Chief Privacy Officer
Our Privacy Team is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information under the custody or control of GHC, in accordance with relevant health information protection legislation, public expectations for privacy and internationally accepted fair information principles. In complying with these principles, the Centre has identified Elizabeth Bodnar as our Chief Privacy Officer. The following is her contact information:
By Mail:
Chief Privacy Officer
Group Health Centre
240 McNabb Street
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6B 1Y5

By Telephone: (705) 759-5529

By E-mail: [ bodnar_e@ghc.on.ca ]: bodnar_e@ghc.on.ca

NOTICE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION & PRIVACY
Notice of Collection of Personal Health Information

GROUP HEALTH CENTRE (GHC) collects, uses, discloses, and retains personal health information for the purpose of:
• Direct patient care;
• Administration;
• Research;
• Statistics;
• Legal & Regulatory Requirements.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Circle of Care
• Your personal health information is shared within the “circle of care” at GHC, which helps in delivering the most effective health care possible. This involves doctors, nurses, other health care professionals, and administrative staff who are assigned to, or responsible for, your care.

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
• Most personal health information at GHC is recorded in electronic format and stored in your EMR. The EMR provides many tools that assist health care providers, in addition to extra security systems for guarding your information. No matter how your personal health information is stored, we take all reasonable steps to secure and protect it.

Research at GHC
• Your health care provider and other members of the “circle of care” at GHC will monitor your health record to ensure that beneficial health programs and opportunities to participate in research are available to you. All research conducted through GHC is approved by a Research Ethics Board. Research data will not be shared outside of GHC unless it is in an unidentifiable, anonymous format.

Access to Information & GHC’s Privacy Policies
• You have the right to access, and correct, your personal health information and to know how your information is being used, as well as, to whom it has been disclosed. If you wish to access, or correct your personal health information, contact your health care provider, or the Medical Records Department at GHC.

• To learn more about how your personal health information will be used and the security measures being taken to safeguard your privacy, please ask your health care provider, or contact GHC’s Privacy Officer, Elizabeth Bodnar at 759-5529 or bodnar_e@ghc.on.ca

PRIVACY AND YOU AT THE GROUP HEALTH CENTRE
Privacy & Personal Health Information

Why?
Changes in technology and the way that personal health information is handled have resulted in new privacy laws and new privacy practices in all industries.

The staff and physicians at the Group Health Centre understand that your health information is sensitive personal information that requires special attention.

Purpose of this Information Page

To:
• describe key features of Group Health Centre (GHC);
• introduce new privacy legislation;
• outline GHC’s privacy policies;
• inform you of your privacy rights.

What is my “personal health information”?
Your personal health information includes everything recorded about you, from identifiable information, such as your telephone number, address and health insurance number, to information about health services you have received.

Personal health information includes information in your medical chart, as well as medical information recorded in other formats, such as blood samples, x-rays, and various other tests.GHC Privacy Program
In response to changes in privacy law GHC has created policies and practices to protect your personal health information.

GHC’s Privacy Program consists of:

People: a Chief Privacy Officer and Privacy Team

Policies: GHC Privacy Code & Policies

Education: Staff training & public education pamphlets

GHC & Privacy

Circle of Care
Your personal health information is shared within the “circle of care,” which involves everyone, from doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals, to the administrative staff who are assigned to, or responsible for, your care.

EMR (Electronic Medical Records)
Almost all medical records at GHC are recorded and stored electronically. This innovation allows the GHC to support our “circle of care” philosophy and facilitate preventative health programs and research. We have special security precautions in place that protect the information in your EMR.

Research / Health Promotion Initiatives
GHC performs all its own research and does not disclose (i.e. share) your personal health information with other groups, unless it is in an unidentifiable, anonymous format.

Your Privacy Rights

Access
Ask your health care provider OR the Medical Records Department for access to your health record.

Correction
You have a right to request that errors in your record be corrected and view any changes that have been made.

Consent
Various forms of consent apply to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal health information. Ask your health care provider about consent for various treatments. Subject to legal exceptions, you may withdraw your consent for some of these uses and disclosures by contacting us.

Disclosures
You have a right to know who your personal health information has been shared with, and who has access to your personal and health information.

Protection of personal information
For more details about GHC’s privacy program, contact our Chief Privacy Officer.

Concerns
Concerns related to privacy issues should be directed to GHC’s Chief Privacy Officer. Issues may also be directed to the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

Privacy Law in Ontario
The public's growing concern with privacy has led to the creation of a law that is designed to protect your personal health information.

Provincial Law—PHIPA
Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 and Quality of Care Information Protection Act, 2004.
This Act was drafted specifically for health care providers in Ontario.

Most of GHC’s services will be regulated by PHIPA. The Act provides GHC with rules designed to protect your personal health information and provide you with certain rights regarding your personal information.

For more information on Group Health Centre’s Privacy Policies or to pursue a privacy complaint, please contact:
Elizabeth Bodnar, Chief Privacy Officer
Group Health Centre , 240 McNabb St., Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6B 1Y5
Email: bodnar_e@ghc.on.ca
Telephone: 705–759–5529
Website: www.ghc.on.ca

For more information about privacy in Ontario, OR to pursue a privacy complaint, please contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario:
Ann Cavoukian, Ph.D., Information & Privacy Commissioner
2 Bloor St. East, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Email: info@ipc.on.ca
Telephone: 416–326–3333
Toll-free: 1–800–387–0073