Hospice Waterloo Region Privacy Statement
This privacy policy is based upon the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Model Code and reflects the requirements of applicable legislation.
The Staff at Hospice Waterloo Region are bound by law and ethics to safeguard your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information.
We collect, use, and disclose your personal health information:
- To understand your needs and to develop strategies to help
- To meet legal and government regulatory reporting requirements
- To maintain administrative records including statistical reporting
- To conduct risk management and quality improvement activities
- To teach and to conduct research
- To fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law
Your request for care implies consent for our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information for purposes related to your care as noted above. All other purposes would require your express consent.
You have the right at any time to withhold or withdraw your consent to disclose personal health information. You will be required to sign the appropriate form which will be forwarded to the Privacy Officer.
Definition Of “Personal Information”
Personal information is any information about a specific, identifiable individual, including such commonly available details as name, address, and telephone number.
Despite the fact that some personal information is widely available (for example through telephone directories or public database), this does not, in any way, lessen the responsibility to apply the Code’s principles to its collection, use, and disclosure. The CSA Code incorporates the principles that every element of personal information should only be used for purposes that are defined and explained in advance to the individual, and that use or disclosure for any other purposes requires further knowledge and consent (CSA Privacy Code).
Hospice Waterloo Region Privacy Practices
We respect your privacy. When you visit our web site, contact us, participate in one of our programs, become a client, or make a donation to support our activities, we are committed to protecting your privacy rights and your personal information.
In order to do so, Hospice Waterloo Region has adopted the 10 Privacy Principles contained within the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information, which is a national standard of Canada. We have also taken steps to become compliant with applicable laws in Canada that protect personal information.
Our 10 Privacy Principles
Our responsibility to protect your personal information
Hospice Waterloo Region is responsible for the protection of your personal information collected through its office or program activities. This responsibility extends when personal information is transferred to or collected by third parties on our behalf.
Our obligation to identify the purposes for collecting personal information
Before we collect any personal information from you, we will identify the purpose for the collection. A statement of purposes will be communicated wherever possible.
The requirement for knowledge and consent
We will only collect personal information with your knowledge and consent, except in limited situations as permitted by law. This may be with your express consent (for example, where you voluntarily provide information on a form for purposes you clearly understand and agree to) or by declining an opportunity to opt-out of our collection or use of your personal information. Opt-out consent will be used only for non-sensitive information where we believe that the privacy impacts are low and you will be provided with sufficient notice of your right to opt-out of such uses. Further, you can withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to any legal requirements and reasonable notice*.
*A decision to withhold some personal information may influence the ability of the Hospice Waterloo Region to provide you with services.
Limiting information collection
We only collect personal information relevant to the purposes that have been identified. We collect information fairly and lawfully, and directly from individuals wherever possible. You have the right to provide as much, or as little personal information as you choose to share.
If you provide information about a family medical history, this information will be considered as your information only, and not personal information of other family members.
Limiting use, disclosure, and retention of your information
We only use or disclose your personal information for the purposes we have identified to you.
Our responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your personal information
Virtually all of the personal information that we collect comes directly from individuals themselves, for example on our client intake forms. We generally assume this information to be accurate and complete, unless we are informed otherwise.
Our responsibility to safeguard your personal information
Hospice Waterloo Region uses appropriate safeguards to protect all personal information in its custody and control.
Our obligation to be open about our privacy policy and practices
We are open about our policies and procedures. We make reasonable efforts to inform individuals about our policies and procedures, the purposes for which we collect, use, or disclose personal information, and how to access your personal information.
Your right to access your personal information
Upon request, we will inform you if we hold any personal information about you and provide you with access to this information. If we have any personal information about you, we will also tell you for what purposes it is used or disclosed.
You have a right to update any personal information that we hold on you. Should you wish to see the full contents of an information file, you must make a formal written request and mail or deliver it to:
Privacy Officer
Hospice Waterloo Region
100 Solstice Way
Waterloo, ON
N2K 0G3
Your right to challenge our compliance with our privacy policy
If, for any reason, you are concerned about our compliance with our privacy policy, please contact our Privacy Officer at the address listed above.