Your Health Information Matters

At Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital (HGMH), we understand that your personal health information is private and sensitive. We are committed to protecting your privacy, maintaining confidentiality, and ensuring the security of the information entrusted to us.

HGMH complies with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).

This Privacy Statement explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information, and outlines your rights.

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Collection of Personal Health Information

Under the PHIPA, personal health information is collected in several ways.

When You Receive Care

This may include:

• Your name, address, phone number, and date of birth
• Health card number and insurance information
• Medical history, test results, diagnoses, and treatment information
• Information about your hospital stay and care

We collect only the information necessary to provide safe and effective healthcare.

When You Contact Us

If you contact us by phone, email, or through our website, we may collect your name, contact details, and the information needed to respond to your inquiry.

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How We Protect Your Information

We take privacy seriously and have safeguards in place to protect your information.

Administrative Safeguards

• Privacy policies and procedures
• Mandatory staff training
• Confidentiality agreements
• Regular privacy audits

Physical Safeguards

• Secure storage of paper records
• Restricted access areas

Technical Safeguards

• Secure electronic health record systems
• Password protection and access controls
• Monitoring of electronic record access

All staff and healthcare professionals affiliated with HGMH are responsible for protecting patient privacy.

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Your Rights

Under PHIPA, you have important rights regarding your personal health information:

Confidentiality

The right to have your personal health information kept confidential, subject to limited legal exceptions.

Access and Correction

The right to:

• Request access to your health record
• Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information

Control of Use and Disclosure

You may request that certain information not be shared within the healthcare team (sometimes called a “lockbox”), subject to legal or safety requirements.

Withdrawal of Consent

You may withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your information at any time, where permitted by law.

Substitute Decision-Makers

If you are unable to make decisions about your health information, your legally authorized substitute decision-maker may exercise these rights on your behalf.

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Non-Health Personal Information (FIPPA)

Personal information that is not health-related (such as certain administrative, billing, or corporate records) is governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).

Under FIPPA, individuals have the right to request access to general records held by the hospital, subject to certain limited exemptions set out in the legislation.

Making a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request

To request access to records under FIPPA:

• Your request must be made in writing
• Please provide sufficient detail to help us identify the records you are seeking
• A legislated application fee may apply
• Additional processing fees may apply depending on the scope of the request

Freedom of Information requests should be directed to the HGMH Privacy Office:

Privacy Officer
Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital
Phone: 613-525-2222 ext. 4211
Email: privacy@hgmh.on.ca

If you are not satisfied with the hospital’s response to your request, you may appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).

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Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Statement, would like to access your record, request a correction, or make a privacy complaint, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital (HGMH)
Phone: 613-525-2222 ext. 4211
Email: privacy@hgmh.on.ca

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If you have concerns that we have not resolved, you may contact:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
Website: https://www.ipc.on.ca
Phone: 1-800-387-0073
Email: info@ipc.on.ca