Effective Date: 2025-06-29
Contact: Privacy Officer in writing by email: privacy.officer[at]trenton-brightonmedicalclinic.com
Our Commitment to Privacy
At Trenton Brighton Medical Clinic, we are committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of your personal health information. We collect, use, and disclose your personal health information in accordance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and applicable professional guidelines.
What Personal Health Information We Collect
We collect information such as:
- Your name, date of birth, address, and contact information
- Health history, family health history, and presenting health concerns
- Records of visits, treatments, test results, and reports from other healthcare providers
- OHIP number and billing information (if applicable)
How We Use Your Information
We collect and use your information to:
- Provide safe, high-quality, and continuous medical care
- Communicate with you and other healthcare providers involved in your care
- Maintain accurate medical records
- Process billing through OHIP, private insurers, or third-party billing providers
- Facilitate appointment scheduling and send appointment reminders
- Provide care through telemedicine platforms when appropriate
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Cloud Storage
We use an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system with secure cloud-based storage. Your personal health information is stored and backed up on servers located in Canada in accordance with PHIPA regulations. Access to your medical records is strictly controlled and limited to authorized healthcare providers and administrative staff directly involved in your care.
Use of Appointment Reminder Services and Online Booking Platforms
We use appointment reminder services and online booking platforms to:
- Remind you of upcoming appointments via email, SMS, or phone
- Facilitate convenient scheduling of appointments
Some of these services may be provided by third-party vendors who are required to comply with privacy laws and protect your personal health information.
Telemedicine Services
We offer telemedicine services to provide care remotely when appropriate. These virtual visits are conducted using secure, PHIPA-compliant platforms. By participating in telemedicine consultations, you consent to the collection, use, and potential electronic transmission of your personal health information.
Disclosure of Personal Health Information
Your information may be shared with:
- Other healthcare providers for the purpose of providing or assisting in your care
- Laboratories, specialists, consultants, or pharmacists (with implied consent unless you indicate otherwise)
- Third-party billing providers to process payments (they are required to adhere to strict privacy standards)
- Appointment reminder and online booking service providers (as described above)
- Regulatory bodies (such as the CPSO) if required by law
- Public health authorities as required by applicable laws
We will never sell your information or disclose it for marketing purposes.
Patient Rights
You have the right to:
- Access your personal health records with limited exceptions
- Request corrections to your records
- Withdraw your consent for some uses or disclosures (subject to legal exceptions)
- Ask questions or file complaints about our privacy practices
Protecting Your Information
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal health information through:
- Secure EMR systems with controlled access and cloud storage within Canada
- Physical safeguards such as locked filing cabinets and restricted office access
- Staff training and confidentiality agreements
- Careful selection of third-party service providers with robust privacy protocols
Retention and Disposal
We retain personal health records in accordance with regulatory guidelines and securely destroy or anonymize information when it is no longer required.
Contact and Complaints
If you have questions about this policy or our privacy practices, or if you wish to make a complaint, please contact our Privacy Officer by email in writing to:
privacy.officer[at]trenton-brightonmedicalclinic.com
You may also contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) if your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction.
Changes to This Policy
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy. Any changes will be posted in our clinic and on our website.
Last revision : June 29, 2025
