Sandwich Community Heath Centre collects 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 name, date of birth, address, health card number, health history, records of your visits to the Centre or community programs and the care that you received during those visits.  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.

We use and disclose your personal health information to:

·          treat and care for you,

·          collect payment for your treatment and care (from OHIP, WSIB, your private insurer and others),

·          plan, administer and manage our internal operations,

·          conduct risk management activities,

·          conduct quality improvement activities (such as sending client satisfaction surveys),

·          educate staff and students working with our clients,

·          conduct research,

·          compile statistics,

·          fundraise to improve our healthcare services and programs (name and mailing address only),

·          comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and

·          fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law.

Sandwich Community Heath Centre:

·          takes steps to protect your personal health information from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal;

·          conducts audits and completes investigations to monitor and manage our privacy compliance;

·          takes steps to ensure everyone who performs services for us protects your privacy and only uses your personal health information for the purposes identified.

You may withdraw your consent for some of the above uses and disclosures (subject to legal exceptions) by contacting us.

You may access and correct your personal health records by contacting us.

Reference - Ontario Hospital Association.  Hospital Privacy Toolkit (Sept 04).  Pg. 11.