How is my Personal Health Information collected?

Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services is an ambulance service and is a “health information custodian” under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). In accordance with PHIPA and the Ambulance Act we collect and use personal health information about you to respond appropriately to your health care needs. If you are unable or incapable of providing information about yourself, information may be collected from others to assess your needs. This information includes: name, address, Ontario Health Card Number, facts about your health, and health care history.

How is my personal health information used and disclosed?

We use and disclose your personal health information to:

Treat and care for you

• Get payment for your treatment and care from OHIP, WSIB, your private insurance or others

• Plan, administer and evaluate programs or services

• Compile statistics

• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

• Conduct research as approved by the Research Ethics Board

• To facilitate the Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services sponsored Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) program

• Conduct patient satisfaction surveys

• Facilitate the federal and provincial government goals of providing Canadians with an electronic health record. This will improve patient safety, reduce wait times, avoid duplicate testing and enhance timely access to your personal health information. As these systems become established your information will be stored securely on shared health information databases, accessible only by your authorized health care provider.

What are my choices as a client?

You may withdraw your consent for the following areas:

• The disclosure of your personal health information to other health care providers

• Voluntary health programs

• Patient satisfaction surveys

• Some federal/provincial electronic health record systems

You may access and correct your personal health records. Please contact Digital Health and Analytics for more information about accessing or correcting your personal health information or withdrawing your consent.

How we protect your personal information

• We take steps to protect your personal health information from theft, loss, and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal
• We conduct audits and complete investigations to monitor and manage our privacy compliance
• We take steps to ensure that everyone who performs services for us, protects your privacy and only uses your personal health information for the purposes to which you have consented

Who do I contact for more information regarding my rights as a client?

For more information about ROWPHP privacy practices or to raise a concern you have with our practices, please contact us:

Digital Health and Analytics
99 Regina Street South
Waterloo, Ontario N2J 4V3
Tel: 519-575-4400

TTY: 519-883-2427
Email: ROWPHEPrivacy@regionofwaterloo.ca

You have the right to contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario if you think we have violated your rights. The Commissioner can be reached at:

Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Tel: 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073
Website: www.ipc.on.ca