At Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling your privacy is of utmost importance to us. Please find below all of the details about how we strive to keep your privacy protected.
Privacy of personal information and personal health information (collectively referred to as “Personal Information”) is an important principle to Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling (hereinafter referred to as “Gut instincts Nutrition Counselling”, “we” or “our”).
We are committed to collecting, using and disclosing Personal Information of our clients (hereinafter “clients”, “you”, “your”) responsibly, in accordance with applicable law, and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide.
By providing Personal Information to Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling, you consent to our collection, use and disclosure of such information in accordance with this privacy policy and as otherwise permitted or required by law.
Owner: Suzanne Dietrich, Registered Dietitian
Health Information Custodian: Suzanne Dietrich
Information Officer/Contact Person: Suzanne Dietrich
Suzanne Dietrich, RD is the principal of Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling. Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling uses other healthcare professionals and support staff that assist in the provision of care to our clients.
We also work with consultants and agencies that may, in the course of their duties, have limited access to Personal Information we hold. These include computer consultants, office security and maintenance, bookkeepers and accountants, lawyers, contract dietitians, virtual assistants, interns, credit card companies, website managers and cleaners.
We restrict access to any Personal Information we hold as much as is reasonably possible. We also obtain assurances from any healthcare professionals, support staff, consultants and agencies that they will follow appropriate privacy principles.
Personal information means any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual, including without limitation, age, name, ID numbers, income, ethnic origin. Personal health information is identifying information about an individual in oral or recorded form that relates to the details of their healthcare, including:
Table 1: Types of Personal Information and Personal Health Information that may be collected
Personal Information
Personal Health Information
Name
Health history of individual
Home address, telephone number, email address
Family health history
Gender
Health measurements, samples, lab results, examination results
Age
Health conditions, assessment results or diagnoses
Language
Health services provided to or received by the individual
Occupation
Prognosis or other opinions formed during assessment and treatment
Religion
Compliance with assessment and treatment
Ethnicity, race or country of origin
Reasons for discharge and discharge condition and recommendations
Employer
Identity of individual’s health care providers
Extended Health Benefit Coverage
Primary Purposes: Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling collects, uses and discloses personal health information about a client, including without limitation clients health history, physical condition and social situation primarily in order to help us assess what clients’ needs are, to advise clients of treatment options and provide them with the chosen health care in connection with dietetic services. In addition, this information is collected to obtain a baseline of health and social information so that in providing ongoing health services, changes can be identified. With your permission, this information may be disclosed to other members of your health care team, to provide you with optimal health care.
Secondary Purposes: We also collect, use and disclose Personal Information for related purposes. For example, we collect, use and disclose Personal Information to:
We understand the importance of protecting Personal Information. For that reason, we have taken the following steps:
Our Privacy Policy is available from our website at www.gutinstincts.ca and can be provided to any individual upon request. Our Privacy Policy will be posted in our reception area. A copy of our Privacy Commitment, which summarizes our Privacy Policy is provided to each new client at the time the consent form is signed.
You have the right (with some exceptions) to access Personal Information about you that is held by us and to know what we have done with your Personal Information.
We request that all access requests be in writing. We will confirm the identify of the requestor prior to disclosing any Personal Information. We will respond to your request as soon as possible and generally within 30 days, if possible.
If the request is granted, we will provide your Personal Information or a summary of what we have in our file and will take reasonable steps to ensure that you understand the records being provided (e.g., explain short forms or codes and technical language). We may charge a fee related to the access request based on the guidelines of the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office of Ontario.
If a request is refused, we will provide our reasons for the refusal as well as the appropriate contact details for the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Grounds for refusal to access Personal Information could include:
You have the right to request a correction to information held by us. The purpose is to maintain appropriate and accurate information on clients. Correction requests are restricted to factual information. Professional observations and opinions are not generally subject to correction requests.
If we agree that there is a mistake in the record, we will make the correction, but we will not destroy the original entry. At your request and where it is reasonably possible, we will notify third parties to whom we sent this information. We reserve the right to refuse to notify a third party if the correction cannot reasonably be expected to have an effect on the ongoing provision of health care or some other benefit to the individual.
If we do not agree that there is a mistake in the record, a notice of disagreement will be filed with the record. Upon any notice of refusal, we will advise you of your right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner about the refusal.
We may also refuse corrections, if, for example, the request is frivolous, vexatious or made in bad faith, or if we did not create the record and do not have sufficient knowledge, expertise or authority to make the correction.
Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling will retain clinical records for 10 years after the last client interaction or 10 years after the client turns 18 years of age. If required by the circumstances Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling may retain a clinical record for a longer period of time, such as in the case that litigation is contemplated or ongoing or where a request for access to the record is outstanding.
Personal health information will be disposed of in a secure manner so that the records cannot be reconstructed (s.13 of the Act and s. 1(5.1) of the regulations). Paper records will be cross-cut shredded (using external shredding services) and electronic files will be deleted or destroyed in a way that the information cannot be recovered.
When Suzanne Dietrich, RD dies, the person responsible for her estate will be responsible for complying with applicable legislation governing Personal Information until he or she is able to transfer the information to another health information custodian.
While we will take precautions to avoid any breach of your privacy, if there is a loss, theft or unauthorized access of your Personal Information we will notify you.
Upon learning of a possible or known breach, we will take the following steps, as applicable:
Step 1: Respond immediately by implementing the organization’s privacy breach protocol.
Step 2: Containment – Identity the scope of the potential breach and take steps to contain it.
Step 3: Notification – Identity those individuals whose privacy was breached and notify them of the breach.
Step 4: Investigation and Remediation
Depending on the circumstances of the breach, we may notify and work with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. If we take disciplinary action against one of our practitioners (or revoke or restrict the privileges or affiliation of one of our practitioners) for a privacy breach, we are required to report that to the practitioner’s regulatory College. We may also report the breach to the relevant regulatory College if we believe that it was the result of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.
We maintain an internal complaint system.
If you wish to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, you may make it in writing to Suzanne Dietrich (contact details below). Suzanne Dietrich will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and ensure that it is investigated promptly and that you are provided with a formal decision and reasons. Every effort is made to investigate and provide a decision and reasons within 30 days.
You also have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario if you have concerns about our privacy practices or how your personal health information has been handled.
If you have any questions or want to make a complaint about our privacy practices, please contact:
Suzanne Dietrich, RD at [email protected]
You also have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at the address below if you have concerns about our privacy practices or how your personal health information has been handled:
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Telephone: 1 (800) 387-0073
Fax: (416) 325-9195
www.ipc.on.ca
This policy is made under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, S.O. 2004, c. 3. It is a complex statute and provides some additional exceptions to the privacy principles that are too detailed to set out here.
At Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling your privacy is of utmost importance to us. Please find below all of the details about how we strive to keep your privacy protected.
Privacy of personal information and personal health information (collectively referred to as “Personal Information”) is an important principle to Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling (hereinafter referred to as “Gut instincts Nutrition Counselling”, “we” or “our”).
We are committed to collecting, using and disclosing Personal Information of our clients (hereinafter “clients”, “you”, “your”) responsibly, in accordance with applicable law, and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide.
By providing Personal Information to Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling, you consent to our collection, use and disclosure of such information in accordance with this privacy policy and as otherwise permitted or required by law.
Owner: Suzanne Dietrich, Registered Dietitian
Health Information Custodian: Suzanne Dietrich
Information Officer/Contact Person: Suzanne Dietrich
Suzanne Dietrich, RD is the principal of Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling. Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling uses other healthcare professionals and support staff that assist in the provision of care to our clients.
We also work with consultants and agencies that may, in the course of their duties, have limited access to Personal Information we hold. These include computer consultants, office security and maintenance, bookkeepers and accountants, lawyers, contract dietitians, virtual assistants, interns, credit card companies, website managers and cleaners.
We restrict access to any Personal Information we hold as much as is reasonably possible. We also obtain assurances from any healthcare professionals, support staff, consultants and agencies that they will follow appropriate privacy principles.
Personal information means any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual, including without limitation, age, name, ID numbers, income, ethnic origin. Personal health information is identifying information about an individual in oral or recorded form that relates to the details of their healthcare, including:
Table 1: Types of Personal Information and Personal Health Information that may be collected
Personal Information
Personal Health Information
Name
Health history of individual
Home address, telephone number, email address
Family health history
Gender
Health measurements, samples, lab results, examination results
Age
Health conditions, assessment results or diagnoses
Language
Health services provided to or received by the individual
Occupation
Prognosis or other opinions formed during assessment and treatment
Religion
Compliance with assessment and treatment
Ethnicity, race or country of origin
Reasons for discharge and discharge condition and recommendations
Employer
Identity of individual’s health care providers
Extended Health Benefit Coverage
Primary Purposes: Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling collects, uses and discloses personal health information about a client, including without limitation clients health history, physical condition and social situation primarily in order to help us assess what clients’ needs are, to advise clients of treatment options and provide them with the chosen health care in connection with dietetic services. In addition, this information is collected to obtain a baseline of health and social information so that in providing ongoing health services, changes can be identified. With your permission, this information may be disclosed to other members of your health care team, to provide you with optimal health care.
Secondary Purposes: We also collect, use and disclose Personal Information for related purposes. For example, we collect, use and disclose Personal Information to:
We understand the importance of protecting Personal Information. For that reason, we have taken the following steps:
Our Privacy Policy is available from our website at www.gutinstincts.ca and can be provided to any individual upon request. Our Privacy Policy will be posted in our reception area. A copy of our Privacy Commitment, which summarizes our Privacy Policy is provided to each new client at the time the consent form is signed.
You have the right (with some exceptions) to access Personal Information about you that is held by us and to know what we have done with your Personal Information.
We request that all access requests be in writing. We will confirm the identify of the requestor prior to disclosing any Personal Information. We will respond to your request as soon as possible and generally within 30 days, if possible.
If the request is granted, we will provide your Personal Information or a summary of what we have in our file and will take reasonable steps to ensure that you understand the records being provided (e.g., explain short forms or codes and technical language). We may charge a fee related to the access request based on the guidelines of the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office of Ontario.
If a request is refused, we will provide our reasons for the refusal as well as the appropriate contact details for the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Grounds for refusal to access Personal Information could include:
You have the right to request a correction to information held by us. The purpose is to maintain appropriate and accurate information on clients. Correction requests are restricted to factual information. Professional observations and opinions are not generally subject to correction requests.
If we agree that there is a mistake in the record, we will make the correction, but we will not destroy the original entry. At your request and where it is reasonably possible, we will notify third parties to whom we sent this information. We reserve the right to refuse to notify a third party if the correction cannot reasonably be expected to have an effect on the ongoing provision of health care or some other benefit to the individual.
If we do not agree that there is a mistake in the record, a notice of disagreement will be filed with the record. Upon any notice of refusal, we will advise you of your right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner about the refusal.
We may also refuse corrections, if, for example, the request is frivolous, vexatious or made in bad faith, or if we did not create the record and do not have sufficient knowledge, expertise or authority to make the correction.
Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling will retain clinical records for 10 years after the last client interaction or 10 years after the client turns 18 years of age. If required by the circumstances Gut Instincts Nutrition Counselling may retain a clinical record for a longer period of time, such as in the case that litigation is contemplated or ongoing or where a request for access to the record is outstanding.
Personal health information will be disposed of in a secure manner so that the records cannot be reconstructed (s.13 of the Act and s. 1(5.1) of the regulations). Paper records will be cross-cut shredded (using external shredding services) and electronic files will be deleted or destroyed in a way that the information cannot be recovered.
When Suzanne Dietrich, RD dies, the person responsible for her estate will be responsible for complying with applicable legislation governing Personal Information until he or she is able to transfer the information to another health information custodian.
While we will take precautions to avoid any breach of your privacy, if there is a loss, theft or unauthorized access of your Personal Information we will notify you.
Upon learning of a possible or known breach, we will take the following steps, as applicable:
Step 1: Respond immediately by implementing the organization’s privacy breach protocol.
Step 2: Containment – Identity the scope of the potential breach and take steps to contain it.
Step 3: Notification – Identity those individuals whose privacy was breached and notify them of the breach.
Step 4: Investigation and Remediation
Depending on the circumstances of the breach, we may notify and work with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. If we take disciplinary action against one of our practitioners (or revoke or restrict the privileges or affiliation of one of our practitioners) for a privacy breach, we are required to report that to the practitioner’s regulatory College. We may also report the breach to the relevant regulatory College if we believe that it was the result of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.
We maintain an internal complaint system.
If you wish to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, you may make it in writing to Suzanne Dietrich (contact details below). Suzanne Dietrich will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and ensure that it is investigated promptly and that you are provided with a formal decision and reasons. Every effort is made to investigate and provide a decision and reasons within 30 days.
You also have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario if you have concerns about our privacy practices or how your personal health information has been handled.
If you have any questions or want to make a complaint about our privacy practices, please contact:
Suzanne Dietrich, RD at [email protected]
You also have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at the address below if you have concerns about our privacy practices or how your personal health information has been handled:
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Telephone: 1 (800) 387-0073
Fax: (416) 325-9195
www.ipc.on.ca
This policy is made under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, S.O. 2004, c. 3. It is a complex statute and provides some additional exceptions to the privacy principles that are too detailed to set out here.