Privacy and confidentiality

How we protect your information

We have safeguards (e.g. security, passwords, and policies) in place to make sure your information stays private. Only people who need to see your personal health information are allowed to look at it.

Consent

We assume you give consent to share your information with people involved in your care, and we will ask for your consent before we collect, use or share your information for any purpose other than our stated activities. You may also withhold or withdraw this consent at any time by contacting the Health Records Department.

Video surveillance

CHEO collects personal information through recorded images in our surveillance system, such as the security cameras at entrances and exits. The purpose of this collection is for safety and security operations in accordance with privacy provisions in FIPPA and MFIPPA. If you have questions or concerns about the use of video surveillance at CHEO, please reach out to our Security Team at extension 2227 or the Freedom of Information Office (FOI) at 3646.

How we use your information

• To provide care for you - your information is used by your care providers and trainees who are part of your health care team.
• To teach - your information may be used to support our partnership with the University of Ottawa and other schools.
• To conduct research and compile statistics - researchers may use your health information while working on a study approved by the CHEO Research Ethics Board.
• To improve the care we provide by conducting quality improvement and risk management activities.
• To obtain payment for your treatment.

CHEO may also use or disclose your personal health information in the following ways, unless you tell us not to:

• Share your information, in whole or in part, with outside health care providers involved in your care, which may include access to your electronic health record.
• Conduct patient satisfaction surveys - we want to hear from you about the quality of care and service you received at CHEO. We use this information to help improve the care we will provide in the future.
• Support fundraising activities - our Foundation is dedicated to supporting CHEO by raising funds for research, medical education, and the improvement of patient care. We may share only your name and address with our Foundation.

How we share (disclose) your information

We may share (disclose) your information with:

The patient and legal guardians

Patients and their legal guardians need information to make informed decisions about ongoing care and treatment and about how we collect, use, or share personal health information. At CHEO, patients 12 years old and older can make most treatment decisions on their own if they choose to do so – and if a person 12 or older makes their own treatment decisions, that person also has the right to tell CHEO whether their legal guardians can access their information through MyChart, their care team, or in other ways.

People you choose to share it with

Patients and their legal guardians may ask CHEO to share health information with individuals and groups who aren’t “automatically” allowed to get access to this information by law. This may include other family members, schools, or lawyers. Patients and their legal guardians can withdraw their consent to share health information with these individuals or groups.

People involved in healthcare

We share patients’ health information with providers outside of CHEO who are involved in care, like family doctors, specialists at other hospitals, and care providers in the community. If patients, legal guardians, or the providers themselves ask for it, we may share health information with healthcare providers outside of Canada for care and treatment.

Patients and their legal guardians can tell CHEO that they do not want health information shared between healthcare providers – this is called a “lockbox” or a “consent directive”. Patients and legal guardians should contact the Privacy Office (contact information below) if they have questions or concerns about how their information is shared among care providers.

Shared electronic health record systems

CHEO participates in shared electronic health records and shared health record systems. These systems share patient information securely with providers outside of CHEO to enable timely and coordinated patient care, or to allow providers to get a consultation (“second opinion”) about care or decide whether a referral should be accepted. These systems also allow care providers at CHEO to see health information from other healthcare facilities for the same reasons. Care providers, and the staff who support them, who access these systems are bound by user terms and can only access patient information for approved reasons. See below for more information about each system:

People conducting patient satisfaction surveys

We want to hear from you about the quality of care and services you receive at CHEO. We will use your name and address, and the dates of your visits to send you surveys about your experience. This information helps us improve the care we provide.

CHEO Foundation

The CHEO Foundation is dedicated to supporting CHEO by raising funds for research, education, and the improvement of patient care. Unless you tell us not to, we will share your name and address with the CHEO Foundation.

Spiritual representatives

Our Spiritual Support team provides support for patients and families of different traditions. If you would like a member of our Spiritual Support team to connect with you, please let your healthcare provider know so that a referral can be made.

Visitors and callers

Unless you ask us not to give out this information, we may share general information about you with others, such as your location in the hospital (when admitted) and your general health status (i.e., “fair”, “stable”, “poor”, “critical”). Your consent is required to disclose any more detailed information to callers and visitors. If you do not want your status and location in the hospital to be shared, please contact the CHEO Privacy Office (contact details below) or speak to a member of your clinical team.   

Third Parties

We may also share de-identified or anonymized data with third parties, such as government entities, research entities, industry partners, for non-care purposes like research, measuring our performance, making improvements to our operations, or developing products and services that could benefit CHEO or other healthcare facilities.

Other people if required by law 

Ontario laws require or permit us to share some patient information with specific external groups, without patient consent, including but not limited to: 

• the Ministry of Health;
• registries such as Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, Institute for Clinical Evaluation Sciences (ICES), Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHI); 
• researchers, if approved by our Research Ethics Board (REB); 
• the Medical Officer of Health to report communicable diseases; 
• Law Enforcement Officers who present a warrant or subpoena, or to aid in an investigation; 
• the Children’s Aid Society where child harm is suspected;
• the children’s lawyer; 
• the public guardian and trustee; and 
• the Coroner.

How to access your health information

You have the right to view and/or request access to your personal health information. Please contact the Health Records Department by phone at 613-737-7600, ext. 2292, or by fax at 613-738-4855. Please note, we require a written request that is signed by the patient (if 12 years of age or older) or the parent/legal guardian before the request can be fulfilled.

How to access other information

As of January 1, 2012, all hospitals in Ontario will be designated as institutions under Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). This legislation has two main purposes – access to information and protection of privacy. The Act applies to records in the custody or control of the Hospital. Upon request, certain records must be made available, subject to limited exemptions.

Please refer to the Access to Information page for further details and guidance on making a request.