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PERSONAL INFORMATION
VIRTUAL HEALTHCARE
Personal Information Privacy Policy
Purpose
This policy outlines how we protect the privacy of your personal information and medical record. Everyone working for this office is required to adhere to the protections described in this policy. If you have any questions regarding our privacy practices, please contact your doctor or one of our staff.
Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
1. What personal information do we collect?
We collect the following personal information:
- Identification and contact information (name, address, date of birth, emergency contact, etc.)
- Billing information (provincial plan and/or private insurer)
- Health information (symptoms, diagnosis, medical history, test results, reports and treatment, record of allergies, prescriptions, etc.)
2. When and to whom do we disclose personal information?
- Implied consent for provision of care: By virtue of seeking care from us, your consent is implied (i.e., assumed) for your information to be used by this office to provide you with care, and to share with other providers involved in your care.
- Disclosure to other health care providers: Relevant health information is shared with other providers involved in your care, including (but not limited to) other physicians and specialists, pharmacists, lab technicians, nutritionists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists.
- Disclosures authorized by law: There are limited situations where we are legally required to disclose your personal information without your consent. These situations include (but are not limited to) billing provincial health plans, reporting infectious diseases and fitness to drive, or by court order.
- Disclosures to all other parties: Your express consent is required before we will disclose your information to third parties for any purpose other than to provide you with care, or unless we are authorized to do so by law. Examples of disclosures to other parties requiring your express consent include (but are not limited to) third party medical examinations, provision of charts or chart summaries to insurance companies, or enrolment in research studies and trials.
3. Can you withdraw consent?
You can withdraw your consent to have your information shared other health care providers or other parties at any time, except where the disclosure is authorized by law. However, please discuss this with your physician or other clinician first.
Patient rights
Patient Rights
- How do you access the personal information held by this office?
You have the right to access your record in a timely manner. If you request a copy of your record, one will be provided to you at a reasonable cost. If you wish to view the original record, one of our staff must be present to maintain the integrity of the record, and a reasonable fee may be charged for this access. Patient requests for access to the medical record can be made verbally, in writing, directed to the physician, or directed to any office staff.
Limitations on access: In extremely limited circumstances you may be denied access to your records, but only if providing access would create a significant risk to you or to another person.
2. What if you feel your record is not accurate?
We make every effort to ensure that all of your information is recorded accurately. If an inaccuracy is identified, you can request that a note be made to reflect this on your file.
Office safeguards
Office Safeguards
- How long do we keep information?
We retain patient records as required by law and professional regulations.
2. How do we dispose of information when it is no longer required?
When information is no longer required, it is destroyed in a secure manner, according to set procedures that govern the storage and destruction of personal information.
Complaints process
If you believe that this office has not replied to your access request or has not handled your personal information in a reasonable manner, please address your concerns first with your clinician. You may also choose to make a complaint to:
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of BC
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC
- College of Physical Therapists of BC
- College of Pharmacists of BC
- College of Chiropractors of BC
Policy last updated October 27, 2016
Virtual Healthcare Privacy Policy
Patient confidentiality is always a top priority at changepain
The following are important updates on the confidentiality and information privacy policies pertaining specifically to our virtual care services at changepain.
- Our guidelines set out by the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) Office of Virtual Health, Canadian Data Protection regulations, including the Personal Information Protection Act and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and College of Physicians & Surgeons of BC.
- Under the Provincial Digital Communications Policy, verbal or digital consent will be acquired from patients by the service providing physician at the beginning of the virtual service appointment.
- For our group services, we have been using Zoom. Recently, since May 19, 2020, the Ministry of Health is endorsing Zoom for Healthcare and has provided support for BC physicians to use this platform. Zoom is compliant with Canadian Data Protection regulations, including the Personal Information Protection Act and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).
- We also adhere to Zoom for Healthcare security best practices that include:
- Each group or individual meetings have their own generated Meeting IDs.
- Waiting rooms are used when necessary.
- Patient identities are confirmed and matched to the registration and are removed if unmatched.
- Group sessions are monitored by our patient care coordinators and appointment facilitators. Meetings are locked after 10 minutes from the start.
- Only trusted links are used and zoom updates are applied regularly.
- Recordings are disabled.
- For practicality, we have not made passwords mandatory for our large group sessions.
5. For our individual appointments, we use a secure, encrypted video-conferencing system through our EMR provider InputHealth. However please note the following guidelines proposed by the Provincial Health Services Authority for your information and benefit:
- We aim to confirm that any personal information we send is being received by you and only you, but it’s never possible to have 100% certainty who we are communicating with outside of a face-to-face visit.
- Please be aware that we cannot control what happens to information once it is stored: 1) on your device; 2) by telecommunications providers; 3) by software or application providers; or 4) by other applications that may have access to your messages.
- You are responsible for the security of your own computer/tablet, email service and telephone.
Risks of using digital communications
- The information could be requested, viewed, changed or deleted if others are allowed access to your phone, tablet or email account.
- Information may be vulnerable if stored on a computer/device that has been compromised by viruses or malware.
- Organizations may have to disclose information where required by law or under court order.
- Electronic communications can be intercepted by third parties.
- Your data may be stored and/or accessed outside of Canada.
What can you do to improve your own data security?
- Protect your passwords! Someone could pose as you by sending us a request from your device or email account.
- Use download Apps from trusted sources (Google Play, iStore). If the info you are wanting to communicate is of a sensitive nature, you may want to seek a more secure method of communication.
- Delete emails and texts you no longer require.
Concerns or inquiries:
Please direct your questions to reception@changepain.ca.
Our Operations Manager or Medical Director would be pleased to discuss these with you in more detail.
Policy last updated May 26, 2020
Do you have any questions?
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