CONNECT PHYSIOTHERAPY & EXERCISES’ COMMITMENT TO PRIVACY
At Connect Physiotherapy & Exercise (“Connect”, “we”, “us”, “our”), service quality and compassionate care are our focus, and this extends to everything we do. This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) represents Connect’s statement of principals with respect to user privacy, as well as collection, use and disclosure of personal information collected by Connect’s website and through Connect’s Services. In addition, Connect also collects and retains data relating to Connect’s employees, agents, contractors, and other partners. Each Connect representative must abide by this commitment.
Please read this notice carefully to understand our policies and practices for processing and storing data. By engaging with our website and otherwise providing your personal information to us in the course of using our Services, you accept and consent to the practices described in this Policy. This Policy may change from time to time. Your continued engagement with our website and with Connect after any such revisions indicates that you accept and consent to them. We recommend that you check this Policy periodically for updates. If you do not agree to terms and conditions of this Policy, you should discontinue your use of this website immediately and contact us about the Services we provide.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the use of your personal information at Connect, please contact Our Privacy Officer at:
Email: privacy@connectpt.ca
Fax: (587) 735 – 2442
LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITY
Our privacy related practices and policies have been designed to comply with applicable privacy legislation in Canada (“Applicable Privacy Law”) which may include:
Alberta Health Information Act
Alberta Personal Information Protection Act
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
DEFINITIONS
“Personal information” means information about an identifiable individual. Personal Information includes financial, social media, and personal health information.
“Personal health information” means information that would be defined as personal health information pursuant to Applicable Privacy Law, and is information relating to an individual that may fall within one of the following categories:
- an individual’s physical or mental health;
- diagnostic, treatment, training, and care information;
- payments or eligibility for health care or eligibility for health care coverage;
- demographic information, including the individual’s personal health number; and
- health service eligibility information.
“Services” means the assessment, treatment, and training services that Connect provides to you.
CONSENT
Generally, we will obtain your consent before or at the time we collect your personal information unless such consent is not required by Applicable Privacy Law. Your consent may be implied when you provide information to us with knowledge as to how we will use it. In some instances, we may seek your consent after we have collected your personal information; for example, if we wish to make an additional use or disclosure of your personal information where we do not already have your consent for that new use or disclosure. We may collect, use, and disclose your personal information without your knowledge or consent as permitted by the Applicable Privacy Law.
By providing Connect with your personal information, including personal health information, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Policy.
HOW CONNECT COLLECTS, USES AND DISCLOSES PERSONAL INFORMATION
Your personal information is collected, used and disclosed in a manner that complies with Applicable Privacy Law, with access to such personal information being only available to those that require access to provide Services to you (including our physiotherapists and other team members) and for the other purposes outlined in this Policy.
Generally, Connect collects personal information directly from you, or those who have been given permission by you to act on your behalf. We may also collect your personal information from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits. For example, Connect may request personal health information from another health care provider that is involved in your care.
PURPOSES OF COLLECTION, USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Connect collects, uses and discloses your personal information for the purposes listed below:
- Administering our Services.
- Getting payment for health care services provided to you from Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), your private insurer, or others, as applicable.
- Participating in legal proceedings pertaining to you.
- Planning, administering, managing and evaluating our internal operations.
- Conducting improvement activities such as our feedback form.
- Communicating further information about us.
- Fulfilling our legal obligations or other purposes permitted or required by law.
- Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations.
- Other purposes as permitted by Applicable Privacy Law, including those purposes outlined at sections 27 to 34 of the Health Information Act (Alberta).
Connect will not use or disclose your personal information for any other purpose unless we obtain your consent or if otherwise required or permitted by Applicable Privacy Law.
WHAT INFORMATION DOES CONNECT COLLECT?
We collect limited information through our activities and through the course of Connect providing Services to you.
We do not sell, share or distribute your information, except as described in this Policy, or as described at the time of collection, or as permitted or required by Applicable Privacy Law.
The personal information that we collect may include, your name, date of birth, address, health history, records of your previous visits and any notes relating to the support that you received during these visits. Connect will collect personal information through its online form and through telephone.
The financial information that we collect may include your insurance benefit coverage information, credit card information, employment information, and other information to facilitate payment for Services.
The social media information that we collect through your social media interaction with Connect may include messages, comments, and interactions that may be linked to your social media account.
Automatically Obtained Information
Our servers collect and store information such as the IP address from which you access our websites, your browser type, the date and time you accessed the site, the internet address of the website that you came from, and cookie information as further described below. We may share this information with third-parties to deliver marketing services.
Cookies
A cookie is a file that is written to your hard drive when you access a website. We use cookies to improve user experience, personalize your access to content of our websites to your interests, ensure data security and understand general traffic patterns. This information may be used to guide enhancements in site structure. It may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a program.
Declining cookies: If you are concerned about cookies, most browsers permit individuals to decline cookies. To learn how you may be able to reduce the number of cookies you receive from us, or disable cookies that have already been installed in your browser’s cookie folder, please refer to your browser’s help menu or other instructions related to your browser. You can also learn more about cookies by visiting www.allaboutcookies.org, which includes additional useful information on cookies and how to block cookies using different types of browsers. Note that while declining cookies may negatively affect your user experience on our website and may restrict your ability to access and use all or parts of the Services, it will not prevent us from transacting with you.
WHAT WE DO TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY
Connect has implemented various measures to protect your personal information against theft, loss, unauthorized use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal. The nature of our safeguards varies depending on the sensitivity of the information that we have collected.
We educate our team about our policies and procedures and monitor compliance on a regular basis. We caution that while we endeavor to secure your personal information, no network, system or server is 100% secure.
SERVERS AND STORAGE
We store your personal information on servers hosted in Canada and the United States. Where personal information is being processed outside of Canada, it is subject to the laws of that foreign jurisdiction, and may be accessible to that jurisdiction’s government, courts, or law enforcement or regulatory agencies. If you have concerns about how your information is being stored, please contact the Privacy Officer using the contact information provided in this Policy.
KEEPING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION UP TO DATE
If you believe the personal information that Connect has on file is inaccurate or needs updating, please let us know; for example, if your contact information or address has changed. This allows Connect to ensure our records are accurate and up to date. Your personal information can be updated at your next visit to any of Connect’s locations or by contacting us at info@connectpt.ca.
YOUR CONTROL OVER YOUR OWN PERSONAL INFORMATION
When you or someone you have authorized provides us with your personal information, you are consenting to Connect’s collection, use and disclosure of that personal information for purposes outlined in this Policy, identified at the time of collection or as permitted or required by Applicable Privacy Law.
You are able to change your consent preferences or withdraw your consent for the collection, use and disclosure of any or all of your personal information, at any time. It is important to note that when you change or withdraw your consent, it will not have a retroactive effect and it may have implications to the Services you receive from Connect. Your ability to change or withdraw your consent is also not absolute. Connect will continue handling your personal information in circumstances where required by law despite a change or withdrawal of consent.
You may also request access to your personal information that Connect has on file. There is a small fee to prepare and disclose your records.
To request access to your personal information, please contact Connect’s Privacy Officer and formally request the information by following the steps below:
Email: privacy@connectpt.ca
Fax: (587) 735 – 2442
If you have requested a copy of your personal information and are unable to collect your own records, you may appoint a representative to do so on your behalf. To make this possible, Connect requires written consent to release your personal information to the appointed party.
HOW LONG IS INFORMATION KEPT?
We are required by legislation to keep records containing personal information for 10 years from the last date of service. Or in the case of a minor, 10 years past the minor’s eighteenth birthday. After that time, we shred paper records and delete electronic ones. When discarding hardware, we ensure the hard drive is destroyed.
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?
Connect encourages you to contact us with any questions you might have regarding our privacy policy and procedures. We are committed to listening, learning and responding to any concerns you may have as we strive to provide high quality healthcare in a compassionate environment. Our team is here for you and we want you to be satisfied with your experience. Raising a concern may also lead to improvements for other patients and clients. By raising a concern, future access to services at Connect will not be compromised. You can reach our Privacy Officer at:
Email: privacy@connectpt.ca
Fax: (587) 735 – 2442
Our team will do our best to rectify all matters raised by our patients, clients and referring practitioners. However, if matters are not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to contact the applicable office of the information and privacy commissioner. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta can be contacted at:
Suite 2460, 801 6 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 3W2
Phone: 403-297-2728
Toll Free: 1-888-878-4044
Fax: 403-297-2711
CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
This Policy may be changed by Connect at any time without notice. You should review this Policy regularly. You will find the date of the last revision of the Policy below.
Revision Date: April 4, 2023
