We understand that your health issues are private. All members of the Grand River Community Health Centre are committed to protecting your personal health information, privacy and individual confidentiality.
We collect personal health information about you directly from you or from a person who is acting on your behalf. The personal health information that we collect may include such things as, your name, date of birth, contact information, your health history, your family health history, details of your physical and mental health records of your visits to other care providers, and the care that you received during those visits and results from tests and or procedures. Occasionally, we will collect personal health information about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits.
We collect, use and share your health information to:
- Treat and care for you;
- Deliver our programs;
- Plan, administer and manage our internal operations;
- Provide appointment reminders to you;
- Conduct risk management and quality improvement activities;
- Educate our staff;
- Compile statistics;
- Allow for the analysis, administration and management of the health system;
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
- Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law;
- Conduct research; and
- Improve client safety, reduce wait times, avoid duplicate testing and enhance timely access to health care through shared health information databases.
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 works or performs services for us protect your privacy and only use your personal health information for the purposes you have consented to.
Our collection, use and disclosure (sharing) of your personal health information is done in accordance with Ontario law. When we require and 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 you say so.
However, there are cases where we may collect, use or disclose your health information without your consent, as allowed or required by law. For example, we do not require your consent to disclose personal health information to eliminate or reduce a significant risk of serious bodily harm; or to fulfill other mandatory reporting requirements such as for child protection or safe operation of a motor vehicle.
Your Privacy
We encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns you might have about our privacy practices. You can reach our Privacy Officer at:
Grand River Community Health Centre
363 Colborne Street
Brantford, ON N3S 3N2
Telephone: 519.754.0777 ext. 431 Email: info@grchc.ca
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 of Ontario:
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Telephone: 1-800-387-0073
info@ipc.on.ca