WebbMD Clinic is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal health information. This notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, safeguard, retain, and provide access to personal health information in accordance with applicable Ontario privacy legislation, including the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).
WebbMD Clinic respects the privacy of our patients and recognizes the importance of protecting the personal health information entrusted to us.
We take reasonable steps to protect personal health information against unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, loss, theft, or disposal.
Depending on the services you request or receive, WebbMD Clinic may collect personal health information including:
Personal health information may be collected directly from you during appointments, consultations, examinations, telephone communications, email communications, online appointment requests, forms, and other interactions with the clinic.
Where permitted by law and reasonably necessary for your care, information may also be obtained from other healthcare providers, laboratories, diagnostic facilities, hospitals, or other appropriate sources.
Our online appointment and booking system may collect information necessary to arrange and manage your visit, including:
Information submitted through the booking system is used to facilitate appointment scheduling and, where applicable, support the provision of healthcare services.
WebbMD Clinic may collect personal health information for purposes including:
WebbMD Clinic uses the OSCAR electronic medical record (EMR) system to maintain and manage patient health records.
Personal health information stored in the EMR is subject to appropriate privacy and security safeguards and is accessed only by authorized individuals as reasonably necessary for their clinic responsibilities.
Personal health information may be used by authorized clinic personnel for purposes connected with your healthcare, appointment administration, medical documentation, billing, quality and safety processes, and compliance with applicable legal and professional requirements.
We do not use personal health information for unrelated purposes without appropriate consent or another legal basis permitting the use.
WebbMD Clinic does not routinely disclose personal health information to employers or insurance companies unless you provide appropriate consent or the disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
Personal health information may be disclosed to other persons or organizations where you have provided consent or where the disclosure is permitted or required under applicable legislation.
Driver's Medical Examinations may involve medical reporting obligations established under Ontario legislation and regulations.
Where required or authorized by applicable law or medical reporting requirements, information from a Driver's Medical Examination may be disclosed to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
The information disclosed and the circumstances of disclosure depend on the applicable medical reporting requirements.
Where appropriate for your care, personal health information may be shared with other healthcare providers involved in your treatment or with whom you have requested that information be shared.
Examples may include referrals, consultation requests, diagnostic imaging requests, letters for x-rays or other investigations, and communication with physicians or other healthcare professionals.
Where consent is required, WebbMD Clinic will obtain consent in accordance with applicable privacy legislation and professional requirements.
Depending on the circumstances, consent may be express or implied where permitted by law. Certain collections, uses, or disclosures may be permitted or required by law without obtaining consent.
WebbMD Clinic may communicate with patients through email, telephone, and the clinic's online appointment and booking system.
Patients should understand that electronic communications may carry privacy or security risks. Patients should avoid sending highly sensitive medical information by ordinary email unless specifically requested or appropriate arrangements have been made.
We may use the contact information provided by a patient to communicate regarding appointments, clinic matters, healthcare services, or other appropriate purposes.
WebbMD Clinic maintains medical records in accordance with applicable professional, legal, privacy, and record-retention requirements.
Medical records may include information created by WebbMD Clinic as well as relevant information received from other healthcare providers or sources.
Patients may have the right to request access to their personal health information in accordance with PHIPA and other applicable law.
Requests for access to personal health information should be directed to the clinic's privacy contact. Certain legal exceptions or limitations may apply to access requests.
If you believe that personal health information in your record is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request a correction in accordance with applicable law.
Requests should identify the information believed to be inaccurate or incomplete and provide the reason for the requested correction. Certain legal requirements and limitations may apply.
WebbMD Clinic uses reasonable physical, administrative, and technical safeguards appropriate to the information and the circumstances to help protect personal health information.
Access to personal health information is limited to authorized individuals who require access for legitimate clinic functions, subject to applicable law and professional obligations.
If WebbMD Clinic becomes aware of a privacy breach involving personal health information, the clinic will take reasonable steps to contain and investigate the incident and respond in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements.
Where notification is required by law or appropriate in the circumstances, affected individuals and/or applicable authorities may be notified.
WebbMD Clinic retains personal health information for the period required or permitted by applicable legislation, professional requirements, and clinic record-retention practices.
When personal health information is no longer required to be retained, it will be securely disposed of or destroyed in a manner appropriate to the information.
Questions or requests concerning the privacy of personal health information may be directed to the clinic's privacy contact:
If you have a question, concern, or complaint about the handling of your personal health information, we encourage you to contact WebbMD Clinic first so that we can review and address the concern.
Individuals may also have the right to raise a privacy complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) in accordance with applicable law.
WebbMD Clinic may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in clinic practices, technology, applicable legislation, regulatory requirements, or other relevant circumstances.
The most current version published on this website will identify the date on which the notice was last updated.