Privacy Statement & Collection of Personal Information

The University of Toronto health services are committed to high quality, safe care for students across all campus centres. The best care is delivered when your care providers have all your relevant health information. The privacy of your information is governed by the University's commitment and obligation to follow the rules of a Health Information Custodian. This means our health care practitioners and team keep your information confidential and do not share the information without your consent except in the specific circumstances listed below:

•    To get in touch with relatives or friends if you are injured, incapacitated, ill and unable to give consent personally.

•    If there is a concern, you may harm yourself or others.

•    To report apparent or suspected child abuse.

•    To report sexual abuse by a regulated health professional.

•    Where legal circumstances require the University to provide information, for example in response to a subpoena or court order, or to fulfill other mandatory reporting obligations.

If you have questions regarding privacy, how your information is used, or this office generally, please feel free to contact your health centre by phone or by email to the University Health Privacy Officer at patientprivacy@utoronto.ca, or please raise your concerns at your next visit.


Emergency Situations:
It is important that Student Affairs administrators who are responsible for students on campus be able to identify students in crisis in order to provide them with support and be able to protect the University community.  When a health professional has reason to believe that you are a danger to yourself, or others, that information may be communicated to the Students in Crisis Committee in order for them to be able to support you, and the community most appropriately.  This committee is also bound by privacy legislation.

We will request the provision of an emergency contact for us to use should there be serious concerns regarding your health or safety.


Protection of Personal Information:
We understand the importance of protecting your personal information.  In order to ensure that protection we have take the following steps:

1.    Paper information is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted
       area at all times.
2.    Electronic hardware is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted
       area at all times.  All computers are password protected, in addition access to our
       electronic medical record is also password protected.
3.    The Electronic Health Record system has additional security/privacy features.
4.    We do not transmit information via email without your expressed consent.
5.    Fax machines are used to transmit information to specialists and/or diagnostic
       departments in a timely fashion.
6.    Staff is trained to collect, use and disclose personal information only as necessary
       to fulfill their duties and in accordance with our privacy policy.
 

Retention & Destruction of Personal Information:
The HCC is required by law to keep your personal information for up to 10 years from your last date of service or until 10 years after the day on which you turned 18 years.  The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario recommends keeping information for 15 years.  The College makes this recommendation to ensure that physicians will be able to provide evidence should it be required in any future legal proceedings brought against them.  In some instances health care providers must retain certain files in case of legal proceedings for which there is no statute of limitations indefinitely. 

The HCC destroys paper records by shredding. We destroy electronic information by deleting it and when the hardware is discarded, we ensure the hard drive is physically destroyed.


Requests to Review and/or make corrections to your record:
With a few exceptions (as per professional college guidelines) you have the right to see what personal information we hold about you. In most instances you can ask to do this.  In some instances we may ask you to put your request in writing.  If we are unable to fulfill your request, we will notify you within 30 days or receipt of the request.

If you have any concerns regarding the accuracy of your records please speak with a nurse or your physician.  If you believe there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected.  This applies to factual information and not to any professional opinions we may have formed. Regardless of any changes, additions or deletions made, the original version of the record must legally continue to be accessible.


Transfer of Medical/Counselling Records:
If you are no longer a patient of the Health & Counselling Centre and would like you medical and/or counseling records transferred to another care provider or a copy for your records you will be required to complete a request form. A HCC staff member will review the request and may contact you if more information is needed prior to sending the records. A fee is charged for such requests.


Questions or Concerns:
If you have questions or concerns regarding your privacy you may contact the director who is the information and security officer for the HCC.

Erin Kraftcheck
Medical Director
Health & Counselling Centre
DV 1123A
3359 Mississauga Rd
Mississauga, ON
L5L 1C6
health.utm@utoronto.ca