Collection of Personal Health Information
We collect 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 history, record of your visits to CASON and the support 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 us to do so. We make sure that only those people who need to see your personal records are allowed to look at them. We protect your information through our administrative policies and by adopting appropriate safeguards and security measures.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Health Information
We may use or disclose your personal health information to:
- communicate with your various health care providers including your family physician and/or other health care institutions for continuity of care, in order to treat/support and care for you (unless you tell us otherwise);
- plan, administer and manage our internal operations, and conduct risk- managementactivities;
- conduct quality improvement activities (such as sending client satisfaction surveys);
- teach, conduct research (only under strict rules overseen by a research ethics board) and compilestatistics;
- comply with legal and regulatory requirements; and
- fulfill other purposes permitted or required by
We can assure you that only staff who need your personal health information for direct care, administrative purposes to assist in providing you care, or otherwise as permitted or required by law, are authorized to access your record of personal health information.
A client’s instruction cannot prevent us from recording information that is required by law, professional standards or our practice.
To Access or Correct Your Information
If you believe a record of personal health information held by CASON is inaccurate or incomplete, you may make a written request for correction.
How to Handle a Privacy Breach
A privacy breach is when the personal health information in CASON’s care is stolen, lost, or there is unauthorized use, or disclosure. This includes unauthorized copying, modification, or disposal. It also includes viewing your information that one does not have authority to view, i.e., “snooping”.
CASON will ensure that the personal health information in its custody or control is protected against theft, loss, unauthorized use, or disclosure and to ensure that the records containing the information are protected against unauthorized copying, modification, or disposal. In the event there is a privacy breach CASON will notify you and, when required, the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
If an employee of CASON has committed a privacy breach, CASON will notify any association regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) that the employee is a member of (e.g. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers). CASON will also take appropriate action as defined in its policy manual.
For More Information, Comments or Complaints
If you would like more information or have questions or concerns about our privacy and information practices, please contact our privacy officer:
Janice Gardner-Spiece, Executive Director
CASON
60 James Street
Suite 401
St. Catharines, ON
L2R 7E7
905-684-1183
You may also make a complaint about our information and privacy practices to the Information and Privacy Commissioner at:
Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
2 Bloor Street East
Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 1A8
Tel: 416-326-3333
Toll-free: 1-800-387-0073
TDD: 416-325-7539