Privacy and Your Personal Health Information: A Guide to the Collection, Use and Disclosure

At Addiction & Mental Health Services – Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (AMHS-KFLA), we collect personal health information (PHI) about you. This information may have come to us directly from you or from a person acting on your behalf. The personal health information that we collect may include information such as your name, date of birth, address, health history, record of your visits to AMHS-KFLA and the support you received during those visits. The collection of your personal health information is important in allowing us to provide you with better services. Unless you tell us not to, we share your assessment information with other health service providers who will provide you with support now and in the future.

Sharing Your PHI

We use a secure electronic system to share your health information with other health service providers within our agency. This allows the appropriate staff to view the information they need to provide you with the services you need. By agreeing to share your PHI, your information will be used to:

  • Provide health support and services based on your needs
  • Make sure the health providers within your circle of care have the most up-to-date and complete record of your health history and needs
  • Help us see where there might be gaps or overlaps so we can provide services where they are most needed
  • Make sure everyone is getting the right support and services
  • As well as other organizational activities to support safe, quality services for you and other persons served

A client’s instruction cannot prevent us from recording information that is required by law, professional standards or our practice.

Privacy and Security of Your Information

The personal health information collected in your record belongs to you. The privacy and protection of your personal health information is a priority. In the process of receiving services, we only collect the health information we need in order to determine your service and support needs. This information cannot be used for any other purposes without your permission.

  • Your health information is kept in a secure place
  • Your health information will only be viewed by authorized people who deliver your services
  • All health services providers have signed contracts to keep your information confidential
  • When a person views your information, it is recorded in a log. This log is reviewed regularly to make sure there has been no unauthorized access to your information
  • Information is stored and/or disposed of according to law
  • We will investigate any suspected breach or unauthorized access to your personal health information

Your Privacy Choices

Please speak to your usual care provider or our Privacy Officer, if you want to:

  • See your personal health record: You can request to view or get a copy of your record at any time.
  • Correct your own information: You can ask to have information in your record corrected or  updated.
  • Opt-Out: You may choose not to share your information with other health service providers.  The withdrawal of your consent is not retroactive.

If you would like to know more about how your personal health information is handled and shared with our partner organizations, feel free to ask our Privacy Officer. They will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

The Privacy Commissioner

If you have any issues or concerns about how your health information is being handled, you have the right to contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at:

  • 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
  • Telephone: 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073
  • Online: http://www.ipc.on.ca