Patient Privacy Policy - Frequently Asked Questions
- What is considered personal information?
- What does St. John's Rehab Hospital use my information for?
- Can I request that St. John's Rehab Hospital not collect or use my information for any purposes identified above?
- Who does St. John's Rehab Hospital give my personal information to?
- Does St. John's Rehab Hospital (or the Foundation) ever sell patient information to drug companies, or anyone else?
- Will St. John's Rehab Hospital disclose information contained in my health record to my employer?
- Will St. John's Rehab Hospital disclose information contained in my health record to WSIB?
- Can I view my St. John's Rehab Hospital health record?
- Where do I go to access my personal information?
- Can my family see my personal information?
- What if I am unable to give consent?
- Can all St. John's Rehab Hospital staff access my health record?
- Do my family physician and referring physician have access to my St. John's Rehab Hospital health record?
- How is my personal information protected?
- Can I request to be anonymous while at St. John's Rehab Hospital?
- Where is my St. John's Rehab Hospital health record stored, and for how long?
- How do I access more information, or request a copy of the Privacy Policy, or voice a concern?
- Where can I get more information about the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act?
What is considered personal information?
Any information that the hospital collects related to your personal identification (i.e. name and address) and health information related to your reason for being at St. John's Rehab Hospital.
What does St. John's Rehab Hospital use my information for?
St. John's Rehab Hospital uses your information for the delivery of direct patient care, administration of the health care system, research, teaching, statistics, fundraising, and to meet legal and regulatory requirements. Examples of potential uses include:
- Administration of the healthcare system: St. John's Rehab Hospital needs some basic information about you to be able to identify your records when you visit the hospital.
- Research: You may be asked to participate in research initiatives that have been vetted through the SJRH ethics process.
- Statistics: To enable continuous quality improvement St. John's Rehab Hospital keeps statistics on all patient visits. Your health record, or components of your health record may be reviewed as part of a chart audit related to clinician’s practice.
- Foundation: Your basic contact information may be used by St. John's Rehab Hospital Foundation to contact you for the purpose of fundraising.
- Legal and Regulatory Requirements: St. John's Rehab Hospital is obliged to release health record or selected personal information for legal/regulatory requirements as directed by the Public Hospital’s Act and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.
Can I request that St. John's Rehab Hospital not collect or use my information for any purposes identified above?
For fundraising purposes: From time to time, you may be contacted by St. John's Rehab Hospital Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting excellence in rehabilitation care by raising funds for equipment and a new facility.
For patient satisfaction purposes: St. John's Rehab Hospital participates in the Ontario Hospital Association’s Hospital Report Project to help us understand how our services and outcomes compare to our peers. To get data on this, we survey past patients.
You may request to be removed from the fundraising or patient satisfaction contact list by contacting St. John's Rehab Hospital at 416-226-6780 ext. 7076.
For all other purposes identified above: St. John's Rehab Hospital cannot adequately deliver care without the necessary information. The St. John's Rehab Hospital Privacy Policy states that we will only collect the information we need to provide appropriate care and continuity of care.
St. John's Rehab Hospital is required to report certain pieces of information to the Provincial Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and its agencies (e.g. billing information, public health surveillance) and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (e.g. coded discharge abstracts). This is done to ensure the health care system is running optimally, and to conduct statistical comparisons of population health characteristics over a broad geographical range.
Who does St. John's Rehab Hospital give my personal information to?
St. John's Rehab Hospital may disclose patient information to other organizations such as the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, The Canadian Institute for Health Information, and Toronto Public Health. Information may also be disclosed to other physicians directly involved in your care, for example your family and referring physicians. St. John's Rehab Hospital places appropriate safeguards on the transmission of all information disclosed to other organizations and seeks to ensure that data protection measures are in place such as the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Does St. John's Rehab Hospital (or the Foundation) ever sell patient information to drug companies, or anyone else?
No. St. John's Rehab Hospital (or the Foundation) does not sell patient information to drug companies or to anyone else.
Will St. John's Rehab Hospital disclose information contained in my health record to my employer?
No. St. John's Rehab Hospital will not disclose information contained in your health record without your consent.
Will St. John's Rehab Hospital disclose information contained in my health record to WSIB?
Yes. WSIB has a legal right to access your health record if your reason for being at St. John's Rehab Hospital is due to a workplace injury.
Can I view my St. John's Rehab Hospital health record?
Yes. You have a right to access your health record and St. John's Rehab Hospital has an obligation to make it available to you.
Where do I go to access my personal information?
- If you are a current inpatient or outpatient: You should ask your healthcare provider to access your health record. Arrangements will be made for you to review for health record with your physician or a member of your healthcare team.
- If you are a previous patient: You should contact Health Information Services (416-226-6780 ext. 7261) to request to obtain or view your St. John's Rehab Hospital health record. There is no charge for access, but there is a processing fee associated with requesting a photocopy of the health record.
Can my family see my personal information?
Although you have the right to access your health record, this right does not automatically extend to family members and/or friends. If you consent to let a friend or family member see your health record, then the friend/family member may view your health record.
What if I am unable to give consent?
If you are unable to give consent for a friend or family member to access your health record due to reasons of competency or consciousness, the consent decision falls to the appointed substitute decision maker such as a spouse, parent or guardian. This person is bound by law to act on the your behalf and must make decisions based on their belief of what the you would wish done if you were able to decide.
Can all St. John's Rehab Hospital staff access my health record?
No. Only St. John's Rehab Hospital staff who are required to access your personal information for direct care or administrative purposes may access your health record. All St. John's Rehab Hospital staff are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement, which is signed as a condition of employment. This agreement seeks to ensure staff only access information on a need to know basis.
Do my family physician and referring physician have access to my St. John's Rehab Hospital health record?
Yes. St. John's Rehab Hospital releases a copy of your discharge summary to your family physician and to your referring physician.
How is my personal information protected?
There are three components to protecting patient information at St. John's Rehab Hospital:
1. Administrative Safeguards: The St. John's Rehab Hospital Privacy Policy and associated policies govern the manner in which all St. John's Rehab Hospital care providers and other employees manage patient information. Furthermore, all St. John's Rehab Hospital employees must sign a confidentiality agreement as a condition of employment.
2. Physical Safeguards: St. John's Rehab Hospital has a number of physical safeguards in place, for example: video surveillance, locked doors; and a requirement that staff wear photo identification to identify themselves as St. John's Rehab Hospital employees.
3. Technical Safeguards: St. John's Rehab Hospital’s Information Technology department upgrades the security capabilities of the patient information system on an ongoing basis to meet regulatory requirements.
Can I request to be anonymous while at St. John's Rehab Hospital?
Yes. In special circumstances, a patient’s request to be anonymous can be accommodated. It is preferred that a request to be anonymous be made in writing to the hospital President and CEO prior to admission.
Where is my St. John's Rehab Hospital health record stored, and for how long?
St. John's Rehab Hospital stores hard copies of patient health records in a secure location on site two years post discharge. Health records are then microfilmed and stored in a secured location for a minimum of ten years.
How do I access more information, or request a copy of the Privacy Policy, or voice a concern?
Contact the Privacy Officer (416-226-6780 ext. 7106), or view St. John's Rehab Hospital Privacy Policy here on the hospital’s website.
Where can I get more information about the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act?
For more information, contact the province's Information and Privacy Commissioner at:
Tel: 416-326-3333
E-mail: info@ipc.on.ca
Website: www.ipc.on.ca