Q. What does “personal health information” mean?
Personal health information means any information that identifies an individual and that relates to the individual’s physical or mental health, including information about the individual’s family health history, and any information that identifies the individual’s Substitute Decision Maker.
Q. What personal health information does Senior Persons Living Connected collect and how will the information be used?
SPLC collects only information that is needed to provide health care and support to our patients, residents and clients. This information is used to plan and deliver health care.
Q. To whom will my personal health information be disclosed?
Personal health information is primarily disclosed to those individuals directly involved in your “circle of care” and only if the information is relevant to the care being provided. At Senior Persons Living Connected, unless you tell us not to, we use a secure electronic system to share your assessment information with other health service providers who will look after your health and support your needs now and in the future. Please talk to your Integrated Care Managerr if you do not want to share this information with other health service providers and to discuss the positive and negative consequences of sharing or not sharing the assessment. Disclosing information to any third party will require your written consent. Choosing to use email to communicate with an external service provider or family member/Substitute Decision Maker will also require written consent. Please note email communication is not secure and could result in the disclosure of the information to another party other than the recipient.
Q. Will my personal health information be used by anyone else?
Senior Persons Living Connected may also use personal health information to plan, deliver, evaluate and monitor programs and services, to allocate resources to those programs and services, to manage risk, to ensure your safety, to improve quality of care, to process claims for payment, and to conduct research provided the information cannot identify you. Unless you tell us not to, we may share your assessment information with other health service providers who will provide you with support now and in the future. Also, unless you indicate otherwise to your Integrated Care Manager, SPLC may use only your name and contact information for the purpose of fundraising activities. Other uses require the consent of the patient, resident or client.
Q. If the patient, resident or client is not capable of providing consent to collect, use or disclose his/her personal health information, who can give consent?
A Substitute Decision Maker will be asked to make these decisions. According to the Personal Health Information Protection Act, the individual(s) who is/are highest on the following list will have the authority to approve or refuse consent to the collection, use and/or disclosure of your personal health information if that person is capable of consenting, is at least 16 years old or the parent, is not prohibited by court order, is available and is willing to assume the responsibility of making the decision.
- Court appointed guardian for personal care
- Attorney for personal care
- A representative appointed by the Consent and Capacity Review Board
- Spouse or partner
- Child or parent (or other person lawfully entitled to take the place of a parent)
- Parent who only has right of access
- Brother or sister
- Any other relative related by blood, marriage, or adoption
- Public Guardian and Trustee
Q. Do I have the right to access my personal health information?
Yes. You also have the right to request corrections. See our main Privacy page for more information.
Q. My relative is a patient at Senior Persons Living Connected, but he is not capable of asking to see or review his own health record. As the Substitute Decision Maker, am I allowed to access my relative’s records?
Yes. A Substitute Decision Maker has the same right to access the patient’s record as the patient would if he/she were capable. You will be asked to complete a form requesting access and you will need to provide evidence that you are the patient’s Substitute Decision Maker.
Q. What kind of information can staff members provide to family and friends if they call or ask about my condition?
Unless you object, we will provide general information about your health status. This includes the name of the clinical program you are in, where your room is located, and your general health status, such as ‘doing well’ or ‘no change’. If someone is seeking more detailed information on your health, they will require written consent from you or your Substitute Decision Maker.
Q. What happens to my health record after I am discharged from Senior Persons Living Connected?
Upon discharge, health records are kept on file for a period of 10 years, in accordance with provincial legislation.
