The province of Ontario adopted the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in 2005. The purpose of the AODA is to develop, implement and enforce standards to make Ontario fully accessible to all by 2025.

The CSCHN has consequently created a multi-year Accessibility Plan in order to comply with the requirements for 2012–2016.
This document covers the activities and deliverables stipulated in the accessibility standards and regulations governing information and communications as well as the design and use of public spaces. It also describes the action plan to be implemented to ensure that the CSCHN is fully compliant. The Accessibility Plan is available in alternative formats or may be accessed via communication aids to anyone who requests it.

The CSCHN is firmly committed to delivering excellent service to all its clients, including those with disabilities.

The CSCHN pledges to treat all persons in a manner that preserves their dignity and independence. We believe in the principles of integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely fashion by preventing and eliminating obstacles to accessibility in accordance with the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2005.

View our Accessibility Plan:  CSCHN Accessibility Plan (French Only)

The CSCHN recognizes that its clients possess the following rights:

• The right to freedom of expression, choice and action. The CSCHN works to ensure that every person receives the respect, dignity, consideration and privacy they require.
• Each client has the right to receive full, appropriate and continued high-quality service in a safe and secure environment.
• Each client has a right to self-determination and is entitled to make use of all or part of the services we offer. Clients have the right to refuse treatment, to the extent permitted by law, and be informed of the consequences of such actions without fear of moral judgement or ill will on the part of any member of staff.
• Clients have the right to participate in decisions that affect their health and to be involved in the development of a treatment plan. Clients are entitled to receive full, accurate and up-to-date information about their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in terms that they can reasonably understand and that will enable them to give informed consent before any procedure or treatment relating to their health takes place.
• Clients have the right to be served by qualified personnel and to receive professional advice, treatment and care.
• Clients are entitled to receive a sufficient amount of practitioners’ time and the opportunity to to ask questions.
• Clients may choose to decline the services of an intern or the presence of an intern when meeting with a CSCHN practitioner.
• Clients with a disability have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal on the CSCHN’s premises, to bring a support person with them or to use their own personal assistive devices.
• Clients have the right to recommend ways in which the CSCHN could improve the accessibility of its services for people with disabilities and the community at large, and to register any complaints in this regard.
• Clients have the right to be informed of preventative health care and actions they can take to improve their health and wellness.
• Clients have the right to be informed of, and have explained to them, the CSCHN’s policies with respect to the confidentiality of personal information, including the reasons why certain information is collected and disclosed, and how this information is protected.
• Generally speaking, clients have the right to view their own health record and to request any corrections to the information it may contain, and/or to register a complaint regarding care or services received at the CSCHN. Clients are entitled to expect an appropriate and timely response.
• Generally speaking, in the case of a child, the parent or legal guardian has the right to view their health record, although it is always preferable to seek the child’s consent depending on their level of maturity and ability to understand. In the case of a deceased person, the estate representative or the executor is generally entitled to view their health record.
• Clients have the right to register a complaint regarding the CSCHN’s services or the treatment they have received from any of its personnel.
• Clients are entitled to receive the assistance of a team member in order to make a complaint in writing.

Practices Concerning the Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Health Information

In accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act of 2004, the Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara (CSCHN) has established rules governing the collection, use, protection and disclosure of its clients’ personal health information. These rules have been put in place to protect the confidentiality of this information while allowing the CSCHN to provide health care services.

Collection and Use of Personal Health Information

The CSCHN collects personal information from:

• You
• Someone acting on your behalf (e.g. if you are a minor)
• Other health care providers (e.g. specialists’ results)

The CSCHN collects personal information to:

• Determine or verify whether you are eligible for health care services
• Assess your service needs or establish a treatment plan
• Plan, administer or evaluate publicly funded programs, including those of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Canada and Hamilton or Niagara Public Health Services.

The CSCHN will not collect more personal health information than necessary. Although you have the right to refuse to give us certain personal information, this may hinder our ability to serve you and provide you with the best possible care.

The CSCHN also collects your home address, email address and phone number. The CSCHN may use this information to contact you about its services and activities. Your contact details are considered personal information and are subject to the same practices explained above.

Protection of Personal Health Information

The CSCHN takes a variety of measures to protect the confidentiality and security of the personal information it collects.

These measures include, but are not limited to:

• A policy regarding the confidentiality of clients’ information. This policy includes a confidentiality agreement that all CSCHN employees must sign.
• Limited access to the electronic systems where your personal information is stored; only certain employees are allowed to access this information, which is password-protected.
• Storage of clients’ personal records under lock and key outside operating hours.
• Shredding of documents containing personal information when they are no longer needed.

The CSCHN makes sure that all staff members are aware of these measures and apply them.

Sharing of Personal Health Information

Medical personnel communicate your personal health information to other health care providers when this is necessary for care or treatment. In such cases, your consent is considered implicit; that is, your consent is not necessary for a doctor to share your health information with a specialist when referring you for care or treatment. In contrast, your personal health information cannot be communicated without your express consent to people or organizations that do not provide health care (e.g. your employer).

As the CSCHN is a multidisciplinary centre, some personal information may be shared between team members as needed and in accordance with CSCHN policy. The CSCHN is required to share certain personal information with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Canada and Public Health Services. Personal health information may also be required by law in some specific situations (e.g. to comply with a court order).

However, under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, you are entitled to clearly instruct your health care provider not to disclose certain health information to other practitioners. Beyond its legal obligations, such as those concerning public health, the CSCHN will be prevented from communicating this information.

Accessing Your Record in Relation to Personal Information

You are entitled to access your personal health information and request any corrections if you believe your record contains errors or is incomplete. In accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, the CSCHN must rectify any inaccurate or incomplete information upon the client’s written request. However, the CSCHN cannot alter a professional opinion or any record originally created by another health services provider.

To access your record or request the correction of certain information, please contact: Marcel Castonguay, Executive Director

810 East Main Street, Welland, ON  L3B 3Y4
Tel. (Welland): 905-734-1141 ext. 2253
Tel. (toll-free): 1-866-885-5947

Written requests will be processed within 30 days.

Complaints

If you wish to make a complaint about the CSCHN’s practices with respect to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal health information or access to your records, please contact France Vaillancourt at the above number.

In certain cases specified by the Personal Health Information Protection Act, you may file a complaint about personal health information practices directly with the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) of Ontario at 1-800-387-0073.

Further Information

Feel free to ask your CSCHN health practitioner to explain more about our personal information practices. You can also get a free copy of the CSCHN’s policies and procedures regarding the confidentiality of personal information. Just ask at reception.

Find out more about the Personal Health Information Protection Act by calling the INFOline at 1-800-461-2036 or visiting http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/.