mask.
• Illness: Please do not come to class if you are sick. You can make up the session at a later time. You must pass the COVID Screening questionnaire BEFORE you attend in person.
• Confidentiality: All information shared by other patients in the workshop is confidential. Please do not share this information with others outside of the workshop. This also includes the identities of other participants.
• Substance Abuse: Please do not come to class under the influence of any substances such as alcohol or street drugs. You may be asked to leave the class if the instructor suspects you are under the influence and you may not be invited back to the group.
• Respect for Facilitator: Please respect the facilitator’s efforts to lead the class and stay on topic.
• Respect for Group Participants: Please do not interrupt or criticize others’ questions or comments throughout the webinar.
• Safety: In case of a medical emergency, the facilitator(s) will use their best judgment as how to ensure your safety, such as but not limited to, calling 911 on your behalf.
• Scent-Free: We are a scent-free facility. Due to the allergies and the sensitives our staff and the other participants we ask that you refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, and heavily scented lotions to class.

I have read this information prior to participating in the workshop and:

• Understand that this is a class and not a therapy or support group;
• Agree to participate at my own risk;
• Respect the class guidelines; and
• Allow the facilitator(s) to use their judgment to seek reasonable medical attention on my behalf.

VIRTUAL CLASS GUIDELINES 
Although our classes are meant to be fun and informal, it is important that all participants respect a few class ‘guidelines’:

• Confidentiality: All information shared by other patients in the workshop is confidential. Please do not share this information with others outside of the workshop. This also includes the identities of other participants.
• Respect for Facilitator: Please respect the facilitator’s efforts to lead the class and stay on topic
• Respect for Group Participants: Please do not interrupt or criticize others’ questions or comments throughout the webinar.
• Safety: In case of a medical emergency, the facilitator(s) will use their best judgment as how to ensure your safety, such as but not limited to, calling 911 on your behalf.
• Zoom: This is a tool that allow us to run the class virtually. There are a few guidelines the Facilitator will review with participants at the start of the webinar. Please respect these throughout the duration of the class.

I have read this information prior to participating in the webinar and:

• Understand that this is a class and not a therapy or support group;
• Agree to participate at my own risk;
• Respect the class guidelines; and
• Allow the facilitator(s) to use their judgment to seek reasonable medical attention on my behalf.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Wellness Matters at Wellness.Matters@guelphfht.com or call 519-837-0099.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR COMPLAINTS: If you would like a copy of our Privacy Policy, ask anyone on our team for a copy. We encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have about our privacy practices. You can reach one of our Privacy Officers at:

Suite 500 – 649 Scottsdale Drive, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4T7
Phone: 519-837-4444 | Fax: 519-837-2202
Website: www.guelphfht.com/privacy-policy/ | Email: Privacy.Officer@guelphfht.com

If, after contacting us, you feel that your concerns have not been addressed to your satisfaction, you have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario. The Commissioner can be reached at:

Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
Suite 1400 – 2 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Phone: 1-800-387-0073 | Fax: 1-416-325-919
Website: www.ipc.on.ca | Email: info@ipc.on.ca