The Alzheimer Society of Toronto respects the privacy and dignity of anyone utilizing its services, and does not divulge confidential information without consent, except when required by professional or legal obligations.
The Alzheimer Society of Toronto follows all applicable regulations as per the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
The Alzheimer Society of Toronto only grants access to information to individuals accessing their own electronic records and to third parties who supply proper documentation.
The Alzheimer Society of Toronto may release its electronic records to a third party without documentation under extraordinary circumstances such as threats of suicide and/or harm to other individuals.
Except where required by law, the Alzheimer Society of Toronto only releases its electronic records in the form of a summary prepared by staff. An inspection of actual electronic records may occur in the presence of staff. The Alzheimer Society of Toronto shall not release actual records or their copies to anyone unless required by law.
A record holder is a person whose information forms the primary source for the electronic record. Record holders include all clients who use counselling services, participants in the education programs, clients of the Resource Centre, volunteers and individuals on the Medical Alert Safely Home™.
Procedures
- All staff members sign a pledge of confidentiality upon starting employment.
- Staff members do not discuss an individual unless such discussion forms part of the planning of service for the individual. Information about an individual should be discussed only among those staff members who are taking part in providing service to that individual.
- Confidential records for individuals are placed under lock and key or safeguarded electronically.
- The Alzheimer Society of Toronto does not release any information to any third-party individual or organization unless the following procedures have been followed and documentation provided or under extraordinary circumstances.
- Staff members and volunteers do not communicate to any third-party individual or organization outside the Alzheimer Society of Toronto any identifying information about individuals associated with the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, except where consent has been obtained explicitly for this purpose.
- You may have verbal access to your own electronic records by providing a staff member with verbal consent over the telephone. Prior to information being provided, you must identify yourself using personal information including address, phone number, date of birth, etc. For a written summary of your records, the Alzheimer Society of Toronto requires written consent bearing the your signature indicating the information to be released, your name, address, phone number, etc.
- You may choose to receive a summary of your own records (verbal or written) or to inspect the records in person in the office of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto in the presence of a staff member.
Any person may ask questions or challenge our compliance with this policy or with PHIPA by contacting our Privacy Officer:
The Privacy Officer
Alzheimer Society of Toronto
1600-20 Eglinton Ave West
Toronto, ON M4R 1K8
416-322-6560
Alzheimer Society of Toronto will receive and respond to complaints or inquiries about its policies and practices related to the handling of personal health information. Clients who make inquiries or lodge complaints will be informed of other available complaint procedures – see Alzheimer Society Toronto, Complaints Policy.
Alzheimer Society of Toronto will investigate all complaints. If a complaint is found to be justified, appropriate measures will be taken to reach a resolution.
The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario oversees compliance with privacy rules and PHIPA. Any individual can make an inquiry or complaint directly to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario by writing or calling:
2 Bloor St East, Suite 1400
Toronto Ontario M4W 1A8
Phone: 1 (800) 387-0073 or (416) 326-3333
Fax: (416) 325-9195
Email: www.ipc.on.ca