Privacy Policy

At Oak Ridges Heart Clinic, we are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our client’s personal health information. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal health information in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

We collect personal health information directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf when you visit our clinic or fill out the referral form on our website. The personal health information that we may collect includes your full name, date of birth, address, medical history, health card number, test results, and any other information relevant to your health care.

We may also collect personal health information about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits. For example, we may collect personal health information from other health care providers or facilities that have provided or are providing health care to you, such as your family doctor, specialist, hospital, laboratory, or pharmacy.

We use your personal health information to provide you with quality health care and inform our treatment practices with each patient. We use your personal health information to:

• Diagnose and treat your medical condition
• Communicate with other health care providers involved in your care
• Obtain payment for our services from you, your insurance company, or other third-party payers
• Educate our staff for training purposes
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

We may disclose your personal health information to other health care providers or facilities, with your consent, that are involved in your care for the purposes of providing you with quality health care and related services. We may disclose your personal health information to:

• Your family doctor or specialist
• A hospital or clinic where you receive treatment
• A laboratory or pharmacy that provides services to you
• A home care agency or long-term care facility that provides services to you
• A community care access centre that coordinates your health care

We may also disclose your personal health information to other persons or organizations if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits or requires us to do so, including but not limited to:

• Your family members or friends who are involved in your care (with your consent)
• Your substitute decision-maker who has the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf (if you are incapable)
• A public health authority that is responsible for preventing or controlling diseases
• A regulatory college that oversees the professional conduct of our staff
• A law enforcement agency that is conducting an investigation

We take steps to protect your personal health information from theft, loss, unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure, and disposal. We use physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to ensure the security and confidentiality of your personal health information:

• Restrict access to our computer systems and networks using user password protection
• Use strong, unique passwords and encryption on all of our devices
• Train our staff on privacy policies and practices to ensure responsible handling of your personal health information.

We retain your personal health information for as long as necessary to provide you with excellent health care and to comply with our legal obligations.

You have the right to access and obtain a copy of your personal health information that is in our custody or control at any time. You also have the right to request a correction of your personal health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete.

To access or correct your personal health information, please contact our office using the contact information below. We will respond to your request within 30 days or as soon as reasonably possible. We may charge a reasonable fee for providing you with a copy of your personal health information.

If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your personal health information, please contact our office using the contact information below. We recognize that our clients value the privacy of their information, and we will do our best to address your concerns and resolve any issues you may have.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to make a complaint to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC). The IPC is an independent body that oversees the protection of privacy in Ontario. You can contact the IPC at:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Phone: 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073
Email: info@ipc.on.ca
Website: www.ipc.on.ca

We may update this privacy policy when necessary to reflect changes in our practices or the law. We will post the updated version of the privacy policy on our website and in our clinic. We encourage you to review this privacy policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal health information.

We appreciate the trust you have placed in us by choosing Oak Ridges Heart Clinic as your health care provider. We are committed to providing you with quality health care and respecting your privacy rights. If you have any questions or comments about this privacy policy or our privacy practices, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Oak Ridges Heart Clinic
905 751 2941
Reception@oakridgesheartclinic.com

Thank you for your attention.

-Dr. Maheswaran Srivamadevan
Director – Oak Ridges Heart clinic and 2135060 Ontario Inc.

http://www.ipc.on.ca/