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Patient Privacy

Our Pledge to Protect Your Privacy

Agassiz Medical Centre knows that medical information about you is personal and is committed to protecting the privacy of your information. As well as following PHIA guideless we also practice our internal security to ensure all information gathered is as secure as can be. As a client of the clinic, any medical relevant information, care and treatment you receive is recorded in an Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Some examples of the types of information collected include, but are not limited to, names, telephone numbers, addresses, health card numbers, diagnoses, treatment given, medical and personal histories.

EMR

Digital records are kept by Agassiz Medical Centre in a software called EMRs (electronic medical records.) EMR systems are intended to keep track of a patient's entire health and medical history in a computerized, electronic format. By keeping these potentially vast records in this manner, they are more easily retrievable, and can make a patient's navigation through the healthcare system much safer and more efficient.

PHIA

The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) provides you with the right to:

• access your personal health information, and
• have your personal health information kept private when that information is held by a health care provider, health care facility or public body (referred to in the Act as “trustees").
• PHIA also recognizes that personal health information is private and should be held in confidence by those who maintain it. This enables you to discuss things you might find sensitive or embarrassing with trustees without worrying that they will discuss it with others inappropriately.
• In order to protect your right to privacy, PHIA imposes obligations on trustees when they collect, maintain, use and share your personal health information.
• When trustees collect personal health information from you, they will normally use that information for the reasons it was provided. For example, if you discuss personal health information with a health care provider, he or she will use that information to provide you with the care you are seeking.
• Before trustees can use this information for other reasons -- or share it with people outside their organization -- they should generally get your consent. There are some exceptions to this obligation, however. Here are a few examples:
• A health care provider may share information about you with another provider who is involved in your care, as long as the information is relevant and as long as you haven’t asked the first provider not to.
• A hospital may contact your family and inform them that you are hurt or injured if you can’t inform them yourself.
• A hospital or personal care home may discuss, with family members and close friends, care you are currently receiving in the facility, as long as the facility believes you wouldn’t object.
• A trustee might share personal health information with an outside agency if it is necessary to prevent serious harm to you or someone else.
• A trustee might also have to share personal health information about you if another law requires them to do so.
• For more information regard PHIA please click HERE

How We Collect Medical Information

We collect information indirectly and directly. In person, when you meet with our reception team who obtain as much demographic information as we require, i.e. name, address, medical number. A physician, your own or a physician attending walk-in will collect as much medical information of relevancy for your Electronic Medical Record. These include family history, current medications, allergies etc. Our nurses’ team will also gather information on you, blood pressure, weight, height etc., we also receive results from tests conducted out of our clinic.

All information is stored in our Electronic Medical Record software. Any paper copies we received are kept for an appropriate period of time before being shredded.

How Do We Use The Information?

All information gathered is for medical, billing or identification purposes; Information is used too allow our physicians to review your current status and history thus allowing us too give you the best service possible. All information leaving the clinic is logged through our EMR software that allows tracking and following up. We will not sell your information to 3rd parties. We share your information only to the extent necessary to conduct our business operations, to collect payment for the services we provide you and to comply with the PHIA. We will not use or disclose your information for any other purpose without your permission. We do report statistical data too Manitoba Government through the Physician Integrated Network (PIN), however all client identifiers are removed before data in sent via encryption.

Who Has Access To The Information?

Information access within the clinic is monitored. All clinic staff have signed a confidentiality and privacy agreement in accordance with PHIA guidelines. 3rd party companies linked with current treatments such as insurance companies can request information if authorization or request by the client is given.

Questions or Concerns

Please contact our Privacy Officer Karen Chezick at (204) 822 4474 or email

 

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