Your Health Record - FAQ

FAQ for Client Privacy - Everyone's Responsibility

See how we use your Health Information here or view more FAQ's for other programs/services here.

1. What does St. Joseph's Care Group use my personal health information for?
2. Can I request that St. Joseph's Care Group not collect or use my personal health information for any of the following purposes: to provide healthcare, for the administration of the health care system, to conduct research and teaching, collect statistics or meet legal and regulatory requirements?
3. Who does St. Joseph's Care Group share my information with?
4. Does St. Joseph's Care Group ever sell client information to drug companies or anyone else?
5. Will St. Joseph's Care Group disclose my personal health information to any outside agency or my employer?
6. Can I access my personal health information?
7. How can I access my personal health information?
8. Can my family see my personal health information?
9. What if I am unable to give consent?
10. Can all St. Joseph's Care Group staff access my personal health information?
11. Can my family physician access my personal health information?
12. Can I find out who has viewed my St. Joseph's Care Group client record?
13. Is my personal health information available on the Internet?
14. How is my personal health information protected?
15. What is the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) and how it affects Your Health Records?
16. Is there additional Information about Privacy?

Answers

1. What does St. Joseph's Care Group use my personal health information for?

St. Joseph's Care Group uses your information to provide you with healthcare, to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, to make our health services better and more efficient, to support St. Joseph's Care Group's research programs and educational activities. Examples of potential uses include:

• To identify your record quickly and accurately each time you are treated.
• To provide the most appropriate treatment
• To conduct quality improvement activities to evaluate and improve the care provided by St. Joseph's Care Group
• To conduct research which has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee provided all consent and privacy issues have been addressed
• To support educational opportunities
• To comply with legal and regulatory requirements. For example, we collect your health information to obtain payment for your treatment and care
• Participate with the Ontario Laboratory Information System (OLIS) that allows SJCG Laboratory to share test results with your doctor and other healthcare providers

2. Can I request that St. Joseph's Care Group not collect or use my personal health information for any of the following purposes: to provide healthcare, for the administration of the health care system, to conduct research and teaching, collect statistics or meet legal and regulatory requirements?

St. Joseph's Care Group cannot adequately deliver care to you without the necessary information. Our privacy policy states that we will only collect the information we need to treat you.

St. Joseph's Care Group is affiliated with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. As a teaching facility, health information is used for the purposes of research and teaching. Only the minimum amount of information necessary to fulfill the requirements of an approved study is used.

St. Joseph's Care Group is required to report certain pieces of information to the Provincial Ministry of Health (billing information), the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (public health surveillance, etc.

3. Who does St. Joseph's Care Group share my information with?

Members of your health care team and physicians directly involved in the administration of your care.

When required by law, St. Joseph's Care Group ensures appropriate safeguards are in place when transmitting all information disclosed and seeks to ensure that personal health information protection measures are in place in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act.

4. Does St. Joseph's Care Group ever sell client information to drug companies or anyone else?

No

5. Will St. Joseph's Care Group disclose my personal health information to any outside agency or my employer?

St. Joseph's Care Group requires client consent, or a court order to disclose personal health information to any organization or third party not directly involved with the provision of your care. Proper controls are in place to only disclose what is required.

6. Can I access my personal health information?

You have a right to access your personal health information and St. Joseph's Care Group has an obligation to make it available to you, with limited exceptions. Exceptions are made if releasing your information would put you or a third party at risk. St. Joseph's Care Group may choose not to disclose some or all of that information.

7. How can I access my personal health information?

When you are a client of St. Joseph's Care Group you should ask a member of your health care team to provide you with the information you wish to know. After you have left St. Joseph's Care Group you will need to contact Health Records to obtain information. Please allow a reasonable amount of time to locate your record.

You will be asked to present the proper form of identification in order for you to access your personal health information. There is no charge for access, however there is a processing fee associated with requesting copies of your record.

8. Can my family see my personal health information?

Although you have the right to access your information, this does not automatically extend to family member and/or friends. If you have signed a consent allowing a family member or friend to access your information, then they may access the part(s) that you have consented to let them see.

9. What if I am unable to give consent?

If you are unable to give consent due to reasons of competency or consciousness, the consent decision falls to the appointed substitute decision-maker.

10. Can all St. Joseph's Care Group staff access my personal health information?

No, only Care Group staff currently involved in your care may access your record. All staff are bound to a strict confidentiality agreement. This agreement ensures staff only access information on a "need to know" basis.

11. Can my family physician access my personal health information?

Yes in order to support your ongoing care.

12. Can I find out who has viewed my St. Joseph's Care Group client record?

Yes. If you have concerns about unauthorized personnel accessing your information you can make a request to our privacy contact person to view all accesses of your record. You will be provided this information in a timely manner. If you have further concerns, you may make a complaint to our privacy contact person, who will pursue the issue on your behalf.

13. Is my personal health information available on the Internet?

No, personal health information is not publicly available on the Internet.

14. How is my personal health information protected?

Security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information shall be enforced to protect personal information.

These safeguards include:

• Physical measures, for example, locked filing cabinets and restricted access to offices
• Limiting access to both paper documents and electronic data on a "need to know basis"
• Use and control of passwords, encryption and audits for electronic information

All persons engaged in Care Group activities sign a confidentiality agreement.

15. What is the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS) and how it affects Your Health Records?

Click here to view the Ontario Laboratories Information System document submitted by the Ontario Government

16. Is there additional information about Privacy?

Click here to view more information about Privacy