Patients Residents & Families

Privacy and health information

Your privacy is protected

Bruyère holds three types of information – health information, general records and personal information. Access to and privacy of each type of information is governed by specific legislation in Ontario.

We take steps to protect your personal 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 performs services for us protects your privacy and only uses your personal information for the purposes you have consented to.

Collecting personal health information

Protecting patient privacy is not only the law, but it is an essential part of Bruyère's commitment to treating our patients with dignity, compassion and social responsibility. Protecting your personal health information is about quality of care and treating others the way we want to be treated.

Bruyère follows the legal requirements for the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information as outlined in Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). We are committed to keeping your information safe and confidential. We respect your right to access or request a correction to your health information and your right to withdraw your consent for the collection, use and disclosure of your personal health information at any time. To learn more about our use and disclosure of personal health information, please refer to our Privacy Notice on page 16.

You and your legal representatives are permitted access to your health record, but only with appropriate authorization and in the presence of the attending physician, a member of the interdisciplinary care team or Health Records Department staff. To request access to your personal health record, please contact our Health Records Department at ext. 1216.

At Bruyère, we collect personal health information about you directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf. The personal health information that we collect may include, for example, your photograph (for identification purposes), name, date of birth, address, health history, records of your visits and care you received at Bruyère. Occasionally, we collect personal health information about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits.

Uses and Disclosures of Personal Health Information

Bruyère may use and disclose your personal health information to:

Treat and care for you
Conduct risk management activities
Teach
Conduct research
Compile statistics
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Plan, administer and manage internal operations
Obtain payment for your treatment and care (from OHIP, WSIB, your private insurer or others)
Conduct quality improvement activities ((such as conducting patient satisfaction surveys, including the Hospital to Home Patient Experience Program)
Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law
Facilitate the adoption of regional and provincial electronic health records. As these systems are put into place to improve safety and quality of care, your personal health information will be stored and shared securely on health information databases accessible only by authorized health care providers.

We also disclose your contact information to our Foundation, so that they may conduct fundraising to improve our health care facilities, services and programs. Unless you tell us differently, we may let visitors or callers know your location in the hospital and your general health status.

Your Privacy Rights

You may access and correct your personal health records, or withdraw your consent for some of the above uses and disclosure by contacting us (subject to legal exceptions, such as where disclosures are required by law).

For more information or to raise a concern about our practices, contact:

Privacy and Access to Information Officer

Bruyère

43 Bruyère St.

Ottawa, Ontario K1N 5C8

privacy@bruyere.org

Tel.: 613-562-6262, ext. 3687

You have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario if you think we have violated your rights by contacting:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

2 Bloor St. East, Suite 1400

Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8

info@ipc.on.ca

Tel.: 416-326-3333

Toll free: 1-800-387-0073