Personal Health Information

As a health information custodian, the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham Kent (CTC-CK) complies with the Personal Health Information and Protection Act (PHIPA) 2004, Health Care Consent Act 1996, and regulated health provider colleges, regarding the collection, use, storage and disclosure of personal health information (PHI).  This includes the requirement for consent to collect, use, store and disclose PHI.   

Collection of Personal Health Information

We collect demographic and personal health information about the client and/or family. The personal health information that we collect may include name, date of birth, address, health and developmental history, records of visits to the Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, chart notes, assessment reports, audiograms,  attendance, etc.  We only collect the information we need to plan and provide services.  Occasionally, we collect personal health information from other sources if we have obtained parent/caregivers consent to do so, or if the law permits.

Uses of Personal Health Information

We use personal health information for many purposes including:

• Planning and providing services for clients and families
• For administrative purposes such as scheduling, program planning, managing waitlists, service management, quality improvement, and risk management activities
• Education of students
• Comply with legal,  regulatory, and ministry requirements

Secure Storage and Confidentiality of Personal Health Information

Your personal health information is stored in a secure electronic health record system 

• We take steps to protect your personal health information from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure, and disposal.
• We conduct audits of our electronic health records and complete investigations to monitor and manage our privacy compliance.
• We take steps to ensure that our staff, students and volunteers implement our  confidentiality, security  and privacy policies.

Disclosure of Personal Health Information

Personal health information is never shared or disclosed without the express  consent of the client (if capable),  legal guardian, or substitute decision maker.    

• The Children’s Treatment Centre requires written or verbal consent to share personal health information with a community partner, school, childcare, or health care provider, etc. 
• Clients,  legal guardians and substitute decision makers can withdraw consent to disclose their personal health information as any time by contacting their clinician or the CTC-CK.

Your Choices

For information on how to limit access, make corrections, or withdraw consent for some of the above uses and disclosures,  please contact your clinician or the CTC-CK.   Please note that there are legal exceptions.

For further information about the collection, use, storage, or disclosure  of personal health information, or to discuss any concerns you may have, please contact James Lively, Privacy Officer, Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent at 519-354-0520 ext. 254.

If you have a concern about how your information has been handled, you may call the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at 1-800-387-0073 or www.ipc.on.ca