Privacy Policy

This Policy is intended to reflect the content of Legislation including the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) as well as Guidelines of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and the Canadian Medical Association.

The Staff of Selkirk Medical Associates (SMA) will ensure the protection of the confidentiality of any personal health information (PHI) accessed in the course of providing patient care. We will only collect, use and disclose health information that is required for the purposes of providing care.

Consent is implied for the collection, use, and disclosure of PHI for ourselves and to other health professionals accessed in the routine process of care of patients associated with this clinic.

No consent from the patient is required when the disclosure is mandated by legislation.

Written consent is required for PHI to be shared with a third party for reasons other than care and treatment. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

Consequences of denying or withdrawing consent will be made clear to the patient.

All Staff are required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

RETENTION OF RECORDS AND DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS

SMA will retain patient records as required by law, and regulation of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba. All paper charts are retained for a minimum of 10 years after the last entry, or 10 years after the patient has reached the age of majority (18 years).
SMA will destroy our records only after the requirements for retention have been fulfilled. Destruction will occur in a way that protects patient privacy in accordance with regulations made by the College of Physician and Surgeons of Manitoba.
SMA uses an EMR (electronic medical record). This is a secure network within the building and cannot be accessed from outside.
PATIENT ACCESS TO RECORDS:

Requests for access to medical records can be made in writing to SMA. An estimate that reflects the cost of photocopying and the physician’s time for reviewing the chart, adhering to the Guidelines of the Manitoba Medical Association, will be provided to the patient.

Refusal of access to medical records will occur in the following circumstances:
– if the individual requesting access is someone other than the patient to which the record refers, with the exception being the legal guardian of a minor, unless written consent is obtained from the patient naming the specific designated individual or third party.
– if the information could reasonably endanger the mental or physical health or safety of the patient to which the record refers, or any other individual.
– if the disclosure would reveal PHI about another person who has not consented to the disclosure.

Requests to view the original record, having met the above requirements, will be facilitated with a staff member present to maintain the integrity of the chart. This staff member will not be able to answer any questions related to PHI recorded in the chart, but will only be present to ensure the integrity of the record. There will be a fee for this process, concordant with the Guidelines of the Manitoba Medical Association.

Patients will be treated only behind closed doors to ensure privacy.

Corridor consultation between members of the health care team is discouraged and all verbal communication will occur in a secure area or without the use of names whenever possible.