· Your Privacy is important to us
· What Type of Information Do We Collect About You?
· Personal Health Information Protection Act(PHIPA)
· How Is Your Information Used?
· Do We Share Your Information With Anyone?
Your Privacy Is Important To Us
Woodstock General Hospital is committed to keeping your personal health information safe and confidential. Your privacy is very important to us. We are continuously monitoring policies and procedures to further protect the privacy of your information.
To provide you with quality health care, we collect both personal and health information from you. Your legal name, date of birth, address, Health Card Number and extended health insurance numbers are examples of personal information. You’re health history, the records of your visits to the hospital and what health care we provide to you during those visits are examples of your health information.
PHIPA is a provincial legislation that governs the collection, use, and sharing of personal health information
It is based on ten principles that hospitals, doctors, community health care organizations, and other health practicing facilities must follow when collecting, using and sharing personal health information.
Woodstock General Hospital has established a privacy program based on these principles.
An organization is responsible for personal information under its control and shall designate an individual or individuals who are accountable for the organization's compliance with the following principles.
The purposes for which personal information is collected shall be identified by the organization at or before the time the information is collected.
The knowledge and consent of an individual are required for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information, except where appropriate.
The collection of personal information shall be limited to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by the organization. Information shall be collected by fair and lawful means.
Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
Personal information shall not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the individual or as required by law. Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.
Personal information shall be as accurate, complete and up-to-date as is necessary for the purpose for which it is used.
Security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information shall protect personal information.
An organization shall make readily available to individuals specific information about its policies and practices relating to the management of personal information.
Upon request, an individual shall be informed of the existence, use, and disclosure of his or her personal information, and shall be given access to that information. An individual shall be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.
An individual shall be able to address a challenge concerning
compliance with the above principles to the designate individuals accountable
for the organization's compliance. 
The information we collect from you is used:
o To provide you with quality health care and follow up care in the community;
o To carry out quality assurance to make us better;
o For patient satisfaction surveys to see how we are doing; and
o To comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
o For research to make the Woodstock General Hospital the best we can be and to help develop new treatments and technologies for the future; and
o For education to keep current health care practitioners up to date and to train new health care practitioners for the future.
If your information were to be used for any other purpose, your specific permission would be required first.
How Do I Access My Personal Health Information?
Viewing a Health Record
A person can view their own health record at the health care facility where they were treated. The same guidelines apply for viewing the health record as outlined in Obtaining a Copy of a Health Record. Please visit the previous link for more detailed information about accessing your health record.
How Do I Correct My Personal Health Information?
If demographic information, e.g., name, address, phone # etc., is incorrect, you can contact Patient Registration.
WGH – 421-4233 and enter extension 4225
If you feel that any other information in your health record is incorrect, or needs to be amended, contact the Privacy Officer. Your request will be reviewed by the Privacy Officer and the author of the record. By law, the hospital is not required to correct a professional opinion or observation made in good faith about a patient. Please contact Privacy@wgh.on.ca if you have any questions.
Woodstock General Hospital (WGH) respects the privacy of your information. The following is a list of questions that are frequently asked. If you have other questions or concerns, please contact the Privacy Officer:
Telephone: 519-421-4233 ext. 2303
Email: privacy@wgh.on.ca
What information does the hospital collect?
Why does the hospital need this information?
How does the hospital protect my information?
Does the hospital share my information with anyone?
Do I have to participate in research, teaching and surveys?
Will the hospital disclose my health information to outside companies or to my employer?
Where is my health information stored and how long?
How do I access or request a copy of my health information?
What if some of the information in my health record is incorrect?
Can my family see my health information?
What if I am unable to give consent to release my health information?
Will my family and friends be able to call to get information about me over the phone?
Can all hospital staff access my health information?
Can I find out who has viewed my hospital record?
Can my family physician access my health information?
What if I have concerns about who has accessed my health information or other Privacy concerns?
What information does the hospital collect?
To provide you with quality health care, we collect both personal and health information from you. Your legal name, date of birth, address, Health Card Number and extended health insurance numbers are examples of personal information. Your health history, the records of your visits to the hospital and what health care we provide to you during those visits are examples of your health information.<>
Why does the hospital need this information?
The information we collect from you is used:
o to provide you with quality health care and follow-up care in the community. We need to make sure we can make the appropriate diagnosis and provide treatment.
o to carry out quality assurance to help make us better. By reviewing the care we provide to patients we can determine what strategies are most successful.
o To ask you how we are doing. You may be asked to participate in surveys by either the hospital or by specific programs or services in the hospital that participated in your care.
o To comply with the law. The law requires hospitals to turn over your personal health information if there is a legal investigation. We also use your information to obtain funding for health services from the Ministry of Health.
o For research. Some research is conducted using only non-identifiable, statistical information.
How does the hospital protect my information?
A few of the ways that WGH strives to protect both your personal information and your personal health information are by:
o Teaching all staff about confidentiality. All staff, physicians, volunteers, etc. must sign a confidentiality agreement as a condition of their relationship with the hospital.
o Requiring that all staff wear photo identification at all times while on hospital property to protect against unauthorized individuals accessing information.
o Applying additional security measures to all electronic health records; for example, user names and passwords, firewall and antivirus software.
o Locked doors.
Does the hospital share my information with anyone?
WGH shares some or all of your information with:
o Health care providers at other hospitals, nursing homes or other health care agencies who become part of your health care team. Information is shared for the purpose of your continuing care in the community.
o Agencies, for example OHIP, extended health insurance companies, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and Ministry of Health.
o Other agencies as required by law, for example, public health surveillance.
Do I have to participate in research, teaching and surveys?
Will the hospital disclose my health information to outside companies or to my employer?
The hospital requires your written permission or a court order to disclose health information to any organization or person not directly involved with the provision of patient care.
Where is my health information stored and how long?
Hospitals are required to keep health records for at least 10 years past the date of the last admission. In some cases, for example health records for children and records maintained for the purpose of research, health records are kept much longer. Most health records are maintained in Health Record Services, but some services, including Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory, maintain their own specific records.
How do I access or request a copy of my health information?
Ask your health care provider for information about your diagnosis and treatment while you're a patient at WGH.
To obtain a copy of, or view your WGH health record, please contact Health Record Services.
You have the right to access your personal health record and WGH has an obligation to make it available to you with limited exceptions. If releasing your information would put yourself or a third-party at risk, the hospital may choose not to disclose some or all of that information.
What if some of the information in my health record is incorrect?
Please see How Do I Correct My Personal Health Information section.
Can my family see my health 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 record, then the friend/family members may access the part(s) that you have consented to let them see.
What if I am unable to give consent to release my health information?
If you are unable to give consent for a friend of family member to access your health information due to reasons such as competency or unconsciousness, the consent decision falls to the appointed substitute decision maker, such as a spouse, parent or guardian.
Will my family and friends be able to call to get information about me over the phone?
When someone calls the hospital, staff has no way to verify who is calling and what their relationship is to you. Normally, in order to protect patient privacy, only a minimum amount of information is given out over the phone.
Can all hospital staff access my health information?
The only persons whom the hospital authorizes to access a patient record are the staff and physicians involved in a patient's care, or staff who need information from a patient record to conduct the business of the hospital, e.g., the Finance department staff that sends a bill to a patient's extended health insurance company.
All staff and hospital affiliates are bound by hospital policies and practices related to Privacy and Confidentiality. These policies aim to ensure that staff only access information on a need-to-know basis. Regulated Health Professionals are also bound by privacy and confidentiality requirements from their professional Colleges.
Can I find out who has viewed my hospital record?
Yes. If you have concerns about unauthorized personnel accessing your information, you can make a request to the Privacy Office to audit your electronic hospital record. An audit is a process that tracks every staff or physician who has accessed your electronic record by date and time. We can perform an audit on your electronic health record and a limited audit on your hardcopy health record. We will ensure that your concerns are investigated promptly and a response is provided to you in a timely manner.
If you would like to request an audit please contact the Privacy Officer. You will be asked to verify your identity by providing a government-issued ID that has your signature.
Despite the pressures of an acute-care hospital setting, staff makes every effort to discuss health information confidentially.
Can my family physician access my health information?
WGH releases information to family physicians to facilitate your continuing care with your consent.
What if I have concerns about who has accessed my health information or other Privacy concerns?
Please contact the Privacy Officer if you have concerns about unauthorized access to your health information or about any other concerns you have about Privacy issues. We will ensure that your concerns are investigated promptly and a response is provided to you in a timely manner.
Woodstock General Hospital does share your personal and health information with health care providers at other hospitals, health care agencies, nursing homes, etc. who become part of your health care team for the purpose of your continuing care. Your information is shared with agencies authorized by law, for example, OHIP, health insurance companies and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
Brochures
are available at all Patient Registration locations
Phone:
519-421-4233 Ext. 2303
Email:
privacy@wgh.on.ca
Website:
www.wgh.on.ca