PRIVACY POLICY – PATIENTS
Blueridge Dental recognizes the importance of privacy in relation to personal information we receive from our patients, and makes efforts to ensure the accuracy, confidentiality and security of such information. This policy describes in general terms the principles we apply when protecting patient personal information in our custody or control.
In British Columbia, the BC Personal Information Protection Act (the “BC PIPA”) regulates the way in which private sector organizations collect, keep, use, secure and disclose personal information. Blueridge Dental is governed by the BC PIPA.
DEFINITIONS
“Personal Information” means information about an identifiable individual. Under the BC PIPA, personal information does not include business contact information or work product information.
“Collection” means the act of gathering, acquiring, or obtaining personal information from any source, by any means.
“Consent” involves voluntary agreement with what is being done or proposed. Consent may be express or implied.
“Express consent” means than an individual, knowing what personal information is being collected and for what purposes, willingly agrees to the information being collected, used and disclosed as notified. It may be given in writing or verbally.
“Implied consent” exists when an individual is “deemed” to consent to collection, use or disclosure of personal information if the individual voluntarily provides it for a purpose that would, at the time, be considered obvious to a reasonable person.
ACCOUNTABILITY
- Blueridge Dental is responsible for the confidentiality of personal information in its custody or under its control in compliance with the applicable privacy legislation.
- Blueridge Dental has appointed a Privacy Officer to be responsible for implementing the privacy program and ensuring compliance with applicable privacy legislation.
- Blueridge Dental employees are responsible for day-to-day compliance with this Privacy Policy. Employees who do not comply with this Privacy Policy may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
CONSENT
- Blueridge Dental will collect, use or disclose personal information only with knowledge and consent, except where required or permitted by law.
- Consent may be implied in some situations while express consent is required for the collection, use and sharing of confidential and sensitive information. Blueridge Dental reserves the right to disclose information where required or permitted by law.
- Consent may be withdrawn at any time, on reasonable notice, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
IDENTIFYING PURPOSES
Blueridge Dental will always endeavour to communicate the purposes for which personal information is collected at or before the time the information is collected.
Generally, Blueridge Dental collects patient personal information for the following reasons:
- To deliver, develop, evaluate and manage services to meet the needs of patients;
- When it is necessary to process payments for services; and
- To meet regulatory requirements.
We collect, use and disclose patient personal information to the extent reasonably required to deliver dental care and related services, and to process payments for such services. This may include exchanging information with a patient’s benefits provider or insurer.
We use patient personal information to communicate with patients with respect to the delivery of services, such as by tracking appointments, sending reminders, notifying you of our services and products available through our office, and following up with patients following service delivery.
We may exchange information with other health care providers or specialty dentists to facilitate the delivery of medical, dental and related care. Patients who do not wish the Dental Office to communicate with other health care providers should notify the Dental Office of their concerns.
The Dental Office may, from time to time, participate in research related to the practice of dentistry. Personal information used for such purposes will be used and disclosed as permitted by PIPA.
LIMITING COLLECTION, USE, DISCLOSURE & RETENTION
Blueridge Dental will limit collection of personal information to what is necessary for the purposes for which it is collected.
Blueridge Dental will always collect personal information by fair and lawful methods.
Personal information will only be used or disclosed for the purpose for which it was collected, except with the individual’s consent or as required or permitted by law.
Personal information will be retained only as long as necessary for fulfillment of the purposes for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by law.
SAFEGUARDS
Blueridge Dental protects personal information by ensuring security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information are in place, including through the use of the following measures:
- Physical (i.e. locked filing cabinets, restricted access, appropriate security measures when disposing of personal information);
- Organizational (i.e. security clearances, access only on a “need to know” basis); and,
- Technological (i.e. passwords, firewalls, data disconnection from the internet, and regular backups) and training of employees.
ACCURACY
- Blueridge Dental will make reasonable efforts to ensure that personal information is as accurate, complete and current as required for the purposes for which it was collected. In some cases, Blueridge Dental relies on individuals to ensure that certain information, such as an individual’s home telephone number, is current, complete, and accurate.
- From time to time Blueridge Dental may contact the individual to ensure that the information collected is or remains accurate and up-to-date.
SAFEGUARDS
- Blueridge Dental is open about the policies and procedures it uses to protect personal information. Any inquiries may be made to our Privacy Officer.
- Upon written request, Blueridge Dental will within a reasonable time period, tell the individual what personal information it has, for what purposes it is being used, and to whom it has been disclosed if applicable and within the time period for which records are available.
- Individuals have the right to challenge the accuracy and completeness of their information and have it amended if it is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date.
- In certain circumstances, Blueridge Dental may refuse to disclose personal information, including:
- Where required by law, certain personal information may not be disclosed;
- Where the information contains personal information about another individual;
- Where the information is of such a nature that its disclosure could reasonably be expected to prejudice the mental or physical health of the individual;
- Where the information was gathered in the course of a formal dispute resolution process; and
- Where the information is subject to solicitor-client or litigation privilege.
COMPLIANCE AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Requests for access to information, issues or complaints about Blueridge Dental compliance with this Policy regarding the handling of personal information, and questions or comments about this Policy may be addressed to Blueridge Dental Privacy Officer:
Blueridge Dental
108-2120 Dollarton Hwy
North Vancouver, BC V7H 0B5
Attention: Susan Siebrecht, Privacy Officer
In British Columbia, at any point the individual may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia
PO Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt. Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Phone: (250) 387-5629 | Fax: (250) 387-1696 | Email: info@oipc.bc.ca
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time.
