Protecting Your Privacy
All of Ontario's 14 Community Care Access Centres protect the privacy of your personal health information, based on the requirements of the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) 2004.
The Central West Community Care Access Centre (CW CCAC) is committed to the protection of your privacy. PHIPA legislates the requirements to safegaurd your personal health information and the CW CCAC will protect your information to the levels required by that legislation. As part of our commitment, we believe that our clients should know what personal health information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and how to contact us if need be.
What is personal health information?
Personal Health Information includes things like your name, address, gender, age, and health card number. It also includes your health status, eligibility for health care services, and care needs.
Your Privacy Rights
1. Your right to access your information
You have the right to access the personal health information contained in your record. You also have the right to have this information corrected in your record. You also have the right to change or remove your consent.
2. Your right to voice your concerns
If you believe any of your privacy rights have been violated in any way and the Chief Privacy Officer cannot resolve your concerns, you may contact the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner at 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073 or via their website: http://www.ipc.on.ca
3. Your right to know how CCACs collect your information
The knowledge and consent of the individual are required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, except where defined by law. CW CCAC will identify the purposes for which it collects personal information and will obtain consent prior to the time the information is collected.
4. Your right to know how CCACs use your information
CW CCAC collects, uses and shares, with other health care providers involved in your care, personal and health information for the provision of in-home health and support services, in-school support services and to facilitate placement in a long-term care home. CW CCAC may use your information to prepare statistical reports. Statistical reports may be shared externally; however, these do not contain any client or staff information that could be used to identify the individual.
Privacy principles
CW CCAC believes in the basic right of individuals to their privacy. We use the 10 internationally accepted privacy principles to guide us in safeguarding personal health information.
1. Accountability
CW CCAC has assigned an individual to serve as a Chief Privacy Officer and has privacy policies and procedures in place.
2. Identifying Purposes
CW CCAC ensures that individuals know the purpose for which personal information is required prior to collection, use, or disclosure of the information.
3. Consent
Informed consent is obtained prior to the collection, use, or disclosure of any personal information.
4. Limiting Collection
The collection of personal information shall be limited to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by CW CCAC. Information shall be collected by fair and lawful means.
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
Personal information shall not be used or disclosed for other than those purposes for which it was collected without the consent of the individual or as required by law. Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the purpose.
6. Accuracy
CW CCAC will ensure that personal information is as accurate, complete and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used. Individuals have the right to have inaccurate information corrected.
7. Safeguards
Appropriate security controls, for both technology and staff, are in place and maintained to ensure there is no unauthorized use or disclosure of personal information.
8. Openness
CW CCAC will readily make available to individuals the policies and procedures that support our commitment to privacy.
9. Individual Access
CW CCAC has a process for individuals, upon request, to access their personal information and to challenge its accuracy.
10. Challenging Compliance
An individual may challenge compliance to these principles through the Chief Privacy Officer at the CW CCAC or through Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner.
Requests for Release of Information
All requests for release of client information should be made directly to the Community Care Access Centre that served the client. Use this website to determine the correct CCAC Health Records department to send your requests to.
Correspondence
If you correspond with us via e-mail, the postal service, facsimile, or other form of communication, we may retain such correspondence and the information contained therein and use such to respond to your inquiry. Importantly, e-mail and postal address information is never sold, given, or otherwise disclosed to third parties, except as set forth herein or in accordance with applicable laws.
Helpful Links
Ontario Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner
Personal Health Information and Protection Act, 2004
Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding the CCACs privacy policies, access to your record, correction of information, or if you have a privacy complaint, you may contact our Chief Privacy Officer at:
Chief Privacy Officer
Central West Community Care Access Centre
199 County Court Blvd
Brampton, Ontario L6W 4P3
Phone: 905-796-0040
Fax: 905-796-4696
Email: privacy@cw.ccac-ont.ca