The Heart of Hastings Hospice

The Hospice maintains the confidentiality of personal information of clients, volunteers, staff and board members that pertains to an identifiable individual including, race, ethnic origin, colour, age, marital status, religion, education, medical history, criminal record, employment history, financial status, address, telephone number, and any numerical identification, such as Social Insurance Number or Ontario Health card number.   

 

The Hospice also holds confidential any client information regarding personal care, services provided and any other information about the client or their family.    

 

The Hospice has an assigned Privacy Officer who conducts, and shares with the Board, an annual Privacy Audit of personal information handling practices, including ongoing activities and new initiatives.  This Audit covers what personal information is collected, why it is collected, how it is collected, how it is used, how it is stored securely, how it is accessed, and how it is disclosed. 

 

Hospice Staff may collect, store, and use personal information only as needed for the purposes of administration and service delivery and only with the written consent of the client/caregiver or volunteer.  All clients receive a copy of The Heart of Hastings Hospice Commitment to Privacy Statement on assessment.  Personal information may only be used for the purpose for which the volunteer, or client/caregiver has given consent.  Service Agreements between the Hospice and client explicitly identify how personal information may be used or shared.   

 

The Hospice has a separate policy on Record Management that describes procedures for storage and disposal of information.  

 

All staff members, volunteers and board members are oriented to this privacy policy and sign an agreement to maintain privacy and confidentiality.   

 

Staff members will employ appropriate measures to protect any personal information contained in electronic mail, voice mail or phone texts through the use of device and program passwords. 

 

Staff will immediately report any breach of confidentiality to the Executive Director as an Unusual Incident report.  This report will be shared with the Board.   

 

Staff, volunteers, or board members who contravene this privacy policy will be subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including dismissal for cause, and being held personally liable and the breach will be reported to the information and Privacy Commissioner as well as the affected client, volunteer, staff, board member or donor. 

 

Clients, volunteers, donors, board members and employees may access their files with 24 hour notice to the Executive Director. 

 

The personal information of Hospice donors is never sold, rented or shared with others.  Information regarding individual donors and their donations is not disclosed without their consent.