Privacy and Confidentiality

Our Commitment to Your Privacy and Confidentiality

The following describes Alternatives’ information and privacy practices. It is your right to know how we collect, use and share your personal health information.

We Require Your Consent:

We need your permission to collect, use or share your personal health information.

Unspoken Permission (Implied Consent)

When you request and accept admission to Alternatives you are giving your permission for us to properly use your personal health information.

However, it is our practice to ask you for your verbal or written permission to collect, use and share your personal health Information.

Verbal or Written Permission
(Express Consent)

For purposes other than providing your health care we must get your verbal or written consent. (ie, landlord and legal)

Protecting Your Privacy

We take steps to protect your personal health information from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal. We also conduct audits of our procedures to ensure that your personal health information remains protected.

The privacy and confidentiality of your information is protected under Ontario’s privacy law, the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and other applicable laws.

Collecting Information

The personal health information we collect may include, for example, your name, date of birth, address, health card number and other demographic information.

With your consent, we also may collect personal health information about you from other sources, such as hospitals or other agencies where you have received care.

Using Your Information

Your information may be used for the following purposes:

Your Health Care:

Your information is recorded in a health record, and staff members of Alternatives who are involved in your care are required to read it to provide you with the best possible service. With your consent we also use your information to communicate and consult with other health care providers involved in your circle of care.

Reviewing our Programs and Services:

Your records may be reviewed to evaluate the quality of programs and services offered at Alternatives, but you will remain anonymous in all our reports. We may also contact you for your opinion when we do satisfaction surveys.

We use statistics to help us plan, evaluate and manage our services, and to report to our funders about our operations. You will remain anonymous in all reports.